“When I wake up every morning I can see the Sugar Loaf without taking my head off the pillow,” says the owner of Kundera, a vast 633sq m (6,813sq ft) property tucked away in a private setting at the base of Co Wicklow’s best known peak.
The owners bought the property in 2004, when the house had a more traditional structure. Then in 2007 they engaged Brendan McEvoy of EMD Architects "and gave him a budget to create something using his vision that matched our needs, and his attention to detail was superb".
Lockdown has been quite the test for many Irish families, with children and adults trying to coexist in these uncertain times. “We didn’t realise until lockdown hit, how well designed the house was. All the kids were here and some had their partners to stay, but with four reception rooms and the cinema downstairs, it meant we all had our own space and were not on top of each other.”
The property ticks quite a few boxes when it comes to its leisure offering. Sitting on an acre of landscaped gardens, with patios set at each compass point, it also features a hard tennis court and has a gym and sauna in the basement. “One of my sons was a Senior Cup rugby player and his pals would be over almost every day, so it – and the sauna – really have had great use.”
Its location at the base of the Sugar Loaf also means it is well located for mountain hikes, cycling and countryside rambling.
For larger families and entertaining purposes, the chef’s or second kitchen is a bonus. Not only does it offer more storage, but it is also very functional. In the main kitchen by Siematic, there are induction hobs, while gas units are in the secondary kitchen. “To be honest, most of the hard work is done there when we are entertaining as it allows the main kitchen to be the focus of pre-dinner drinks around the island, which extends to almost five metres.”
The kitchen is dominated by a full wall of glass that looks out onto a waterfall feature in an inner courtyard, which is overlooked by a large piece of artwork in etched stainless steel. This is also the view from the home office, where the owner says working from is “an absolute pleasure”.
The cinema room in the basement measures 32sq m and is lined with acoustic panels. It’s a substantial space that can accommodate 10 people, with its own bar and more space in the 23sq m adjacent lobby.
Also on this floor is a temperature-controlled wine cellar with capacity for 600 bottles.
The property was given a cosmetic overhaul in 2017 and clearly no expense was spared in the Siematic kitchen with Miele and Gaggenau appliances along with Villeroy and Boch, Axor Massaud and Hans Grohe bathroom fittings. If Versace tiling is your cup of tea, the entire front foyer has its signature gold motif.
The five bedrooms are large, and the main bedroom suite is quite the showstopper with its aspect taking in the peak of the Sugar Loaf.
Further accommodation lies in an adjacent annexe. Extending to 70sq m (775sq ft), the self-contained unit has one bedroom, a living room and bathroom and would suit an au pair, or could be used as overnight guest accommodation.
The private mature gardens on an acre command super views of the surrounding countryside. Despite the rural location, the property is well served by local transport links. St Kevin’s Bus stops 20 yards from the entrance going all the way to UCD and St Stephen’s Green, with the 45A link to the Dart also close by.
The owners, with an empty nest, are now rightsizing nearby and have placed their home in turnkey condition on the market through Sherry FitzGerald seeking €3.25 million.
