Glanseskin, Portland Road North, The Burnaby, Greystones, Co Wicklow, A63AV25

Glanseskin is an exquisite, detached family home of 381.1 sq m / 4,110 sq ft approx. occupying a wonderful, circa 1 acre, secluded setting in the heart of the leafy Burnaby Estate within striking distance of Greystones Golf Club, the Town Centre, DART station, South beach, and all amenities. Portland Road North is one of Edwardian bastion, the Burnaby’s best kept secret: a short link between Portland Road and Whitshed Road off which Farm Lane offers a convenient short-cut to Greystones Golf Club mere minutes away on foot. This wonderful original character and charm of this five-bedroom residence, dating from the early 1900's, still pervades Glanseskin today where you will notice a combination of visual period delights such as the multi-paned windows, some stained-glass, beautifully preserved quarry tile, and pitch-pine floors and three elegant principal reception rooms featuring fine bay windows, and period fireplace surrounds. For us, a stand-out feature is the wrap-around tiled veranda (onto which both the drawing room and dining room enjoy direct access) linking both south and east elevations with another suntrap lower terrace outside the orangery-inspired family dining area – itself a modern 4th reception extension which seamlessly coalesces with the cosy kitchen at the heart of which is a traditional Aga cooker. The impressive ground floor accommodation is approached through a pretty tiled entrance hall, in turn opening to a welcoming reception hallway with a corner fireplace and panelled cantilevered stairs which ascends to a light-infused gallery landing. A family room, drawing room and dining room (currently in vogue as a snooker room) radiate from the reception hall; while an inner hall leads to a guest cloakroom and to the kitchen, itself open-plan with what is effectively a fourth reception complete with orangery-inspired glazed easterly elevation. A rear hall accesses the practical boot room/utility, and once again Glanseskin yields its pleasant surprises in the form of a studio/home office. Upstairs the gallery landing opens to five bedrooms and two bathrooms - the main bedroom following the footprint of the drawing room below, and its bay-window offering panoramic views to the south and south-east towards the Irish Sea. The expansive gardens of approx one acre are truly a delight, well screened from view and offering the keen gardener and nature lover plenty of interest in specimen trees and shrubs, an orchard section, kitchen garden, flowering bushes, all lending the gardens an array of year-round colour; in addition, the tennis court south-east of the house is an oasis of calm and tranquillity with a mid- summer ambience which is almost sub-tropical. Greystones town has thrived in recent years and really is the perfect place to live, in fact having won the accolade of ‘Global Most Liveable Community Award’ in 2008 and again in 2021! It is a very special place for families with its unrivalled local amenities which include beaches, harbour / marina, and such local sports clubs as the rugby, tennis, GAA, soccer, golf, hockey, and bowling clubs. There is an enviable array of eateries, boutique shops, supermarkets, cafes, cosy pubs, library, two golf courses and much more. The many local primary and secondary schools are highly regarded. For those who must travel the N/M11/M50, DART, TFI bus routes and Aircoach bring the country, capital, airport, centres of business and education within easy reach. Entrance Hall/ Front Porch Featuring original Victorian floor tiles and multi-paned period windows. Glazed screen door opening to: Reception Hall With period cast metal surround fireplace, timber floor, and panelled stairwell with exquisitely carved hardwood bannisters leading to a gallery landing. Family Room 3.5m x 5.4m. Enjoying a westerly aspect enhanced by a deep box bay window; carved timber surround fireplace with brass and tiled inset retro-fitted with wood pellet room heater. Drawing Room 5.25m x 9.4m. An elegant bright dual-aspect room where the eye is drawn to two fine bay-windows, the south fitted with a window-seat beside a door to the veranda terrace, the west enjoying evening solar gain. An archway accentuates the carved period surround fireplace retrofitted with a Jotul multi-fuel stove. Bracket wall-lights and a polished pitch pine floor complete the room. Dining Room 5.5m x 6.0m. A south-facing room with pitch pine floor, ornate period cast metal fire surround