So, you’ve decided to convert your loft – that’s great! Lofts are a great way to build upon the existing space within your home whilst also, easing the pressures of your current space constraints. This can all be done without you needing to make major structural changes to your house. If you convert your loft well, it would also help to value add your home in terms of resale value.
Lofts are a tricky space to play with; the sloping ceilings make for awkward spaces. However, a well-designed loft is one that works with all these weird angles and spaces to create an amazing and usable room. With lofts, you can also play with the fact that it is on the highest floor to allow for natural light to flood the room. However, lofts also do require you to make pretty detailed plans as you would have to ensure that the loft remains well heated or insulated. This would be especially important in winter.
Lofts can be more than just an additional bedroom or storage space. There are other brilliant ways that you can make use of this room and we will take you through them in this guide.
A Second Living Room
A great use for your newly converted loft is to use it as a living room. This can be a great space for relaxation. Or, if you have older children, this could be a great separate space for them to relax in. This could be an area for them when their friends are over and it would provide them with the privacy that they desire.
You could also have large windows along the walls or roof of your loft living room to allow natural light to flood in. This would enable the room to appear more open and comfortable than it is. Couches can also fit comfortably under the sloping ceilings and provide no hindrance for users.
A Place For Your Hobbies
Another great option is if you convert your loft space into one that is able to serve your hobbies. This could be anything that you or your family will enjoy. If your family enjoys watching movies together, a home cinema might be a great idea. A projector can be installed and if the angle is right, the sloping ceiling would make for the perfect screen. Since a loft is usually an enclosed area, you could save on adding windows to your loft and leave it as a cosy and dark spot for cinema use.
For this conversion or any other activity that is potentially noisy, you should also remember to soundproof the room. This would be beneficial for other residents in your room and your own neighbours. There are a great many ways to soundproof your room and you should consider the following:
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- Your loft will need thermal insulation within the walls, ceilings and flooring. These insulations can also serve well for noise insulation.
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- Having a carpeted floor can reduce footfall noise.
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- You could use high-density acoustic plasterboards or membranes to help increase the room’s noise insulation.
- Mineral wool can be placed between the floor braces as insulation. If acoustic mineral wool is used, the insulation will be three times the density of normal insulation. This would help absorb noise and also, serve as good thermal insulation.
An Entertainment Area
If you are someone who enjoys having friends over or hosting parties, this is the perfect option for you! Your loft could be converted into an entertainment area. A home bar could be put in along with some comfortable seating areas. This is a great option for lofts because the unique angles of the sloping ceiling can be maximised. Sloping areas can serve as sitting space and normal ceiling areas would be a great place for the bar.
If possible, you could even have a roof terrace installed along with this entertainment loft area. This would make it the perfect party spot for friends and you could design and install funky furniture to create the cosiest entertainment room.
A Playroom For Your Children
Another great alternative for your loft conversion is to have it made into a playroom for your children. This is great because the ceiling height would not be as great a hindrance to younger children. Having such a space within your house also ensures that all their toys and hobby materials can be kept within one dedicated room. This would help your entire house look neater and less cluttered.
The room can be designed with bright and cheery lighting and the walls painted with bright colours to bring joy and a sense of open spaciousness to it. Comfortable bean bags can also be placed around the room for your children to use. For the awkward eave spaces around the room, you could also have custom storage spaces installed. These spaces can be used to store your children’s toys or even other items from within your home.
Create Your Perfect Bedroom
Lastly, your loft could be simply converted into being the perfect bedroom for you or another family member. Adding an additional bedroom to your house is often great for increasing your house’s value. Loft bedrooms are also often highly stylish and comfortable for living in. The main consideration when it comes to making your loft a bedroom is in how you organise and arrange your furniture to suit the room’s unique spacing.
For the awkwardly angled eaves, custom storage space can be created and installed. These storage spaces could serve as your cupboard for clothes or bedding. Alternatively, you may have to have a custom wardrobe made for it to fit in your loft. It is also important to remember to fit blinds for the windows in this space. Windows in lofts are often huge as they are a great way to allow natural light to enter the room. These huge windows also help to open up and create a sense of spaciousness. However, these windows may be irritating in the morning as they would allow too much light to flood in in the morning. Therefore, it is important to have good blinds installed to ensure that your sleep is not disrupted earlier than intended.
There are many ways you can use your loft space. Even though lofts are often on the smaller side, they’re great for many purposes. Even if you don’t manage to fit everything you want into your loft, just having the extra space can be handy.