upside down house

[lizzie]

i'm currently in the basic concept draft stage of one of our stand alone house rebuilds and want to ask a question.

we've found the best configuration would be to have the bedrooms downstairs (+ 2 bathrooms and a couple of courtyards) with a large open plan living/dining/kitchen upstairs leading onto a balcony of 33m2.

the question is - with all open plan opening onto balcony upstairs, there is no real corner to hide a powder room. should we try and configure one in? would it be expected? i agree if the living is downstairs and bedrooms up then definately need a toilet downstairs, but does this rule apply the other way around?

opinions all ... please

 

[sailor]

i'm currently in the basic concept draft stage of one of our stand alone house rebuilds and want to ask a question.

we've found the best configuration would be to have the bedrooms downstairs (+ 2 bathrooms and a couple of courtyards) with a large open plan living/dining/kitchen upstairs leading onto a balcony of 33m2.

the question is - with all open plan opening onto balcony upstairs, there is no real corner to hide a powder room. should we try and configure one in? would it be expected? i agree if the living is downstairs and bedrooms up then definately need a toilet downstairs, but does this rule apply the other way around?

opinions all ... please

Depends if you want people (ie guests) going downstairs to use your loo!
Friends of mine doing a similar design, and they've opted to put a powder room either behind their kitchen, or at the end of their veranda.

 

[Sheryn]

Lizzie

I would definitely put one in upstairs, maybe just a toilet & wash basin in the corner of the living room - friends have done this and you hardly notice.


Sheryn

 

[lizzie]

Friends of mine doing a similar design, and they've opted to put a powder room either behind their kitchen

great idea - slipped in behind the kitchen with a wall and bank of cupboards to disguise ... like it. better than having a door off the open living area.

 

[sailor]

Lizzie, just make sure the door does not open directly onto the kitchen. I think there's a health rule about this...not sure...best to check it out with the local council.
Tis ok, if you have like a tiny hall way, or the loo is around the corner from the kitchen.

 

[Jenga]

Hi Lizzie,
As mentioned, don't have toilets coming directly off kitchens and living areas.

Also, if you are struggling for external wall space, a well vented internal loo might be an idea.

Cheers,
Pete

 

[thefirstbruce]

I have often reflected on upside down designs.

Some points for consideration:

- many people especially women and children feel safer in a bedroom one storey up rather then at ground level.

- bedrooms will be cooler in summer downstairs, and I know many men in Qld'ers who will set up a bed downstairs in summer to get a better sleep, cos upstairs is too stifling hot (no insulation, small pokey rooms).

- good to have a dunny upstairs....is horrible to have to walk up and down, especially for older ppl with weak bladders...or when getting into the plonk on the upstairs verandah.

- where you going to do barbies?

- keep an eye on privacy for the bedrooms downstairs. kids running around, visitors to the front door, neighbours, lawn mower man, gardeners can all challenge ground floor bedroom privacy.

- downstairs bedrooms are likely to be darker, esp with a 30sqm verandah above.

- then you have to think about laundry and garage noise...assume the laundry is downstairs.....and the garage often means a bdr or two miss out on a window.

- remember that kids running around upstairs are likely to disturb sleepers, as are ppl wearing hard heeled shoes.

- everything carried into the kitchen or lounge has to be hauled upstairs.

- people will be in and out of the living areas many more times than the bedrooms in a normal day = more trips upstairs than for an upright house.

- many over 40 have bad knees.

 

[Bandita]

Hi Lizzie,

If you do choose to have an living/dining/kitchen area upstairs - I would definitly put a powder room up there as well - perhaps behind the kitchen somewhere??

On a side note, I'm not sure where the location of your property is, but we've inspected several with that type of floor plan in Melbourne, and the ones with those winding (spelling??) staircases - have been an instant "NO!". As we're tenants ourselves- we have no interest in bringing "things that can break" (which almost always reside in the kitchen and living areas) up those type of stairs. Too much effort, risk, etc.

Just something to think about perhaps. It would certainly be a deal breaker for us.

Cheers,
Jen

 

[Simone]

If the market you are aiming at may include young families I am not sure about the bedrooms below either (not that this is your question!) I would want the living space going out onto the courtyard so I could watch children playing. Lugging shopping upstairs would not appeal either. Balcony off main bed would be great though!! just a thought.

 

[quoll]

if you have views from upstairs, put the living upstairs and give it a massive balcony, make the stairs big, 30% wider than normal.

all that walking up and down will fix those shonky knees.

you need a loo up there

cheers
quoll

 

[sailor]

Lugging shopping upstairs would not appeal either.

My builder friend solved this one. He fixed a pulley to the roof. Ran a rope down to the ground with a small plastic coated basket attached. Piled in the groceries. Walked up stairs. Pulled the basket up. Voila!

There's not a problem we can't fix...I reckon.

 

[GoAnna!]

Hi Lizzie

The townhouses I am currently building in Hobart sound of a similar design to yours with open plan living upstairs and bedroom below. I also pondered the upstairs WC question and for us it also meant using up precious space and losing some of the drama of the views. In some we did sqeeze a WC in behind the kitchen which is also where the stairs down to the bedrooms are. So basically the staircase and WC are invisible and hidden behind the kitchen which is a long modern design rather than L shaped.

Mine differ from yours in that the upper story is at street level and the bedrooms below so I did not face soem of your other issues.