Cork semi-d transformed into €825k modern family haven with major extension

THE ball of logistical complexities, emotional upheaval, and physical effort that come with a house move can scupper attempts to hit the ground running.

When an entire family is involved, stress increases exponentially: What if the neighbourhood schools are no good? Is the house on a bus route? How long will the commute take? How close is the nearest hospital or university? Will you spend hours driving the kids everywhere?

The couple that bought No 45 Allendale Avenue worked through all of these questions before deciding to relocate from the countryside to Bishopstown in 2018.

“A west-facing back garden and proximity to a bus stop were the key criteria for us,” says the woman of the house.

They also wanted shorter work commutes and to move closer to third-level education as their children approached that stage.

“We looked at several properties and we landed on this one. The area had appeal because we were going to be able to get the kids into good schools and just as important, they were going to be able to walk to school,” the owner says.

Her husband could reach his job in MTU “on foot in seven minutes” and her own hospital-based job was walkable.

“Allendale allowed us to live together longer as a family, because it was easier for everyone to get to where they needed to be.

“For myself and my husband, it cut down on our work commute, and it meant we could actually get to school events on time,” the owner says.

After buying the two-storey semi-d — in a cul-de-sac set behind Melbourn Road — they sought planning permission for a single-storey side and rear extension in 2019 and got consent just as Covid hit. “We lived in squalor during the pandemic, but the minute restrictions lifted, we got stuck in.”

An architect helped with the design, with a big focus on sustainability and future-proofing. Two downstairs bedrooms were added; one is plumbed and wired for easy conversion to a kitchen. There’s a downstairs bathroom (wetroom), and all three rooms could form a granny flat with its own entrance.

Upstairs, one bedroom was turned into a walk-in wardrobe and en suite.

There are five bedrooms in total.

The owner says the extension "more or less" doubled the ground-floor footprint of the original house, which has an American flavour explained by the training of the original architect, Denis Higgins, who spent four years in Boston in the 1960s. If you ever wondered where the names of some Bishopstown estates came from — Woburn and Beverly, for example — they are cities in Massachusetts.

Higgins also designed Janeville on the Blackrock Road and Barnstead Drive off Church Road. His look is described as “mid-century modernist” in Cork City Council’s assessment of areas of architectural conservation.

Inside the semi-d, the look is a combination of modern and vintage.

The kitchen — a mix of rust, brown and dark charcoal — has an industrial style, while the furniture has a retro edge.

A huge Munster Joinery sliding door fills the back wall.

An expansive roof lantern channels light above the Dekton-topped kitchen island, where deep drawers replace mounted wall units.

There’s excellent storage in a walk-in pantry and more in what the owner calls the “entry kitchen,” the space where the original kitchen used to be.

It now holds stylish units and a worktop/desk. It could be a home office, except there already is one in the doubly insulated garage, plus another office/study in a downstairs room.

There’s also a utility room and boiler room.

A large sitting room/lounge — previously two reception rooms — was opened into one by former owners.

You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to entertaining at No 45: relaxing in the supersize kitchen, sitting on the tiered limestone patio watching the sun go down, or cosying up in the inviting lounge. The whole house is cosy, thanks to underfloor heating.

The owners made great use of the patio — which has hidden storage — and the west-facing rear garden, where they planted trees, some native and some ornamental.

“There are two very big rear gardens in the estate, and ours is one of them,” the owner says. All told, the property sits on about 0.3 acres.

Whoever buys No 45 will hit the ground running because it’s been redesigned with practicality, style, and family living in mind, and it’s in a prime location.

You can see MTU over the back garden wall; UCC and Cork University Hospital are walkable, and schools are plentiful in the western suburb.

With two kids now fled the nest and the other two driving, the couple’s living requirements have changed once again, and they plan to return to the countryside, closer to family.

“They say you get it right on the third house. This will be our fourth,” laughs the owner.

Families are likely to agree they got it right on the third house. So does selling agent Johnny O’Connor of Barry Auctioneers, who is guiding the 207 sq m home at €825,000. “It’s an exceptional home, with a terrific B3 energy rating, in a prime location.”

He expects strong interest from families trading up, including medics, because of the ease of access to hospitals in the western suburbs, and from people relocating back to Cork.

VERDICT: You’ll hit the ground running at this expansive home, which is commendably geared towards modern family living.