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Opinder Liddar is one of Build It’s architectural experts. He is an award-winning architect and a director at Lapd Architects. He is a regular expert at the National Self Build & Renovation Centre as well as the Build It Live exhibitions.
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If you’re lucky enough to have a dramatic landscape on the doorstep of your property or building plot, chances are you’ll want to make the most of it. An upside down house layout may therefore be the best architectural choice when it comes to framing your site’s scenic surroundings.
The basis of an upside down house layout is to locate the bedrooms on the ground floor, with the main living areas on the home’s first floor. This allows the most sociable spaces – the kitchen and reception zones – to enjoy panoramic views of rolling hills or a glistening coastline.
An upside down house design can also benefit a self build on a sloping site, where ground floor space may be restricted. It’s likely that you want your living spaces to be bigger than the bedrooms, so this allows you to effectively maximise the plot you’re working with.
From a converted fire station with a tranquil sun terrace, to a charming oak frame annexe that blends into its rural surroundings, here are 22 of the best upside down projects that show the exciting possibilities an upside down house layout could unlock for you.
Occupying less than a third of the average self build floor area, this modest two-storey property achieves exceptional efficiency, from its careful use and maximisation of space to its design and thermal performance.
Photo: Fleming Homes
With futureproofing front of mind, the homeowners briefed Fleming Homes to deliver an upside down design so that they could live downstairs should the need ever arise. A bedroom and shower room are located on the ground floor along with a study that could easily be transformed into a snug.
Photo: Fleming Homes
For now, the first-floor level boasts an open-plan living space comprising a kitchen, dining and lounge areas, with a vaulted ceiling and carefully integrated roof windows flooding the room with natural brightness.
This historic lodge was only ever designed to be a gate keeper’s accommodation, but when the new owners spotted the opportunity for a bold yet sensitive transformation, they got straight to work.
Photo: Simon Maxwell
James Mackintosh Architects was brought on board to deliver a sympathetic extension to the lower lodge. As the site slopes away from the road to the south, the design makes use of the landscape to provide an extra lower ground storey to the far south of the site.
Photo: Simon Maxwell
New elements include the large areas of glazing to provide generous views of the scenery beyond, which can be experienced from the upstairs living spaces. An oak staircase leads down to the lower ground floor, which houses two generous bedrooms.
Situated on a hillside overlooking the River Hamble, this home by LA Hally Architect is designed to be a product of its context, where a series of white rendered buildings had been built to house boating competitors in the 1930s.
Photo: Simon Maxwell
The previous dwelling was heavily influenced by Bauhaus principles, so maintaining the original integrity of the architecture was central to the brief. With the existing structure demolished, the practice replaced the property with a highly insulated ICF superstructure, featuring a striking cantilever, which houses the main living areas.
Photo: Simon Maxwell
Upstairs, an open-plan layout embraces panoramic views over the marina, accentuated by glazed sliding doors that lead to a roof terrace.
Opinder Liddar is one of Build It’s architectural experts. He is an award-winning architect and a director at Lapd Architects. He is a regular expert at the National Self Build & Renovation Centre as well as the Build It Live exhibitions.
A good design will have considered the flow of movement through the building without too many corridors or staircases. We start by analysing the site and look at the opportunities, such as views and orientation. Through developing a brief, we get an idea of the kind of space the client wants to achieve and start roughly laying out the building.
You want to have the habitable spaces looking onto gardens or the landscape and locate ancillary spaces, such as bathrooms and utility rooms, more internally where a view is not necessary. Our skill is in bringing this together into a seamless plan, so that living spaces flow collectively and lead onto outdoor spaces rather than through a series of corridors. Where liminal spaces are necessary, think about making them a living zones in their own right. If they are generous and have a purpose – for instance, offering a place to read or displaying artwork – they won’t restrict your floorplan’s flow.
A new home will be built so that the thermal envelope is highly efficient and achieves good airtightness levels throughout. In older properties, heat can rise, making spaces uncomfortable. However, modern properties, particularly with MVHR, can effectively deal with better air flow and temperature. As a rule, whether living spaces are on the first floor or ground floor, I always advocate that an opening rooflight be installed at the highest level over a staircase or vaulted space. If the temperature does get very high, the rooflight can act as a solar chimney and help cool the building.
If you have inverted living, there must be an accessible cloakroom where you enter. It would probably make sense to also have more sanitary facilities on the level where the living accommodation is sited too. Most houses with an upside-down layout have an open staircase rising to the living accommodation on the first floor. You do need to consider soundproofing and ideally locate your bedrooms either off an enclosed lobby area or ensure they are well insulated to prevent noise percolating these quieter zones. If the main access is through the living and kitchen space, ensure you have considered fire escapes.