and slate hearth, wide bay window and a door leading to the wrap-around tiled veranda terrace. In addition to a door from the reception hall, a second door opens discreetly into the inner hall. Inner Hall From the Reception Hall, a glazed door leads into an inner hall with its own door to the veranda. Guest Cloakroom With wash basin, Victorian tiled floor, and part-tiled walls; opening in turn to a W.C. with Victorian tiled floor and part tiled walls; stained glass windows in both spaces. Understairs Storage Kitchen 4.5m x 4.2m. With Spanish tiled floor, oil-fired double oven Aga with two hotplates, Corian-finished Island incorporating breakfast bar, undercounter cupboards, and a five-plate de Dietrich induction hob beneath a stainless-steel extract hood. There is a good range of wall and floor level cabinetry including glazed display and larder shelving, while a generous work surface area has ample power points and a Franke 1.5 stainless steel sink. Miele electric oven; integrated fridge/freezer and Siemens dishwasher. Orangery/ Family Dining Room 4.82m x 7.81m. With oak floor and a dual aspect where doors in both east and south elevations lead to the garden terraces. A timber surround fireplace is fitted with a Jotul wood-burning stove, and the attractive lantern-style glazed roof along its east elevation suffuses this and the kitchen with light. Back Hall Quarry tiled floor, door lending direct access from the parking bay, and in turn opening to: Studio/ Home Office 4.3m x 3.0m. Extensive fitted workstation and library shelving; painted timber floor; dual aspect east and north, currently used as a sewing/craft room and visitors bedroom. Utility/ Boot Room 2.2m x 3.1m. Plumbed for washing machine and clothes dryer, space for fridge and freezer, fitted cupboards. Door to gated service yard. Panelled cantilevered stairwell Gallery/ Studio Landing Dual aspect east and south, and additional natural light from a Velux rooflight making a bright workspace and library. Upper/ West Landing With atrium lighting from an easterly roof level window. Principal Bedroom 6.47m x 4.62m. Affording the same footprint as the drawing room below with a dual aspect south and west, the deep bay complete with window-seat is an immediate invitation to check out the marvellous views south and towards the east coast. Extensive Newcastle Design fitted wardrobes, pine floor, and a period surround fireplace with tiled inset. Bedroom 2 4.67m x 3.9m. With fitted wardrobes, dual aspect west and north. Corner timber fireplace with cast metal surround and tiled inset. Family Bathroom 1 3.0m x 3.5m. Tiled floor and part tiled walls; W.C. wash basin set in vanity locker; mirror fronted medicine cabinet; bath with shower mixer fitting; tiled shower with glazed curved screen. Mechanical extract fan. Heated towel rail. Bedroom 3 4.0m x 5.5m. A charming south-facing dormer room with timber panel features in the dormer and at eaves level. A lobby with linen cupboard off the gallery landing, opens to: Shower Room 1.5m x 2.6m. With tiled floor, wash basin, W.C. mirror-fronted wall cabinet, tiled shower with glazed screen. Mechanical extract fan. Bedroom 4 3.2m x 4.17m. Linen-airing cupboard with immersion heater. Bedroom 5 4.58m x 3.24m. With built-in wardrobe; easterly aspect. Outside A useful range of workshops lend appeal to the hobbyist and keen gardener: To the north of the car parking bay there is a double workshop with power and light and twin Velux rooflights. In a gated service yard to the north-east of the house there is an integrated boiler-house, two oil tanks, and an open-fronted wood store. Gardners shed. In the garden south-west of the residence there is a fine greenhouse. The Gardens Approached through electric gates to a generous turning area and parking bay, the truly delightful lawned gardens benefit from mature boundary screening and feature a select number of specimen trees, flowering shrubs and colourful bushes offering year-round colour. An elevated bank rises to the west where it is possible to follow a walkway to the greenhouse and then track around south to an orchard and productive kitchen garden with raised beds; before exploring the hard tennis court south-east of the residence. While there is much of interest to any gardener, a combination of the wrap-around veranda terrace interconnecting the drawing room, dining room and orangery with steps descending to another suntrap terrace, encourages one to abandon it all in favour of leisure time al fresco with family and friends.