Owners Mandy Hegarty and Andrew Barry have put the finishing touches to this trendy two-bed end-of-terrace home that they bought in 2021. Situated in the heart of Bray town, a 10-minute walk from the seafront, 1 Killarney Villas is a Ber-exempt period home, extending to 70sq m (753sq ft), with a gorgeous brick facade and fresh, modern interiors.
They bought this property – for €370,000, according to the Property Price Register – as their first home after renting for a short time in Dublin, having returned from eight years abroad. Their criteria at the time was to be close to the sea, and the charm of this property sealed the deal for them. Although it had already been renovated, they added some cosmetic touches and revamped the garden to create a truly desirable home. It is now on the market through Dooley Auctioneers, seeking €395,000.
Up the entrance steps from the street, the modern Shaker-style front door sits under a decorative awning. Hegarty and Barry had the small front porch tiled with Victorianesque black and white diamond tiles. Off the porch is the open plan living/diningroom. This entire space, and into the kitchen beyond, is floored in a solid mahogany parquet floor which adds a lot of class and creates a flow to the space.
The living area to the front of the property is centred around the fireplace, which, although open, Hegarty and Barry have never used. They have made a great design feature of the alcoves on either side of the chimney breast, painting the insets forest green (to contrast with the white walls) and adding floating wooden bookshelves.
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The tale of forest green continues in the dining area which has a built-in corner bench fitted with custom tan-leather cushions. This space is a cosy nook with a hanging light feature overhead.
The modern kitchen is accessed through an alcove; it has light-grey units and a white-tile splashback in a herringbone pattern. You can see the small tropical garden, complete with banana trees, that the owners have cultivated on the roof of the shed from the window above the sink.
The sleek, contemporary shower room sits off the kitchen with white metro tiles and black and brass-coloured fittings.
The back yard consists of an elevated decking, with a built-in bench, and a lower yard space with a large, blue storage shed, on top of which is the pop of green from the plants.
Upstairs, the main bedroom sits to the rear with a wall of sliding, mirrored, built-in wardrobes. A second smaller double sits to the front. This would make a great office/guest bedroom.
This turnkey home is likely to appeal to another set of first-time buyers. It was a difficult decision to sell, Barry says, but as their son is growing up, he has developed a list of demands including a balcony, a big back garden and, what every home needs, a room with a disco ball. The family have settled so well in the area, they are hoping to upsize nearby.
The property is located across from perhaps the nicest-looking McDonald’s in the country – in the Tudor-style town hall building. The area, although central, is quiet after 7pm, Barry says, and the windows block out most noise from the road. For those commuting to Dublin, the Dart service takes 40 minutes to arrive at Tara Station from Bray.