Introducing a balcony leading off the main spaces is a very effective way of bringing indoor and outdoor space together. We have even built outdoor kitchens and seating areas around TV screens on these raised decks, so it feels like a private garden with enhanced views beyond.
You want the design to maximise the outlook by having a predominantly glazed elevation in these spaces. However, you need to be careful that you are not too exposed to overheating and glare, so may want to introduce external shading devices. Consider designing the building so that different rooms capture their own view. This will give each space its own character and charm, connecting home and garden consistently throughout.
When we design inverted homes, we put the living spaces upstairs because the higher level usually has better views. Often, the site is sloped, so the immediate garden area around ground floor bedrooms is not overlooked. If you do happen to have bedrooms facing onto garden areas, try and locate the social parts of the garden, such as patios or kitchens, away from these spaces and use plants to screen the quieter parts of the dwelling. As the bedrooms are on the ground floor, they are probably more protected from neighbouring views compared to having them at higher levels, and you may find that they can be more open than those on the upper storey.
Designed by AR Design Studio, this Build It Award-winning home comprises three wings with pitched roofs that splay outward and upward from the centre.
Photo: Martin Gardner
Each performs a different function: one is dedicated to the main living areas, another houses a private master suite and office, and the final wing includes a garage, boot room and utility.
Photo: Martin Gardner
While the front the house appears as a single-storey pavilion, the rear ground slopes away to reveal a lower level emerging from the hillside, which contains a series of bedrooms. Expansive glazing captures striking views of the River Avon, allowing the upstairs area to benefit most from the landscape.
Seeking a home that would blend seamlessly with its surrounding landscape, ARCO2 was approached with the brief to design a sustainable modern house that opened to the sea, brought in natural light and reflected the calm of the coast.
Photo: ARCO2
The new dwelling needed to fit naturally into the incline of the hill, however, the steep sloping site made planning and access difficult. So, the architects decided to lean into the environmental constraints rather than fighting against them, drawing inspiration from the hillside and rhythm of the sea to create a dynamic reverse layout.
Photo: ARCO2
Living spaces sit higher up to enjoy sunlight and sea views, while bedrooms are tucked below, opening to quiet gardens and small courtyards that turn the slope into calm outdoor spaces.
Set back from the edge of a sheer granite cliff in Wales, this low-energy home by Hyde + Hyde architects mirrors the beauty of its surrounding nature whilst remaining steadfast against the turmoil of its local climate.
Photo: Martin Gardner
The dwelling is built in white concrete, creating a modern yet sensitive contemporary look while ensuring a robust structure. An upside-down layout provides a platform for the main living areas to enjoy stunning views from each window, reinforced by a cantilevered form that extends towards the sea.
Photo: Martin Gardner
Internally, a dark materials and colour palette focuses the lived experience within the home on its coastal setting.
The desire to downsize from their family home in Surrey prompted Chris and Mary Noon to tackle their first self build – a stunning oak frame project in Dorset, with enviable views of the sea. “We started planning our next move when our two kids moved out about 10 years ago,” says Chris, who was keen to create something bespoke that he and Mary could enjoy in their retirement.
Photo: Richard Downer
The couple explored various locations before settling on Bridport, Dorset, where they purchased a 1950s prefab bungalow located on a sloping plot with panoramic views. They soon started drawing up plans for a knock-down and rebuild project, engaging Roderick James Architects to help them create the perfect scheme.
Photo: Richard Downer
After two years and few planning hurdles, the family were finally ready to move into their dream home. The fantastic scheme was brought to life using an oak frame and structural insulated panels structural package from Westwind Oak, with the oak trusses left exposed for additional character. Inside, the upside down house layout means the living spaces are situated on the upper storey, allowing expansive countryside views and a light-filled, open home.
Dene and Debbie Happell have created this contemporary timber frame home in the Trossachs National Park, which pleased local planners following its sympathetic materials and striking design.
Photo: Douglas Gibbs
The couple, who have gained ample experience through their own their design and build company Nest, were after somewhere to call their holiday home. Debbie’s parents had purchased a property looking over Loch Venachar and soon suggested that the couple build over a large rundown shed that existed on the site. Luckily, local planners had been looking to promote modern architecture to attract tourism to the area.
Photo: Douglas Gibbs
So, what came next was their remarkable new home, completed alongside Cameron Webster Architects and using Fleming Homes’ timber frame shell that arrived on site with insulation already installed. “We chose this build method for speed and price,” says Dene.
The drive to live in a thermally-efficient property was one of the main driving forces behind Dominic and Shamim Byrne’s search for a new home.
Photo: Katie Lee
Although, after six months of house hunting, Dominic and Shamim were unable to find a property that ticked the right boxes. “We’d always been drawn to the idea of self building. When a garden plot came up for sale, on the edge of the town where we were looking, it made sense to check it out,” says Dominic.
