Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Mar 26, 2014 1:20 pm What is everyones view on reverse living? It was a complete no for me to begin with as I was thinking of lugging shopping etc up the stairs however now i'm thinking we should make the most of our views by having the area we will use most, upstairs? Now I worry about resale, is this something people don't mind when looking for a new home? Our build thread: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=70984 Re: Reverse Living - thoughts? 2Mar 26, 2014 2:07 pm I thought about upside down living too but it was the alfresco/bbq/entertaining issue that put me off. We have a bbq with friends often, I wouldn't want to be up and down the stairs the whole time with food and drinks etc etc. I also wouldn't want to be stuck upstairs making the food whilst everyone else was downstairs having fun... I think it would work well though if you had your entertainment/bbq area upstairs as well. I wouldn't be bothered by lugging shopping up the stairs every now and again. My build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=68002 Re: Reverse Living - thoughts? 3Mar 26, 2014 2:20 pm Yeah that is my worry as we plan on entertaining often, we will however have a balcony so I guess we would use that to entertain on mostly. Our build thread: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=70984 Re: Reverse Living - thoughts? 4Mar 26, 2014 5:25 pm We have upstairs living. Upstairs is main bed, study, kitchen, living, dining and a large deck. Downstairs is the kids domain with bedrooms and a play room. I guess whether it suits you depends on how you entertain. We have our BBQ and outdoor table on the deck. So friends enter, come upstairs and don't really go back downstairs until they leave. We also have steps from the deck directly to the backyard in case they want to take a wander down, but most don't. We love it- it lets us make the most of the views and breezes. One word of warning, though. We have young kids and at this stage it's a bit of a pain going up and down the stairs with them, but as they get older we'll be able to send them downstairs with their friends and not hear from them. Bliss! Bringing up the shopping isn't too much of an issue, either. I have to say, we have spoken to a couple of friends who have said they wouldn't look at a house with upstairs living, but on the other hand I wouldn't look at a house with downstairs living, especially if the house isn't taking advantage of the block of land. You can't suit everyone! Re: Reverse Living - thoughts? 6Mar 26, 2014 9:21 pm i have lived in a house like this before and would never do it again. nothing worse than having to drag a baby up plus the shopping. why not do a private balcony off a master bedroom upstairs with a spa, what a great way to end the day, wine, spa and veiws Re: Reverse Living - thoughts? 8Mar 27, 2014 8:29 am Quote: we will however have a balcony so I guess we would use that to entertain on mostly. Would you only use the balcony for entertaining and not the backyard? My set up of my current house annoys me because our entertaining area with BBQ & table is in the front yard (large deck at front of house), but the kids' play area/yard is the backyard, so guests get split b/n one & the other. My first house was single storey but with a long flight of stairs from the carport. Yes, it was annoying carrying shopping upstairs (and going back for 2nd & 3rd loads), especially when I had a baby to carry too. Re: Reverse Living - thoughts? 10Mar 27, 2014 12:29 pm Thanks everyone, lots of good points! We would use the backyard and the balcony so I guess even if the kitchen is on the bottom floor and we're entertaining on the balcony, you have the same problem as if your kitchen is upstairs and you're entertaining outside! We would look at installing a kitchenette upstairs tho if we have the living/kitchen downstairs. Good point about a baby, as I don't have kids yet it wasn't something I considered. God this house designing is hard work! Our build thread: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=70984 Re: Reverse Living - thoughts? 11Mar 27, 2014 1:01 pm Yes, some interesting points here. I guess it is horses for courses. If your site is located somewhere where there are great views from the first floor then it would make sense for living to be upstairs to make the most of it. Also you may be able to get more sun and light as well as breezes. A good sized deck as previously mentioned can work well for entertaining. Shopping can be heavy sometimes but should it dictate how you are going to live in your house? A factor, yes but if there is a killer view or fantastic breeze, I wouldn't let the shopping overrule it. As for babies, they get moved about all the time. I have had two and my second one was hardly in her room for the first 6 months. Most of the time she was downstairs with me in the pram. I am glad that you are thinking of these options though, as it goes to show the effort you are putting in. I know it is hard but it will be worth it once you are done. Keep going and you will be so glad you did. I wish you the best of luck with building your home. Cheers, Jenny. Need hints, tips and inspiration? Join me on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ournewhomecoach Who am I? See my LinkedIn page: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jennifer-crawford/1a/429/296 Re: Reverse Living - thoughts? 12Mar 27, 2014 5:11 pm We lived in our old house for 27 years and it had all living upstairs. I think we just adapted to it. We had a drop off spot at the top and bottom of stairs so every trip we made sure we carried something - laundry, rubbish etc. Recently did a a knock down rebuild and all living is upstairs because we have great views. There is a good size balcony for entertaining though, I agree that running up and down from the kitchen would be a pain. If you are really worried about heavy shopping etc. maybe consider a dumb waiter? We have put a lift in this house because we are getting older and intend to stay here until they lower us down in a box Re: Reverse Living - thoughts? 13Mar 28, 2014 12:12 am Friends have family/living kitchen upstairs and a large dumb waiter for shopping etc which works well- when it's working! It breaks down sometimes and gets stuck....They also have a laundry chute. There's a "horizon" pool upstairs. Looks amazing but I would be scared of it cracking! Only drawback, they say, is that the bedrooms on the ground floor are freezing in winter but that could also be because of the aspect. Re: Reverse Living - thoughts? 14Mar 28, 2014 7:53 am Quote: We have put a lift in this house because we are getting older and intend to stay here until they lower us down in a box Haha @ snufl how much did the lift cost? And @ treeseachanger how much did the dumbwaiter cost if you don't mind me asking ? Interesting to hear of peoples experience at doing this "reverse living" and I must admit if you have great views or for other good reasons it does make a lot of sense. Stewie Re: Reverse Living - thoughts? 15Mar 28, 2014 10:16 am Sorry Stewie, they bought the house from original owner/builder who builds custom homes to sell, so what he paid would have been cost price. Re: Reverse Living - thoughts? 16Mar 28, 2014 12:35 pm There was a lift at a home-show we went to a couple/few years back, before realising that we were going to be doing a project-home build & going to such places was therefore pointless at best & tauntingly depressing at worst. I can't recall the prices, but I have $70k in mind - I think it used a hydraulic ram, and was only one storey high. *edit* Actually, this page off an Independent Living site has a bunch of lifts & approximate prices, in the main they range from $25k - $40k. Getting a lift is something we're half considering when we retire, because we never want to have to move again!!! Re: Reverse Living - thoughts? 17Mar 28, 2014 12:52 pm Forg Getting a lift is something we're half considering when we retire, because we never want to have to move again!!! Never say never again Moneypenny.....That's what we said of our last build Re: Reverse Living - thoughts? 19Mar 28, 2014 5:38 pm OK hope this works Couple of pics of the lift going in Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ And the reason we have living upstairs View from dining Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ View from loungeroom and balcony Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Reverse Living - thoughts? 20Mar 28, 2014 5:57 pm @snufl. Very jealous! Amazing house and views using a phone so please excuse any typos and abruptness Were struck with: Colorbond Ironstone Grey roof and cream windows. What color should we render and paint the garage door to tone down the cream windows? Farm House, will… 0 27517 I would be wary. Is you site demilished but nothing else done? Sounds like liquidity problems to me. Our builder did the same. Got hundreds of thousands of dollars of… 2 15414 3 5597 |