How to make a loft feel like home
There was a time when a loft practically screamed “urban living,” and to be sure, there are plenty of lofts left in urban areas. However, at some point in the 1990s developers decided to duplicate the hip, open spaces associated with lofts in their new suburban developments. Whether your loft is located in a city or suburb, it is still your home, and there are several ways to make it feel homey and calm.
Play Up Its Unique Features
It was the “cool” factor that inspired suburban developers to build loft homes next to Target stores and Starbucks. High ceilings, exposed mechanical systems, and open space is what loft living is all about. Play those up by using area rugs only where needed and hanging drapes near the high ceiling to draw attention to that feature. Use textures as a design element. Brick walls coupled with lush fabrics can help create an ambiance of warmth without doing anything else at all.
Find Inspiration
Carol Woodard, owner of Woodard & Associates in Saratoga, has a little trick for figuring out what inspires her clients. Woodard takes new clients to the San Francisco Design Center, and then listens closely as they tell her what they like and what they do not like. She also waits for subtle cues, like when a client sees a particular piece of furniture and their face lights up. Woodard says that she has found over time that it is possible to build an entire décor around one inspirational item.
An inspirational item need only impress you. After years as a principal designer, Woodard is not influenced by trends. In fact, she tells those attending her remodeling classes that the best way to create a timeless design is to look around at what everyone else is doing and do something different.
If it is a piece of art that makes you happiest, that is where you will find the colors and atmosphere with which to fill your loft. Making your loft feel like home begins with building a design on the back of an item that speaks directly to you.
Make It Work from Every Angle
The simplicity of loft design means that everything — outside of bathroom and closet space — can be seen from anywhere else inside the home. Make sure that all the bits and pieces of design work together.
Designers frequently turn to a form of psychology called Gestalt, and more specifically the Gestalt Theory. In short, the Gestalt Theory says, “The whole is greater than the sum of parts.” What this means is that the human mind copes with visual confusion by consolidating objects into groups. For example, when a person sees white fur, tall ears, a twitchy nose, and four paws, their mind puts the parts together and registers a rabbit. In effect, the human mind seeks to simplify what it is seeing, to turn visual confusion into harmony. Designers have long applied Gestalt Theory to their work in terms of creating unity in a space.
In most lofts, one can stand in the kitchen and see the dining area, living room, and bedroom. Imagine the visual confusion of walking in and seeing a bedspread covered with bright flowers, leopard print chair, striped area rug, mismatched dining chairs, and a wall hanging with a geometric design. While each of these elements may be lovely on its own, together they create mental chaos. Making sure that elements work together in order to create a sense of calm is a huge step toward making your loft your sanctuary.
Carefully Consider Furnishings
According to Woodard, a common problem in many homes is that they are packed to the rafters with things the homeowner does not need. She suggests removing everything but the most necessary items. Not only will you end up with a calmer space, but you will also have less to maintain.
One of the joys of moving into a loft is the opportunity to cherry-pick pieces of furniture you adore and getting rid of the stuff you have been dragging along like an old anchor. As long as you have a place to sit and sleep, your design can be as minimal as you would like. In fact, the open concept of loft design lends itself to being sparsely furnished. If adding items makes you feel more at home, just remember to choose only things that reflect your unique tastes and make sure they work in concert with the other furnishings in the space.
Create Storage
Adequate storage in a loft is a must. Having a place for everything is not only aesthetically pleasing, but will also add to your sense of peace. The following can hide away those items you need in a place that allows you to quickly get to them:
• Baskets or low-profile storage containers under the bed for extra bedding.
• Over-the-door wire organizers for closets, baths, and kitchens. • Pull out shelves. • Under-sink organizers and expanders.
• End tables or ottoman with removable tops.
• Stagger, stair-step shelves for bathroom storage.
• Double-duty furniture, like a shelf that pulls down to create a desk, dining table with drawers, or sofa-bed for guests.
• Shelves over the kitchen sink for dishes, pots and pans.
There has been an explosion in storage-minded products in the past few years. If there is any space in your loft that feels crowded, visit a storage store or go online to discover options.