Don’t be fooled by the unassuming look of Knockatana, or by its tranquil setting on a 0.3-acre site close to the sea in Killiney.
Knockatana does a lot of hard work in the background to make family living look easy.
This detached home in the lovely, sylvan setting of Killiney Heath has been completely reimagined by architect Jim Horan, who transformed an ordinary 1960s/1970s bungalow into a spacious, brightly-lit haven for a busy family, with open-plan living spaces and a fresh, airy ambience.
Knockatana has everything a family needs for everyday life, with breathtaking views out to the Wicklow Mountains and the Sugar Loaf to boot.
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With 353sq m (3,800sq ft) of living space, plus an additional 23sq m (250sq ft) in a superb, fully fitted-out home office in the back garden, this former bungalow delivers on so many levels, creating the ideal environment for work, rest and play. It’s for sale through Vincent Finnegan estate agents with an asking price of €1.75 million.
The architect’s touch is immediately apparent when you step into the tiled reception hall and in to the kitchen/diningroom, which has been moved to the front of the house, all the better to enjoy the wonderful views, and also to take in the south-facing sunshine.
The room has an impressive vaulted ceiling with exposed trusses and a brightly tiled floor, and the bespoke fittings in the shade Traffic White were designed by Robert Mooney Furniture.
The kitchen is fully fitted with Neff appliances, including a double oven, a hob, an extractor fan, and an integrated fridge and dishwasher. Sliding patio doors lead out to a terrace, a suntrap patio and barbecue area, which wraps around the front and side of the house.
Privacy is no issue here; you’re looking out at lush vegetation and landscape, but you can also see your visitors as they arrive on this quiet street to join the barbecue party.
Adjoining the kitchen/dining area, through pocket doors, is a large drawingroom which has a heat-efficient solid-fuel fireplace with marble surround. The room is fitted with a built-in Sonos sound system, and sliding patio doors also lead out to the terrace. Oak floors run through most of the ground floor, and underfloor heating and double-glazed Rationel windows contribute to the home’s B1 Ber rating.
Knockatana has six bedrooms, two of them with en suites, and all with built-in wardrobes. The main bedroom to the back of the house has a walk-in wardrobe/dressing area neatly tucked behind a decorative partition, and a fully tiled en suite with his-and-hers wash-hand basins, under-sink vanity units and a heated towel rail.
Also on the ground floor is a fully tiled Jack-and-Jill family bathroom with a bath and shower, as well as a part-tiled guest WC.
The utility room has tiled floor, a stainless-steel sink, lots of built-in storage and a cloakroom area. It also serves as a landing leading down to a basement, which has been turned into a spacious games room/cinema room with an oak floor, recessed lighting and access to the gardens.
This is where the teenagers can hang out, well out of your way – all you need to do is throw in the pizzas and let them get on with it. There’s a storeroom adjoining the games room, which is perfect for keeping toys, tennis gear etc, and a handy WC.
Although two of the bedrooms are being used as studies, busy parents know they need more than that if they’re going to be working from home. The solution is at the end of the garden, where the owners have built a fine, self-contained home office with a timber floor, wall and counter units, ample storage and full-length windows looking out to the garden. The office also has its own guest WC.
If you need to go in to the office, Killiney Heath is close to the N11 and M50, and Killiney Dart station is just a short walk away. You’re also not far from the villages of Dalkey, Killiney, Shankill and Cabinteely, and schools in the area include St John’s National School, St Colmcille’s, St Lawrence College and Holy Child Killiney.
