If you’re lucky enough to have a house with a loft, why not transform it into a functional and stylish room? Lofts are synonymous with coziness and romance due to their natural privacy, but that doesn’t mean you can only turn a loft into a bedroom! A renovated loft can easily become a cozy office space, a functional kitchen, or even an inviting guest bedroom. Check out the tips below to easily transform your old loft into the room of your dreams!
1. Decide how you will use the space
When you decide to upgrade your loft, it’s important to decide in which design direction you want to go. Not only will transforming your loft into a new space free up additional room in your home, it could increase your property value too! Decide whether your home could use a new bedroom, kitchen, or office space, and don’t limit yourself to one particular type of room. These days lofts are turned into all sorts of wonderful and stylish spaces!
If you’re looking for some design inspiration, head to a retailer like Overstock. They have everything you’ll need to renovate your loft and turn it into your dream room, from furniture and organizational items to stylish room decor. With this great Overstock coupon, you can even save on your next order!
2. Invest in an architect or technician
Once you’ve decided the type of room you want to build, it’s important to understand if it’s feasible or not. This is where it’s important to seek the advice of an expert architect or technician. An expert can deal with all the technical aspects of converting a loft such as if your home can take the weight of the conversion and if there will be enough head height. An architect or technician should even be able to guide you through choosing the right contractor if you decide to go down that route.
3. Install new windows for natural light
You don’t have to make a lot of structural accommodations to add a new window to a loft. Skylights and domer lights both open up a space and allow a lot of natural light to fill up the room. This is a big deal considering that studies have shown that natural light can lift people’s moods and improve their work performance. If you’re working on the back of your home you normally won’t need permits to add domer lights. However, permits are often needed to add domer lights to the front of a home and that’s why many people opt for skylights instead.
4. Get creative with your design
There are lots of easy design tips that you can use to make a small loft space feel bigger:
- Use dividers or curtains to create “rooms”.
- Invest in furniture that serves a dual purpose, such as a sofa bed, to save on space.
- Use eaves wisely for storage solutions.
- Research storage solutions for awkward spaces.
Get creative and don’t feel limited by your space. Spend some time researching all the creative solutions other people have come up with and get inspired for your own loft update!
5. Turn the ceiling into a work of art
Lofts are known for their signature character. Their unique features such as exposed brick and wooden rafters and beams can easily become an architectural design piece. While the best design choice is often to just let the natural beauty of the wood and brick shine through, sometimes it can be fun to turn an old loft ceiling into a statement piece. Try any of these ideas to update your loft:
- Whitewash the ceiling for an instant contemporary update.
- Add dormer or skylight windows to add natural light.
- If your ceiling is high, consider adding some ambient lighting.
- Paint exposed brick or ceiling rafters to modernize the space.
Sometimes all it takes to completely transform your old loft is a fresh coat of paint or wood stain on the existing beams. Just make sure to test your color on a small patch before applying it to your original wood!
