When Aisling and Richard Witt saw the detached 1930s cottage at the top of Upper Albert Road in Glenageary, they knew they wanted it. The couple had been renting in the area to see if they wanted to live there permanently and, as Aisling says, “the minute we walked in, it had this lovely feeling.”
The plan was to renovate, but it didn’t quite work out that way. The walls turned out to be crumbling, “so in the end we had to knock it. But that meant we were able to go full-on with a new layout and energy efficiency.”
Aisling has nothing but praise for her team of architect Niall Browne, builder Peter Flynn, and interior designer Ciara Brandon. "We were torn between whether to build in order to re-sell, or build the place we wanted to live in forever," Aisling explains. The couple opted for the forever option; so why, if all this happened just three years ago, are they moving so soon?
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The answer is: a horse. Currently the three-bedroomed house is home to the couple and their two large and lovely golden retrievers, but equine passion meant that their eyes have turned to somewhere with a bit of land, and consequently they are going further south to Wicklow.
The house is 190sq m (2,045sq ft), and it’s designed with space, light and open-plan in mind. So, downstairs you get two large double bedrooms and a bathroom, opening off the hallway, which leads on to a really fantastic kitchen/lounge area. A study leads off the kitchen, and French windows open from the lounge to the patio and enclosed back garden. There’s also a garage, which offers more living space options. Upstairs is entirely taken up with the master suite, which has a lush bathroom, and lots of wardrobe space.
Aisling’s favourite room is the kitchen. “As soon as you’re back here, you’re in another world,” she says. “It’s quiet and yet you’re so connected to the rest of the house. The atmosphere is lovely, too. Friends wonder at us leaving the convenience and all the brilliant amenities round here, but I’m think- ing of the fields and the hills . . .”
No 64 is for sale by private treaty through Savills with an AMV of €945,000. It’s on open view this Saturday from 1.30pm to 2.30pm. Ideas for small families without horses.
