Derkeller, a spacious family home set on an elevated site in Newtownmountkennedy enjoys panoramic views of the surrounding countryside currently dappled with autumn hues.
The house, designed by Ray McDonnell, was built in two stages – the original dates from 1998, with a seamless extension added in 2006, which now gives the property 614sq m. Despite the vast space this house occupies, none of the rooms feel overwhelmingly large or ostentatious.
Electric gates set in granite piers sweep up a tree-lined driveway flanked at either side by paddocks. The grounds, which extend to seven and a half acres, offer room for not just one pony – a team of horses could be easily accommodated.
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Also on the site are a floodlit tennis court, a raised dining area – accessed via a pergola laden with clematis – a children’s playground, and a vast sandstone patio which wraps around the property.
At the heart of the house is an open kitchen which is situated off a breakfast room, formal dining room and living area.
Featuring solid wooden units including two hidden pantries, the largest Rangemaster on the market, and a wine cave, a subtle chalkboard bearing the name Christoff, serves as a reminder that this is an expensive kitchen built to last a lifetime. As it is hand-painted, the colour can be changed as trends dictate.
The owner is a builder, which explains the level of detail throughout. A home automated Crestron system controls the entire property – the push of one button in the front hallway turns off every light in the house, except for LED safety runners on the stairs. Besides lighting – which have four different mood settings – touchscreen panels in each room also control heating, the front gates and music systems.
The property has six bedrooms, three of which are on the ground floor. The master, which has its own private patio, features a vast dressing room and the en suite has a bath suitable for four – where the children snorkel. The shower – big enough for two – has a steam setting, mood lighting and plenty of jets for an invigorating morning wash. A 450 litre water tank in the basement ensures an ample supply of hot water.
Three further bedrooms upstairs open out onto a living room – bringing the reception room tally to five in total.
At ground level, the drawing room with solid oak flooring features a raised sandstone fireplace and triple aspect windows with views to the gardens and surrounding countryside.
Adjacent lies the formal dining room, which could easily accommodate a table for 20. The papered walls are just a little fussy and detract somewhat from the vistas.
The extension, added in 2006, includes a family cinema room with a state of the art surround sound system.
At basement level is a large garage, easily big enough for a boat. Offering lots of storage for sports equipment, it also houses what looks like the mainframe of a computer company. This is the high-tech system which controls the house, and potential buyers would be wise seek a tutorial on its operation.
Off the garage lies an internal greenhouse where the family grow vegetables. The fact that this space is linked to the house allows gardening in all weather.
The name of the property comes from a bar in Jumeriah Beach Hotel in Dubai – Der Keller (The Cellar). The name is at odds with the bright spacious contemporary family home, which is for sale through McGovern Estates with an asking price of €1.65million.
