Lofts can come in all shapes and sizes. In order to start work on your loft, you need to first look at how much or how little your loft can accommodate in order to not compromise the space. Here are 14 ways that you can make your loft a cosier place to live in.
Loft Spacing
You’ll need to find out every little detail about your loft before we can start working on it. Being familiar with your loft can greatly help with the planning stage and allows you to pinpoint any areas that need work on. Some things you can consider asking yourself would be if the space can accommodate larger furniture like a queen-sized bed as opposed to a single bed or if your furniture can be store-bought or must they be custom made.
Embrace the Loft Bedroom
Having a loft bedroom is everyone’s dream. With all that natural light flowing in, a loft bedroom seems to exude a sort of calmness. If you’re looking to convert your loft into your child’s room, consider placing his/her bed close to a Velux window if you do have one (kids love tiny spaces!). Alternatively, take advantage of all the natural light and position your furniture according to that.
Increase Storage with a Built-in Bed
For those who are big on storage spaces, having a built-in bed with plenty of areas for storage can be very helpful especially since most bed spaces have nooks and crannies that we often don’t utilize. We recommend placing beds for grown-ups under the highest part of the ceiling rather than squeezing it at the side.
Install a Built-in Desk Under the Eaves
If you have more space under the eaves, consider installing a built-in desk. A floating built-in desk could free up some storage space under the table while also making use of spaces too small to fit a bed.
Maximize the Space with White
Lofts are the best place to utilize natural light. In many cases, lofts are also limited in space and making the space feel spacious can sometimes be challenging. In order to create the illusion of a larger space, we recommend painting walls and ceilings white. Don’t worry about it getting dirty as most lofts generally get less foot traffic compared to the main house. This significantly reduces the amount of dust and dirt brought in. The colour white reflects light while black absorbs light, making it seem less claustrophobic.
Paint the Floor
Painting the floor can be another way to decorate your loft while giving it a spacious feel. We recommend choosing a more neutral hue. Opting for painted floors can also help you stay within budget as they are significantly cheaper than painted wood while producing the same results.
Take Advantage of Low Walls
For lofts with really low walls that are hard to work with, consider looking at custom made solutions from big DIY stores such as IKEA. These low walls are a great area to utilize and transform into extra storage areas. Alternatively, depending on how low your walls are you can also install shoe racks.
Consider Customised Storage
Unless you’re planning to have a loft converted into an underutilized space, it is important to have ample storage spaces. Lofts come in all shapes and sizes and there are no one-size-fits-all options for furniture. You’ll really have to Tetris this one out. While customised storage spaces might be a bit pricier, it is well worth it if you’re going to be using the space often.
Additional Built-Ins
Take some time to explore creative loft ideas on Pinterest or other DIY sites and list down what you’ll need. As lofts are slightly trickier to navigate compared to normal rooms, you can consider other additional built-ins to maximise space while maintaining its aesthetics. A rookie mistake is to assume that normal furniture can fit into all the small areas of a loft, you’ll really need to try it out to know.
Install Appropriate Blinds
Privacy is important if you’re planning on making your loft a bedroom. Consider installing blinds if you value your privacy. Alternatively, blinds can also help keep out sunlight if you’re planning to watch a movie in the afternoon or would just like to sleep in. To prevent overhead hang on Velux windows, consider installing sliding blinds. If done right, the blinds can double up as a stylish way to keep out unnecessary light and also help with privacy.
Switch Up your Bed Styles
Not all beds have to have a frame. For a cosier setting, you can consider placing mattresses directly on the floor and top it off with blankets and pillows. This is great if you’d like to save on getting a bed frame.
Use Low Furnishings
As most lofts have low ceilings, you wouldn’t want to make the mistake of getting furniture that almost reaches the ceiling. To match the overall height of the room, you can also opt for low furniture. For example, getting a short coffee table and having your guest sit around it, Japanese tatami style.
Hang a Statement Light
Lighting is extremely crucial in a loft. If you have a high and pointed roof, you can consider installing lights that hang down like a chandelier. However, a loft with low ceilings should stay away from hanging lights as it will significantly compromise the already limited space. We recommend avoiding floor lamps as this will clutter the area. Just follow this rule of thumb for lofts – the less floor you see, the more spacious your loft tends to feel.
Try Pint-Sized Furniture
Most ordinary-sized furniture might not fit into the awkward spaces that a loft has. If you are trying to save on custom-built furniture, you can look into purchasing children’s furniture where a small play area can be set up if you have children.
Lofts are an incredibly exciting space and are so fun to decorate and go crazy on creativity. If you’re puzzled and don’t know how to start, just follow these 14 tips and you’ll be well on your way to having your personalised loft!