John and Christina Smith bought Rathlin, their graceful Victorian redbrick detached house, three decades ago when their four children were small.
Although the 294sq m (3,164sq ft) property dates back as far as 1895, they were only the second family to own it. A flurry of renovation ensued and they rewired, replumbed, added central heating and put on a conservatory.
Fast forward, through some memorable family occasions, and now, with the children all grown up, it’s time to move on. The house was reroofed just two years ago, and potential buyers will probably want to do a little more to make it their own. There’s certainly plenty there to work with.
“There were four houses built at the time,” John says, “and this was the one the builder lived in.” This is a good thing to know, as you can usually spot the builder’s own house in a development – it’ll be the one with extra brickwork, features or, in this case, granite around the exterior.
There’s also lovely tiling in the porch and the original hardwood floors, ceiling roses and fireplaces are still intact.
Curving banister
Another feature is the elegantly curving banister, leading up through the three floors. At the top of Bray’s main street, the house is perfectly located, and is a lovely mix of peaceful and welcoming. Set back from the road, it’s on half an acre, with lots of lawns, seating areas, planting and off-street parking, it also has a double garage, and garden sheds.
Inside, there is a very charming hallway, with an arch leading through to the staircase, and on to the kitchen. New owners will almost certainly move or open up the kitchen, large as it is, because these days people tend to want more open-plan spaces.
There are lots of options though, as there’s also a spacious study, and a very nice dual aspect bay windowed drawing room. This has sliding doors to a dining room, with a conservatory off. The six large bedrooms are arranged over two returns and on the main first floor.
“It was a great house for the kids,” says Christina. “We have good memories, really good memories,” adds John. The property is for sale with DNG seeking €1.2 million.