Photo: Katie Lee
The couple bought the plot and 9 months later their self build was finished, complete with an upside down house layout. The MBC timber frame structure is clad in a brick skin, with clay pantiles on the roof that harmonise with the local vernacular. The home features solar PV panels and an air source heat pump. The heat pump provides the hot water and powers the underfloor heating on the ground floor. Upstairs, no heating is needed.
When their rear garden was deemed suitable for development via the council’s local housing need assessment, Tony and Jo Hogg had a choice to make: sell up, or build on it themselves. The couple chose the latter – attracted by the opportunity to design and construct a barn-style home that would meet their tastes and requirements.
Photo: Colin Poole
The brand new, efficient home features an upside down house layout, with the living areas on the top floor. It has been constructed with a mix of oak frame and SIPs, featuring a design that blends the traditional style of oak with a bright, contemporary and open-plan scheme.
Set amongst a street of 1930s houses in Brighton, John Wignall’s striking five-bed home makes a stunning statement.
Photo: James French
Immediately attracted to the site’s original bungalow, John set about converting the property. Advised by Arch Angels Architects, he opted for a three-storey structure with a flipped interior layout to accommodate the home’s sloping terrain.
Photo: James French
An elevated living space was created on the first floor, with full height windows and paved areas to the front and rear to soak up the surroundings.
Nestled on the outskirts of a Scottish golf course, this plot had the right mix of local amenities and picturesque surroundings for Mark and Marjorie Kingston, who were looking for the perfect place to retire to.
Photo: Nigel Rigden
With help from Oliver & Robb Architects, they created a fabulous agriculture-inspired design, with an upside down layout that maximises the views from this timber frame property.
Photo: Nigel Rigden
Two bedrooms and a library occupy the light-filled ground floor. A bespoke staircase connects the upside down house and leads up to an impressive sitting gallery with a vast glazed wall, drawing the rural landscape inside.
When Murray and Lora Gray stumbled upon a site for sale on the Isle of Skye – the very spot where they’d spent their honeymoon – it seemed too coincidental to pass up.
Photo: Nigel Rigden
They consulted Alan Dickson of Rural Design Architects to help them plan a home around the plot’s tricky steep incline. He produced drawings for a contemporary upside down house that would work in harmony with the terrain.
Photo: Nigel Rigden
Spread over three levels, the top storey accommodates a zoned living space with floor-to-ceiling windows and rooflights, offering panoramic sea views.
Mark and Rhonda Brunjes fought off prospective buyers to secure an old fire station, ripe for conversion, in their favourite Scottish holiday town.
As the building was previously single-storey, the couple decided to add an extra floor to accommodate a large living area. Layout-wise, they opted for an upside down house arrangement, as the property’s ground floor was relatively dark and viewless.
Photo: Douglas Gibb
The first floor open-plan space contains the living zone, kitchen and dining area. This is flooded with natural sunlight thanks to a swathe of glazing that spans the entire south-facing wall. Leading off from the social areas, a stylish sun terrace channels the Mediterranean, with idyllic views overlooking the water.
A dramatic location was paramount for John Ritchie when it came to searching for a self build site. When he found his dream spot – a piece of grazing land in Skye surrounded by impressive mountain and coastal vistas – he reached out to local company Dualchas Architects.
Photo: Alistair Nicholls
Ground stability problems were unearthed during construction and the house had to be tucked into the hillside, inadvertently creating an upside down scheme that draws on an innovative use of glass.
Photo: Alistair Nicholls
Contemporary details, such as a zinc roof, mixed with traditional elements, give a fresh interpretation to the area’s croft-style houses.
Perched on the edge of a sea loch, this eye-catching property utilises several key features to capture the best of the landscape, including a balcony that stretches the full length of the structure.
Photo: Alison White
Homeowners Iain and Lesley MacDonald decided an upside down interior scheme was the best option for their plot. This was in part due to the number of trees which impeded the ground floor outlook, which belonged to their neighbours and weren’t likely to be removed.
Photo: Alison White
This design choice allows the sociable zones to benefit from breathtaking views across the water, whilst the downstairs bedrooms open out onto sun terraces.
An unexpected knock down and rebuild opportunity allowed Tracey and Stephen Stewart to self-build a unique and ultra modern home.
Surrounded by the Oxfordshire countryside, an upside down layout allows the outdoors to become a part of the interior. Floor-to-ceiling glazing in the first floor kitchen and living area frames stunning rural panoramas, from which hares, Muntjac deer and skylarks can be glimpsed.
Photo: Matt Chisnall
Downstairs, the ground floor houses guest bedrooms and a utility, with sliding doors leading out to the garden and an alfresco dining patio.
Once a tired 1980s pebbledash home, Jonathan and Jane Eddy’s house renovation works have transformed this property into a sleek and stylish abode.
