Plenty of open space and decorations with opulent industrial elements is a primary characteristic of Loft design style. Raw brick walls, very high ceilings, cement or wooden floors, and visible pipes are all finding its use in modern interior design for lofts. In general, those are homes with roots in industrial history, often appreciated for its potentially simple, minimalistic, and practical style options. And, can be one of the best ways to guide yourself when decorating your lofts.
History of interior design for lofts
Accelerating increase in land prices in Manhattan factory district, somewhere about the 1940s, was forcing the industrial owners to move their production to cheaper suburban areas. Such a sudden wave of relocation left a lot of empty buildings in downtown. Considering they were worth nothing more than a few pennies, a lot of people were seizing the opportunity to get cheap housing options. Especially young musicians and artists that were even holding their own exhibitions in the same lofts.
With having a lot of creative people living and working in those huge “open” spaces, over time lofts have become a lot more than just appealing living space. In fact, only 10 years after, thanks to the perfect location and new “style” at the horizon, they become quite lustrous estates. All formerly abandoned factories and warehouses gained in worth, thus opening the world’s door to the Loft design style.
Some general info about lofts
Attic, garret, Mansard and Gambrel roof, or warehouse’s top floor are all words bearing the same meaning as a loft. Initially representing only factory and workshop interiors, lately grows into a recognizable style. Both for industrial decoration elements and a wide-open space. Furthermore, it represents the abundance of natural sunlight available through high and wide industrial windows. Once being the factory place, one of the main loft features are high ceilings and space without any partitions. The only isolated parts in lofts are bathrooms, bedrooms, and sometimes the utility rooms. There are numerous benefits of moving to such a home. The moving process is much easier. Just contact one of the experienced movers like jpurbanmoving.com, and you will see what they have to say about lofts.
Walls in loft interior design
The first thing you will notice in interior design for lofts is the absence of internal walls. Only bathrooms and similar parts that require more privacy are confined. Everything else, in case there is a need for stylish segregations of certain parts, is separated with practical solutions. In general, it includes transparent shelves, glass blocks, and folding screens. It is possible to achieve the similar zoning of internal areas with smart use of large furniture pieces or various flooring materials and patterns.
As for the painting of the internal walls, that can be a tricky thing. If you are following the original industrial style, all textures and paints need to match the “factory” form. That would be brick walls, plain concrete walls, or some similar combination. You should not apply modern coating except those replicating the grunge trend. However, the use of wallpapers matching the brick, stone, or concrete texture can be a budget-friendly option. Even the use of partially wooden frames or wooden boards can be an option if you are in need of a quick solution.
Floors, and floor coverings in lofts
Even today, the typical floor covering in industrial buildings is concrete. However, it is not a practical solution for living because concrete is very cold. So, there are a couple of more suitable solutions you can apply in your loft apartment:
- Wood flooring:
- plank
- parquet
- bamboo flooring
- cork flooring
- Laminate
- Hard flooring:
- ceramic tiles
- glass tiles
- mosaic combinations
- natural or artificial stone
- Vinyl flooring
If you want to keep the original flooring in your loft, you can use coverings like carpets and rugs. However, adding carpet pads is a good way to keep temperature isolation between the floor itself and carpet. Usually, there is a practice to zone some areas like kitchen with ceramic covering for the purpose of sanitation.
Loft ceilings
One of the most notable characteristics in old lofts is that they have high ceilings. Ventilation and heat pipes are typical for this industrial kind of the apartment, but not necessary in regular homes. In essence, the usual practice for protective or decorative purposes of walls and ceilings is plastering. There are several common types of plaster:
- Clay plaster
- Gypsum plaster
- Lime plaster
- Cement plaster
- Heat resistant plaster
Over the years, plastering is evolving into a certain form of art and many amazing solutions can be seen in loft interior design of the ceilings.
The source of daylight – windows
The regular most common impression is that lofts trademarks are small windows. In many houses yes, mainly. However, in industrial style lofts left after the famous 40s that is not the case. Having large top-to-bottom window was the main characteristic which many modern homeowners are adopting today. And, there is a huge benefit in this grandiose design principle. The possibility to fill the whole place with sunlight without having to change a lot is crucial. Of course, there are many window styles applicable today but their size is what makes lofts absolutely spectacular.
Lighting possibilities in lofts
Among many different types of lighting, one thing that distinguishes lofts from others is the use of various lighting elements. In order to effectively illuminate the place nothing is stopping you from the use of several different types. Usually, that is not common practice in a regular home, but for lofts and loft interior style apartments it’s the recommendation. However, we are not using it for the sole purpose of illumination, but also for zoning particular areas of our living space. In general, there are several types:
- Chandeliers
- Floor lamps
- Wall lamp
- LED light
- Pendant lamps
- Desk lamps
Exceptionally interesting are LED lights. There is almost nothing you can’t do or make with them. From LED stripes to tubed LEDs, they are especially interesting in combination with plastering work. You can make hidden lights, background lights, warm or cold light source, almost anything that can cross your mind.
Furniture in interior design for lofts
Depending on your preferences you can combine the old style with the modern style. But Minimalism is the most compelling style one can use when deciding how to arrange the furniture in lofts. Functionality and minimalism is something that should be the primary criteria when dealing with interior design for lofts.
Lisa Roberts has been engaged in writing blog articles for the last 7 years. Although she started off her career in the moving industry, her experience brought diversification to the content topics she covers. Today, her range of topics spans from moving across the globe to everyday lifestyle tips, marketing, real-estate news, etc. In her spare time, Lisa enjoys running, reading books and spending time with her dogs Lue and Sill. As a great lover of life, she finds something practical and useful in every experience, which contributes to her portfolio as well.
