An industrial style loft.
Good morning!
Today I am dealing with a topic which recurs on my blog: the industrial style and open space environments. In particular, I will try to suggest ideas and advices to furnish loft with an intermediate floor, making the most of its potentials.
First of all, let’s introduce the topic better.
Loft: what is it, exactly?
It seems that the meaning of the word ‘loft’ ( ‘attic’ in English), comes from the ancient Norwegian ‘lopt’, which means ‘air’. In the current German language ‘luft’, still in use today, with the same meaning.
Thus, it indicates open spaces, airy and bright, that are often abandoned industrial spaces and used as a living place. They became famous when, in the 70’s, New York artists and stylists started using abandoned industrial spaces as the ‘headquarters ‘ of their works and art.
They often became their home too, since a loft can be easily used both as an intimate living place and as a wide exhibition space for one’s work at the same time.
To furnish a loft with an intermediate floor: why?
The reasons for choosing to use an intermediate floor in a wide environment with high walls, is certainly to make the most of the plenty of space inside industrial buildings.
Yet, in my opinion, it is also an important way to carve out a niche for oneself.
Whether you choose to use the intermediate floor as a bedroom, office or playing area, the idea is to carve out a space of one’s own.
Actually, one of the negative sides of wide open spaces is the little privacy you get, since everything is open, just so. Thus, the intermediate floor becomes the ‘ heart’ of the house: a corner made to rest, relax and concentrate at best.
My advices to furnish one’s loft with an intermediate floor.
Before making a list of my suggestions and ideas to furnish a loft with an intermediate floor, I have to say an important thing: this one needs to be thought, studied and planned by professionals and engineers to get a totally safe house. Mistrust those who do it without any planning base calculating weights, capacity and so on.
Do not order this kind of construction to someone who improvises.
The intermediate floor is indeed a practical and wonderful solution for large industrial environments but, in case of the right requirements, it can be built also in smaller and ordinary houses to optimize the spaces.
After saying that, here are some tricks to pay attention to, if you like to get a brilliant result:
- Make the stairway leading to the gallery a striking element using creativity and fantasy.
In 99% of cases you reach the intermediate floor thanks to a stairway.
Setting it off by choosing creative and fanciful solution will give the environment a peculiar look, making it even more personalized.
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- Look for furnishings which give continuity between the upper and the lower floor.
I think it is important to give fluidity between the lower and the upper floor, using fittings (lamps, fireplaces, pictures…..). In this way the whole space combines harmoniously and the final impact is stronger.
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- Use mobile walls to separate the various rooms of your loft with an intermediate floor.
Certainly, the great adaptability of the ‘open space ‘ allow us to to model it as we prefer.
Yet, To avoid the dispersive effect we might get easily, I suggest to use vertical mobile elements to mark the rooms. Suffice it some fantasy and a good study as regards the style.
My friends! Have you got a house with an intermediate floor?
Have you got any other advice you like to leave to the readers? I am waiting for them. Thank you.