Photo: Alexandra Pratt
The influence behind the revamp, which was mostly achieved through permitted development, came from the surrounding Cornish coastline. Intent on framing their picture-perfect views, the couple decided an upside layout with plenty of glazing – including full height sliding doors – was the right choice for their house.
While architectural choices are often made with the surrounding terrain in mind, Neil and Mary Gourlay decided to go one step further by integrating materials from the local landscape into their home’s fabric.
Photo: Douglas Gibb
Designed with an emphasis on sustainability, their softwood timber frame was sourced locally. In addition, 500 tonnes of stone were gathered from surrounding fields, and fleeces from neighbouring farms’ sheep were used for wall insulation.
Photo: Douglas Gibb
Nature shaped the interior scheme, too. After examining the path of the sun across the plot, the couple settled on an upside down house in order to maximise the available light in their living space.
A yearning to be closer to nature led Simon and Alison Watkins to purchase a sloping plot in the Scottish Borders, complete with a design and build package by Gilbert Developments.
With the help of architect Gordon Melrose, they created a home in two halves, with a window-lined corridor linking the two levels.
Photo: David Barbour
On the first floor, the living spaces and master bedroom enjoy uninterrupted views of the rolling valley. Meanwhile, the bedrooms downstairs form a guest annexe for visitors and the couple’s grown up children.
When the Hammills first purchased this space, it was a disused commercial garage that was dark and full of damp. Since buying the dilapidated building they have managed to convert it into an expansive three-storey property with an open-plan, upside down house layout and outside terrace.
Photo: Dave Burton
The space has been maximised through placing the kitchen-diner on the first floor, with open space, exposed beams and roof windows characterising the design.
Photo: Dave Burton
With accommodation spread over three storeys, Michael and Erica Hammill have used extraordinary design and industrial materials to link the building’s history as a commercial mechanical garage to its new identity.
Steve and Janine Carney created this striking oak frame annexe following rejected plans to build a brand new home in their garden.
Photo: Nikhilesh Haval
The self build project features a unique upside down interior, with the kitchen/living areas positioned on the first floor, and bedroom, garage and office contained below.
Photo: Nikhilesh Haval
The upside down house layout ensures that the oak frame structure is both seen and appreciated. With exposed oak trusses, high vaulted ceilings and roof windows throughout the first-floor, the open plan living areas make use of copious natural light and space.
Sarah Mathieson is managing director at Fleming Homes, a bespoke timber frame design and build company based in Berwickshire.
This type of build reverses the traditional layout of a home. Instead of the kitchen, dining and reception spaces being situated on the ground floor, they are designed to be upstairs, with bedrooms and bathrooms located downstairs.
It’s a particularly effective approach for plots where the best views, natural light or sense of openness are found higher up. That might be a coastal site, a sloping rural plot, a smaller urban site, or a location where surrounding buildings, hedges, or topography restrict the outlook at ground level. The most successful upside-down homes are those where the design has been led by the site. If the upper level gives you the view, the evening sun, or the strongest connection to the landscape around you, then it makes sense to place the living areas where you can get the most benefit.
The main benefit is that it allows you to maximise the advantages of your plot. In general, living spaces are where people tend to spend most of their time, so having a layout that improve views, increase natural light and create a greater sense of privacy makes sense inside the home.
Upside-down layouts can also be a good way to address some of the challenges of a sloping site. For instance, the entrance might naturally sit at ground level, while the main living accommodation works better opening out onto a higher part of the garden. From a self build perspective, this is where real value is created – in how well the house is designed in relation to the site and how enjoyable your home will be to live in.
An upside-down layout is not limited to new build homes, but it is usually easier and more cost-effective when designing a dwelling from scratch. It is possible to remodel an existing property this way; however, there may be some practicalities that require careful consideration. Moving a kitchen upstairs, for example, may mean changes to plumbing, drainage, electrics and ventilation. You may also need to make structural alterations to create some of the characteristics of modern living, for example, an open-plan living space, larger windows or changes to the staircase arrangement. The additional costs will vary hugely depending on the existing structure, so it’s important to establish early on whether the existing structure lends itself to this kind of change.
The main drawback is that an upside-down layout does not suit everybody, so if you want to sell your home later, it could reduce the number of interested parties. Practicality should be considered throughout the design stage as well. If the kitchen is located upstairs, what does that mean for carrying in the groceries? How might you accommodate elderly relatives or guests with mobility issues? Will the home suit you as you age? A good designer can help address some of these concerns by incorporating a degree of futureproofing.
There may also be planning considerations. Upper-floor living spaces often mean larger areas of glazing, balconies or terraces, which can raise objections from neighbours concerned about being overlooked. A discussion with your local planning officer may offer some practical advice here. Finally, with an upside-down home, you may need to work harder to create an inside-outside connection. Raised decking, balconies, and external stairs, along with split-level garden design can all help to mitigate this.
