Loft Conversion Ideas
So you have finally joined the new breed of urbanites whose idea of extending living spaces is vertical and not horizontal. Your growing family needs more space. The existing loft has possibilities and it's just a matter of using a little imagination and you can have a real functional and aesthetically pleasing loft. More and more people are opting to convert their lofts into liveable spaces because for one, it's cool to have a loft. Two, it's easier to build a loft than move to a new and larger house. Third, a loft conversion increases the value of the property. Fourth, it's less stressful to convert a loft than move. Fifth, it's cheaper to convert a loft than buy a bigger house, take a look at our calculator showing loft conversion prices.
What to consider before designing your loft.
First, find out if the ceiling height of your loft is close to 2.1 meters to 2.3 meters. This is the minimum height requirement. If this is not meant, forget about your loft conversion and go down and convert the basement. If the height requirement checks out, see if the existing flooring of the loft (which is actually the ceiling of the floor below the loft) could be shored up for more structural strength. If this checks out too, consult with the local building code to know the requirements that you need to submit in order to start your loft conversion.
What do you need the loft for? You can convert a loft to accommodate a new bedroom with bath or a playroom for the children. You can also use the space for your home office or video/music room. What about converting the loft to a studio unit complete with a kitchenette, a half or full bath, and a quiet little nook for sleeping? The other considerations when planning an undertaking like these are the plumbing and sanitary plans and the location and size of the staircase. If everything is order, then here are some ideas in converting your loft.
Loft Conversion Ideas
A loft Bedroom is the most popular loft conversion project. The extra bedroom could serve as a guest room or as a regular bedroom. The old bedroom on the floor below could be converted into an n office or a den in this case. A growing family needs the extra space and the best scenario is to convert the loft into a new master bedroom as the loft is not an ideal bedroom for a child under the age of 7 for safety reasons. If the child is in his teens, then a teen's loft bedroom would be a great idea. If the loft is big enough, consider converting the space into two decent-sized children's bedrooms. Don't forget to incorporate a bathroom in the bedroom.
A loft could easily accommodate a regular sized bathroom. When in doubt as to the correct layout and sizing of the bedrooms, then seek the services of an architect to do the floor plans for you. It could be quite tricky to furnish the loft bedroom with regular sized furniture because of the irregularity of the space and the uneven ceiling line. In most cases, architects can be well-adept in finding solutions to your "tight" problems. Built-in wardrobes can be used instead. For the design and decor, choose whatever it is you like. After all, it's your bedroom.
A loft home office situated at the loft is ideal too. You can use the space as your very own refuge from all the hustle and bustle of the house down below. The home office should be comfortable and to your liking as you would spend a lot of time there. Consider the many office gadgets that you would have to install and use so make sure there are enough sockets and lighting fixtures. Make sure your work station suits your needs. If you have to meet with clients, provide comfortable seats. Access to the loft should be a well-designed and thought of staircase and not just some pull-down ladder. If the space is too big for just a home office, consider adding a quite little nook for resting or sleeping. It is also advisable to add a bathroom at the loft for your convenience. Consider incorporating big glass windows for day time lighting. Choose decors that are light and tasteful. The more minimal the design for a home office, the better it is.
A loft playroom in the loft is ideal for a family with small children. Going up the loft is an adventure by itself and the young children will definitely enjoy having a space for themselves. The playroom could have small chairs and tables for the children to do arts and crafts. One corner could fitted in with shelves for books while another side could have stackable plastic bins for toys and other stuff. One area could be assigned for doing homework so a study desk is recommended. Another area could be designated as the "quiet" time where the kids could take a break and maybe take a nap. A television and a DVD player would be great additions to the playroom too.
For older children or for teens, the loft could be converted into the ultimate "hang-out" place. The loft could be done in what's "hip and cool" in terms of decor and colour. A flat TV is a must so is a video console for the ultimate gaming experience right at the loft. Make sure the loft is Wi-Fi ready as most of the kids today lug their own laptops wherever they go. Assign an area for doing homework. Make sure there is a serviceable table and some chairs for doing school work. Try to incorporate a sofa-bed for sleepovers or you can just have extra mattresses for this purpose. If you can, provide a refrigerator or a dumb waiter for ease in accessing food and drinks as teens seem to be always hungry. Again, make sure the staircase provision conforms to the building regulations.