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Hermitage, Westminster Road (formerly Hainault Road), Foxrock, Dublin 18
Starting price: 3.5 million euros
Agent: Lisney (01) 2806820
Hermitage, an Edwardian residence in Foxrock, has been around lately. Built in 1906, the same year that Foxrock’s best-known son Samuel Beckett was born just around the corner in Cooldrinagh, Hermitage sold in 2017 for 1.7 million euros in good condition.
It was later acquired by a restorer with larger plans for this elegant abode of blending arts and crafts.
He called in Paul Brazil, an architect with a lot of experience in larger period houses. They reflected on how to make this house the best it can be. And so it was decided to help him turn the corner (literally) by moving his look 90 degrees.
Opened a main gate and driveway to Westminster Road, it’s the “new” address. This was serendipitous because while Hainault has always been classy, Westminister is Foxrock’s main address, without exception.
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An open-plan reception with views of the gardens
But address escalation was not the reason here. The “move” was instead triggered by a determined effort to reorient the house in order to optimize its appearance and daylight for modern family life.
“The Edwardians built fabulous houses, but they didn’t live like us today,” says Brazil. “So kitchens, for example, tended to be on the darker side of the house, whereas today, we like the kitchen / living room to be bright and open to the garden.”
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The handmade curved staircase
This side of the house would house the new study, while the huge open-plan kitchen, dining room and living room are now facing south and west, with natural light pouring in from every angle.
The realignment also increased the enjoyment of the garden and this home has almost a half acre of land to itself. The hermitage was also expanded.
Brazil adds: “The additional extension was only 61 square meters (567 square feet), so our biggest challenge was not to make this house bigger, but to reorient it to better function as a modern family living space. Of course, it was a challenge to ensure that all those wonderful period quirks – like the round and oval windows, the clay tile roof and its unusual roof line – were kept in place along with its unique Edwardian character. “
The house took six months in the design and planning phase and then another year at the Whelan & O’Keefe builders site to complete. Today it stands at 4,700 square feet.
Now the owners are selling and Lisney, who has been charged with the Hermitage sale, is asking for 3.5 million euros. Although it formally hits the market today, agent Stephen Day says it already has solid offerings. “I can truly say that in all my years selling houses, I have not seen a house that has been so well finished.”
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The dining room and kitchen are also open plan.
With the 2 million euro improvement budget spent primarily on the existing house, there are some wonderful touches. The kitchen sink has really been launched. In fact, the kitchen is hand-built by Woodale designer cabinets, with polished Carrerra marble countertops.
There are high-end Wolf and SubZero appliances. The entry foyer has a herringbone walnut floor, a remote controlled gas range and custom storage. There is an Arts and Crafts style study with whitewashed oak countertops and handcrafted cabinets. The home has a restaurant-standard wine room with dining facilities, a decent-sized laundry room, and a Victorian-style tile-floored boot room, and press units and drawers.
The ground floor also houses a large bedroom with a full bathroom. One feature that will be popular with all of its new owners is the luxurious home theater with its handcrafted cabinets, mood lighting, and a built-in cocktail bar.
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The Arts and Crafts influenced studio in front of the Hermitage on Westminister Road in Foxrock, Dublin 18
There is a 23 foot long living room with walnut flooring, a marble edge wood fireplace and double glazed doors to the garden room with its double height ceiling, and there is a family room on this floor.
An interior corridor supports the characteristic curved staircase. On the first floor, there are four large double bedrooms, all with private bathrooms and handcrafted and hand-painted built-in wardrobes. Off the master bedroom there is a walk-in closet with shelves and built-in cabinets, and a door to the bathroom with Calacatta tile flooring and a freestanding tub with two sinks. Hermitage is equipped with double glazed Carlson windows and underfloor heating.
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Woodale’s handmade kitchen
The gardens were designed by award-winning landscape architects with an automatic irrigation system. There is a separate studio offering a home office, gym or au pair residence. Its € 2 million upgrade means the Hermitage is ready for another 100 years, this time on Westminster Road.
Irish independent
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