2nd Floor Great Room/Kitchen

[Chelsam]

Hello all!  My husband and I are building a log cabin, 2 story + basement.  Our land has great mountain views and we want to capture the best of the views from a wide open great room and kitchen on the 2nd floor.  Obviously this is very unconventional considering I've searched and searched for floor plans with bedrooms on the first floor and living room/kitchens on the 2nd floor and can't find a thing.  We are planning to have a foyer on the first floor that is open all the way up through the 2nd floor, but the rest of the first floor will be bedrooms and bathrooms.

We basically know what we want but I would really like to see some "working" floor plans like what I've described. Does anyone have any suggestions or links to plans like this?

Thanks for any info!

[Redoverfarm]

Chelsam 

Are you milling the logs yourself or having them done?  If this is a log kit home?  Companies of log home manufacturers  usually has an architect on staff that takes care of their floor plans which could possibly design what you are trying to do.   You might contact some of the companies and see if they have an architect on staff or whether they utilize an outside firm, contact that firm and see if they could accomidate your request. 

You stated that it is  unconventional  and I would agree. But in certain circumstances I could see it might be usefull in a steep lot having entrance walkout off the second floor and a walkout to the ground level on the first floor.  The utilities could be easily situated in the wall framing of the 1st floor room to the second floor. 

Have you search for log homes and see if any specialized in design.  Here is one site that I had on my favorites before I started my log home project.

www.realloghomes.com/floorplans/
http://www.loghomes.com/

[akdreamin]

Several friends here is Fairbanks have homes with similar layouts, with the living areas upstairs and sleeping areas down.  I think all of them were custom designs, either by the builder or an architect.  Your best bet would be to design it yourself  or find a draftsman to draw up a floorplan for you.  I think that you will be happier in the end with a custom design than a stock design.  I had a friend draw up the plans for my first house and I am working on my second.

[Chelsam]

We are not using a kit.  We are using real trees and knocking the bark off only.  So we are pretty much on our own.  We did buy plans so we'll have some direction as far as basement construction and such, the floor plan is not what we want.  I'll take a look at the website you suggested; I don't think I've run across that one in my search.

Thanks!