Over the past few months, we’ve been seeing and hearing about a new trend in housing: reverse living. The concept is fun and a little wacky but it sure makes a lot of sense which has us wondering if it’s something we’ll be seeing even more of in the coming years.
So, what exactly is reverse living? Also called upside-down living, this trend suggests swapping what goes on the lower and upper levels of a home. In most homes, you’ll find the living space, kitchen, and dining on the base/lower level while the bedrooms go on the upper level. Following the reverse living trend means building your home so the bedrooms are on the base/lower level while the kitchen, living, and dining spaces are on the upper level.
This trend originally started in Scandinavia but is now becoming increasingly popular in Australia, the UK, and, most recently, the US. The goal behind the trend is to maximize the views of your property. The trend is especially perfect for those whose homes come with stunning views like mountains, golf courses, and the like.
People who believe in this trend believe that good views are wasted when you can only see them from the bedroom. Why would you only want to wake up to the sweeping panoramic view of the mountains when you can bask in its glory all day in your living/dining room as you carry out your daily activities? In Atlanta where most homes are surrounded by trees, looking out the window and seeing the greenery can really help boost your mood when you’re feeling drained from all the housework.
Aside from maximizing views, the reverse living trend also allows you to maximize natural light and optimize airflow in your home. When done right, this trend can even help preserve the condition of your home better and for a longer period of time. It’s quite energy-efficient, too. Since the upper level gets all the natural light, the space is often hotter which makes your AC work harder at cooling down your room. With your bedroom downstairs, it’s shielded from direct heat, making it cooler and making your AC unit work less hard.
Of course, there’s no law that states you can’t have bedrooms downstairs when you have an upside-down home. If you’re thinking of following this trend and you still want a bedroom or two upstairs and you have the space for it, go right ahead! It could even be an opportunity for families with teens or older kids to get more privacy since parents could use the downstairs bedroom and kids could use the ones upstairs or vice-versa. It’ll make it easier for parents to transition into being empty nesters in the future, too.
While this trend is definitely something worth trying, it’s also one that calls for a long-term commitment. You can’t just “flip” your house downside-up again if you get tired of it. It’s going to cost you time and money to swap everything from the upper and lower levels so make sure to do your own research to find out whether this trend is suitable for you, your family, and your home in general.