The owners of this house, located down a quiet little cul-de-sac about 3km from the market town of Westport, were inspired by North American homes after having spent time in the United States. So much so that they designed this home themselves. They engaged a Canadian firm to cut and supply all materials and the company’s carpenters came to the site to erect the substantial 398sq m (4,280sq ft) house.
Constructed in 2005, the property was designed to trace the path of the sun: the kitchen is set to the east for the morning light while the west-facing sittingroom gets all the evening glow. Then throughout the day the main reception room has full sun thanks to 10m-high floor-to-ceiling glass gable walls. North and east-facing walls are block-built with a local Farnaught stone facade, while south and west elevations are of timber-frame construction with cladding in the form of western red cedar.
“The quality of the timber we imported is much better as it is kiln-dried for longer, is export-grade and there is no shrinkage,” say the owners who are rightsizing due to an empty nest.
It is really some house, and was also designed to take in the surrounding views. With Clew Bay and Croagh Patrick in the distance – viewed from two westerly facing yellow balau hardwood decks – there are also views of local lakes including Doo Lough, Clogher Lough, and the Nephin range of mountains.
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The owners love the light and comfort of their home as well as its proximity to town. They engaged local company Creative Wood to design and build their bespoke kitchen which has a solid-oak carcass and granite counter tops, so it is built to last.
Flooring downstairs is travertine limestone warmed underfoot, while upstairs has hardwood flooring in each of the six bedrooms (the sixth is laid out as an office).
As you would expect the principal bedroom – like the house itself – is a little bit out of this world: it has a vaulted cedar-clad ceiling and a wraparound deck with mountain views – which are equally lovely inside thanks to a wall of glazing. It’s the kind of space where a day in bed would be an absolute treat – without the need for any technology.
The main family bathroom has the benefit of a commercial-grade sauna – which will come in handy if new owners decide to swim in Clew Bay year round.
A focal point is the main living-diningroom with its remarkable wall of glazing and overhead mezzanine. It’s not every day you see a hammock swinging in a livingroom, but then again it’s not your everyday run-of-the-mill house. A giant parallam beam, hidden behind cedar cladding holds up the hammock – and part of the house: “They have huge structural strength and have longer burn time than steel,” says the owner.
Of note here, and one of the owners’ favourite features, is the ability of the wood-burning stove to rotate so flames can be seen from any corner of the room. Made by Invicta, its Pharos model is cast-iron and sits on a single round leg, and its post-combustion technology enables the stove to burn for up to 10 hours.
Sitting on a site of 1.6 acres with a fully electrified and plumbed garage, the gardens have extensive planting of native oak, willow, rowan and whitebeam trees – with plenty of space for further landscaping.
With an excellent Ber of B3, this most unusual house is now on the market through Sherry FitzGerald Crowley seeking €985,000.
