I design and build mostly for spec developers so even though I seek out money guys that appreciate good design, they don't want to stray too far from "the formula." Have a new project site that is just screaming to have the second floor be entertaining space with a view.
Pros - area where you spend most of your time is flooded with daylight.
- great for entertaining as it is on a highly visible corner
- could help in eliminating food odors from the whole house
Con - carrying groceries up the stairs.
- residual heat escapes to the atmosphere instead of the second floor
Feb 6, 20 8:28 pm ·
·
SneakyPete
Anyone who designs a spec house and refuses to consider a second floor kitchen because the future owner might have to *gasp* carry the groceries is someone who needs to rethink things. This, of course, assumes the design is not intended for multi-generational families, humans with disabilities, the elderly, or children. But the idea that spec developers give a second thought to those groups other than to defend their hackneyed cash grab ideas is laughable at best.
when i was a child, my family spent summers in rented homes along the coast of Maine, and a couple houses had this layout to maximize views from the family spaces. A second floor open kitchen / dining facing to a wrap-around deck. In plan just the basic New England colonial rectangular box with the levels flipped.
You could probably do a bit of searching to find examples that support this idea. These houses were purpose built vacation homes managed by local developers.
Most of my career has been either building or designing homes along the New England coast, and many of them have been "upside-down" houses--bedrooms on the first floor, living space on the second floor to maximize views. It's not as convenient as conventional arrangements but when you have a million dollar view, you want to be able to appreciate it!
With a good building envelope, including decent air-sealing and insulation, there should be no difference in heat loss.
put also the dining room and the living room on the same floor. happens a lot when you have mountain views, lower floor for bedrooms, upper for showing.
No, no, no. Put the entertaining space on the floor with the best views, of course, but the kitchen goes in the basement, and the help can carry the hot food up the 2 flights of stairs.
Why would you assume the front door is on the first floor? It makes a lot of sense to have the kitchen close to the main entry to avoid carrying groceries down a flight of stairs.
Feb 9, 20 8:17 am ·
·
SneakyPete
Why would you assume it's called the first floor? It makes a lot of sense to avoid silly arguments about what relationship it has to the entry door.
Feb 10, 20 11:50 am ·
·
christopherreilly
Good point. Maybe the kitchen has its own entrance on a completely different vertical plane from the rest of the house. Or maybe there's no entrance at all and only a skylight with a ladder. ;-)
Feb 12, 20 8:51 am ·
·
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2nd Floor Kitchen
Would you put a kitchen on the second floor of a single family home? Well... would ya!
probably, but only because the ground level is mostly occupied by my vintage VHS collection.
Feed me a stray cat.
Sure, why not?
I design and build mostly for spec developers so even though I seek out money guys that appreciate good design, they don't want to stray too far from "the formula." Have a new project site that is just screaming to have the second floor be entertaining space with a view.
Pros - area where you spend most of your time is flooded with daylight.
- great for entertaining as it is on a highly visible corner
- could help in eliminating food odors from the whole house
Con - carrying groceries up the stairs.
- residual heat escapes to the atmosphere instead of the second floor
Anyone who designs a spec house and refuses to consider a second floor kitchen because the future owner might have to *gasp* carry the groceries is someone who needs to rethink things. This, of course, assumes the design is not intended for multi-generational families, humans with disabilities, the elderly, or children. But the idea that spec developers give a second thought to those groups other than to defend their hackneyed cash grab ideas is laughable at best.
What does spec developer mean? Speculative?
Yup.
They build homes then attempt to sell them.
when i was a child, my family spent summers in rented homes along the coast of Maine, and a couple houses had this layout to maximize views from the family spaces. A second floor open kitchen / dining facing to a wrap-around deck. In plan just the basic New England colonial rectangular box with the levels flipped.
You could probably do a bit of searching to find examples that support this idea. These houses were purpose built vacation homes managed by local developers.
Sure. How about a split level? Carry the groceries half a story up.
Most of my career has been either building or designing homes along the New England coast, and many of them have been "upside-down" houses--bedrooms on the first floor, living space on the second floor to maximize views. It's not as convenient as conventional arrangements but when you have a million dollar view, you want to be able to appreciate it!
With a good building envelope, including decent air-sealing and insulation, there should be no difference in heat loss.
put also the dining room and the living room on the same floor. happens a lot when you have mountain views, lower floor for bedrooms, upper for showing.
No, no, no. Put the entertaining space on the floor with the best views, of course, but the kitchen goes in the basement, and the help can carry the hot food up the 2 flights of stairs.
Make Dumbwaiters Great Again
Have you ever been to a house party? The kitchen *is* the entertaining space.
Only for the proletariat.
Why would you assume the front door is on the first floor? It makes a lot of sense to have the kitchen close to the main entry to avoid carrying groceries down a flight of stairs.
Why would you assume it's called the first floor? It makes a lot of sense to avoid silly arguments about what relationship it has to the entry door.
Good point. Maybe the kitchen has its own entrance on a completely different vertical plane from the rest of the house. Or maybe there's no entrance at all and only a skylight with a ladder. ;-)
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