Country Retreat

Finding a pretty cottage in the Wicklow mountains provided Aoife and John with their perfect escape from the city.

Aoife and her husband John had been looking for a country retreat when they happened upon this pretty stone cottage nestled in the heart of the Wicklow mountains on the route of the scenic Wicklow way. The house is set on sixteen acres of private grounds, situated at the end of a private lane, with beautiful uninterrupted views of the surrounding countryside. ‘It was exactly what we were after. The house, although quite basic, had a lovely feel to it with a large hall with double height ceilings. It was full of character with pretty windows and quaint shutters, and the location was absolutely stunning,’ says Aoife.

The couple could see the potential that the house had to offer and that with work it could be transformed into the cosy retreat that would suit them and their family. ‘The house needed to be a bit larger with a more practical kitchen and we needed extra bathrooms, and an extra bedroom. So we decided to extend the back of the property to give us the large kitchen dining area that we really needed, a utility room and an extra shower room, and upstairs a further bathroom and bedroom with en-suite,’ explains Aoife.