Upside down houses

[RumAppleGinger]

We accepted an offer on our house this week and are just back from viewing several houses, two of which we really liked. One of them is right on the coast and to take advantage of the views is an upside down house. The rooms are amazing, I'm just not immediately taken by having bedrooms downstairs and living space upstairs. Do any of you have this arrangement and if you moved into from a conventional layout how long did it take for you to adjust?

[donteatthehedgehogs]

A friend of mine has one built into a hillside and she loves it as her living rooms are so light. I remember her saying it was odd to have bedrooms downstairs at first but they soon got used to it and don't think about it at all anymore. Its certainly great to visit.

[PossumPoo]

My aunty has one as she is near the sea and it means she has a good view. I think it's fine to be honest - if there is a point i.e. great view!

We sort of had this is our slightly split level flat. Bedrooms as soon as you came in the door, up some stairs to kitchen and living room. I actually really liked it as it meant I came in and got changed straight away, would take the laundry basket upstairs then to wash etc. It does take a little to get used to be it will be fine.

[Rockdoctor]

We used to have this and I loved it - like the house you describe it was to take advantage of views. The only downside I can think of is carrying shopping etc up several flights of stairs to get to the kitchen (in our case it was two flights of stairs as we had a garage on the ground floor). For a family that might be a pain. It also made moving in a bit more challenging as sofa, fridge etc all had to be hauled upstairs.

[CharlesRyder]

I would have always said that upside down would put me off but we stayed in one on holiday last year and I really liked it.

I think it keeps upstairs cleaner as all the sand/ muddy shoes etc come of in the downstairs hallway.

The house we stayed in did have full height doors with Juliet balconies as windows upstairs though- I think I would want that to add to the light and air.

[Chewbecca]

Normally would put me off but it is quite common & very sensible by the coast & wouldn't put me off in that circumstance, quite the opposite. It must be lovely to have friends round & dine with a view etc.

[GRW]

In the summer it sounds like a good idea, because downstairs bedrooms would be cooler for sleeping.

[RumAppleGinger]

Thanks everyone. It's definitely still a contender. It's right at the top of our budget which is possibly making us a little more cautious about making a decision.

[JamJimJam]

I have always liked the idea but last year we stayed in a converted barn with the bedrooms on the ground floor and I now know I could never live with that arrangement.

The first floor living accommodation was stunning - bright, airy and huge but it was so flipping noisy if you were in bed and others were on the first floor. It may have been this particular barn, but it was a new development of conversions so they would have had to have passed sound tests. Never again.

[pictish]

We live in an upside down house. Been here 6 years now. It seems completely normal to us.

[JulietBravoJuliet]

I live in an upside down house at the minute and I love it, except for when I have to carry 5 million bags of shopping up to the kitchen! But, yes, it's noisy if you're trying to sleep and someone else is upstairs.

[WillieWaggledagger]

the only thing that would bother me would be security at night. i like to sleep with the window open, are the bedroom windows secure enough when open?

[RumAppleGinger]

Thanks again everyone. We went back for a second viewing on both and got the home reports. Think we're going to put in an offer on the other house as its in our preferred location. Appreciate everyone's in put.

[Dancergirl]

It sounds lovely. How do you access the garden in an upside down house?

[pictish]

Out the back door.

[Dancergirl]

But is that out a back door from a bedroom?

[pictish]

No...from the hallway. Which is downstairs. In my house, you come in the front door, and there is a hallway leading straight through to the back door, off which are three bedrooms and a bathroom, and a set of stairs that go up to the living room and kitchen.

[TinyTear]

I am in an upside down flat and love it...

living areas on the top floor with balcony and means my DD can jump up and down and not bother the neighbours as our bedrooms are underneath

[bubblegun]

Can't stand the noise when I'm trying to sleep and someone's in the kitchen above my head. Would be ok if thick soundproofing and carpets. But then, not having wooden or tiled floors is a bit difficult in a kitchen.

[ShoeWhore]

What would put me off is I really like having doors flung wide to the garden from the kitchen and/or living space. You presumably can't have that with an upside down house? If you were having a barbecue it would be a lot of traipsing up and down stairs to take everything outside. And it would be harder to keep an eye on very small children playing outside. Although I can see reading in bed on a Saturday morning with door or window open to the garden would have its own appeal