Hettyfield Park Residence: A Modern Irish Home

Like its sunny namesake, this bricks-and-mortar Estoril is a bright and vibrant spot. Even though its current owners inherited the name when they bought the house in Hettyfield Park 35 years ago, it’s grown into it under their stewardship. Like a bit of imported sunshine, it offers light, warmth, colour, and escape, and is the height of style.

A Transformation Through the Years

A significant amount of effort and investment has gone into creating the home that Estoril now is. The first major renovation occurred two years after the current owners purchased the property. Initially, the house had a two-storey flat roof extension with a gap between the main house and the addition. After two years, the roof began to leak, prompting the owners to commission architect Tony Dennehy to design a new extension, a practical addition that supported them through raising their children.

Bold Modernization

Approximately six years ago, the owners embarked on a bolder transformation, hiring architect Liam Hickey of LH4 Design to reimagine the main daytime accommodation on a larger scale. Their request was to create a bright, open space that combines structural openness with natural, cosy materials. Mr. Hickey delivered with a knockout open-plan living space featuring a wraparound glass wall, creating a Mediterranean spirit within an Irish home.

Extensive Renovations

The renovations weren’t limited to the open-plan kitchen/dining/living room. The couple moved out for nine months even as the main upstairs bedroom was extended to the rear, creating a spacious suite complete with a walk-in closet and deluxe en-suite. Throughout the house, doors and windows (now all timber) were replaced, and Blarney-based joiners refreshed the skirting boards and added panelling to the hallway and staircase, giving the interior a carefully crafted finish. Even the banisters were upgraded, and the detached garage received new doors.

Indoor-Outdoor Connection

While the open-plan space is the focal point of this 242sq m home, the front living room also holds its own. Tall, graceful French doors open from this elegant room to a south-facing patio that runs the width of the house. The property offers multiple outdoor sitting areas. The front patio benefits from mature planting, including a willow tree and apple blossom, providing privacy, while the rear patio is fully enclosed and feels like a natural extension of the indoors. Hulking glass doors fitted by Classic Windows seamlessly blend the indoor and outdoor spaces.

Thoughtful Design Details

The owners praised the workers who laid the porcelain patio tiles to the front, rear, and side entrance, noting the precision of their work. The colour of the porcelain was chosen to complement the solid wood herringbone floor in the kitchen/dining/living room and hallway.

Bespoke Kitchen and AGA

The kitchen, crafted by O’Driscolls in Midleton, is extremely well-crafted and includes a concealed coffee bar and a hidden, full-size utility room, both concealed behind doors matching the kitchen cabinetry, painted in Farrow & Ball “Railings”. The Silestone quartz countertops by Hickeys Stoneworks in Ballincollig are both durable and sleek. An AGA, reconditioned and fitted with a new front finished in Pearl Ashes and fuelled by natural gas, remains at the heart of the home, providing warmth during the winter months. The energy rating of the home is B2.

Colour and Comfort

As a counterbalance to the dark-hued kitchen, the lounge area is bursting with colour, featuring ochre walls, orange sofas, and colourful artwork. A focal point is the feature gas fireplace, offering instant warmth and a sociable space. A chimney that once ran through the centre of the house was removed during an earlier extension to open up the attic, which now accommodates two double beds.

Additional Features

The middle floor hosts two more double bedrooms and the main stylish bathroom (with underfloor heating), while the ground floor guest loo stands out for its interior flair. An additional room on the first floor serves as a polished home office/study. The entire property, which includes a separate garage, sits on about 0.16 acres.

Prime Location

The property is located in a very attractive neighbourhood where top dollar house sales are the norm. Its proximity to strong retail in Douglas village, good schools, green space, and recreation and leisure activities adds to its appeal. The owners particularly value the close proximity to amenities, schools, play areas, and sports clubs.

Market Value

Selling agent Sam Kingston, of Casey & Kingston, believes Estoril – “a house with a classic, modern look” – will appeal to anyone shopping for a home in the Douglas or Blackrock area. With a guide price of €1.6m, the property reflects the rising prices in Hettyfield. Nearby homes have also achieved high prices, with two new houses on smaller plots selling for approximately €1m each, and established homes selling for over €960,000 and €1m.

Verdict: A home to buoy the spirits, Estoril is a beacon of light, colour and style. It would do well anywhere, but in Hettyfield, it will excel.