When they were launched in 2005, an Irish Times article for these apartments in Sutton Castle had the headline “Sutton scheme stands up to superlatives” and described them as “spectacular”. Almost two decades on, they still live up to this title.
The 19th-century castle, which operated as Sutton House Hotel for a time, was converted into eight apartments, with the addition of nine more in a wing to the northern elevation. Back then prices were €1.4 million-€3.5 million for the two- and three-bedroom units in the arts-and-crafts style castle.
One of the finest apartments in the scheme, which sits on six acres of manicured gardens, has been brought to the market by Sherry FitzGerald.
Number 14, formerly known as The Bailey, is in the main house, which was the former home of the Jameson family of whiskey fame. On the first floor, the main room in the apartment was in its former life one of the main livingrooms. Views to the sea are jaw-dropping “and equally beautiful in a storm on a wet and windy day”, say the owners.
The vendors purchased the unit – which occupies a significant 150sq m (1,615sq ft) – in 2016 for €850,000, according to the Property Price Register. With the assistance of Emma Cooling, formerly the senior interior designer at Ventura Design, the whole space has been renovated with flair and attention. It was given a tech upgrade whereby lights, music and curtains can be switched on or off remotely from an app, and the hearth of the Portuguese limestone fireplace has been changed to a stove-like gas unit in order to minimise heat loss.
Smart additions have been made, such as a wall of mirror in the kitchen that both reflects light and acts as a trompe l’oeil, giving the illusion that the space is larger than it is. Here a simple white kitchen that has the benefit of a wine cooler and has a lovely built-in seating area. Most of the furniture here has been custom made by Píu Alto in Drogheda to fit the space perfectly, and can be purchased by separate negotiation – which could well be of interest for buyers not wanting to shop around themselves.
A mezzanine, used as an office, lies over the main living area. A small balcony lies off this livingroom with lovely sea views across Dublin Bay to Poolbeg. There is also a much larger patio off the main bedroom to the rear. New flooring and bathrooms have also been fitted so the whole place feels completely brand new.
Both bedrooms are bright, and the main bedroom has both an en suite and a walk-in wardrobe.
The communal hallway is wonderful, and old stags’ heads as you ascend the staircase serve as a reminder of this historic pile’s origins, while there is also the benefit of a lift.
This standout apartment, laden with charm and history, is Ber exempt. It is now on the market seeking €1.395 million. Management fees are about €8,000 annually to include full maintenance of the six-acre grounds, ponds and gardens, along with lighting, cleaning and heating of communal areas and patios and dusting off those old stags’ heads, while also adding to a sinking fund.
