10 loft condominium type concepts to raise industrial areas
Loft condominium type is the epitome of the condominium dwelling dream. Lofts have turn into a lot greater than only a sort of abode – they’re virtually their very own narrative gadget. In TV and movie, lofts have turn into synonymous with the properties of the design-forward, for fashionable younger hipsters to the highly effective and influential alike. It is no surprise that loft condominium type is so aspirational.
With an inspiring loft house to work with, you might assume that in relation to adorning an condominium, you are on straightforward road. However be warned that you will additionally inherit an area that has uncommon proportions to take care of, not like some other kind of property.
‘A loft was usually not designed to be lived in,’ explains Tyson Ness, a New York-based inside designer. ‘Most have the beautiful tall ceilings, huge home windows and industrial element that’s en vogue, but additionally are usually darkish areas with a window at one finish of the house, making the inside of the house darkish.’
What a loft does have, nevertheless, is potential. ‘The very best a part of the loft is that they’re usually capable of be opened up with few inside partitions, so with some intelligent planning they’ll actually flip into a cushty dwelling.’
With that in thoughts, we have curated a few of our favourite examples of loft condominium type, together with skilled recommendation on easy methods to profit from these generally difficult areas. From methods to each embrace and mood their industrial options to the inside kinds that go well with these areas, you will uncover how inside designers are approaching a loft condominium temporary in a contemporary manner.
The fundamentals of contemporary loft condominium type, defined by the consultants
1. Make use of the ceiling top
(Picture credit score: Emanuelis Stasaitis. Design: Yard Architects)
Excessive ceilings are a typical characteristic of loft residences, offering equal alternatives and challenges.
‘Use the double-height house to intensify architectural options, maybe there are current columns which may be left uncovered, or a brand new staircase can turn into a sculptural aspect throughout the double-height house and use lighting to focus on these options,’ suggests architect Simon Graham of Yard Architects (opens in new tab).
There’s the potential so as to add in one other story to your loft, making use of this further head top. This may very well be achieved by means of a full mezzanine, or one thing so simple as a loft mattress.
Nevertheless, this should not be on the expense of the remainder of your house. ‘Double top loft residences are likely to work greatest when they’re open plan, so you keep as a lot sense of the unique quantity of the house as potential,’ Simon advises.
This super-sized ceiling also can offer you a scale downside, nevertheless. ‘Select fittings and furnishings which is not going to get misplaced within the quantity of the house corresponding to large work and huge pendant lights,’ Simon says. Additionally, take into consideration how dominating shade will likely be painted on partitions on this kind of house.
2. Honor a loft’s industrial options
(Picture credit score: Alan Gastelum. Design: The New Design Undertaking)
Unique, industrial options are undoubtedly a perk of loft condominium type, however they’ve dominating traits to work with. You may want to include them into your scheme, somewhat than simply plowing on together with your design and hoping for the very best.
‘Take stock of what you’ve gotten (uncovered brick, beams, industrial lighting) and take into account when pairing with furnishings,’ suggests designer Tyson Ness of Studio Ness (opens in new tab). Nevertheless, this does not imply going all-in on an industrial-themed house.
‘I believe the largest tip is to create a stability. If working with a country set of uncovered beams, strive pairing it with a shiny kitchen island and a extra streamlined condominium kitchen thought; or a killer uncovered brick wall can really feel much more particular when offset with a sinuous and plush couch.’
3. Or cover them away fully
(Picture credit score: Douglas Friedman)
Uncovered options aren’t for everybody, and naturally you do not have to take away them to create an inside scheme with out these industrial references.
Boxing them in and overlaying uncovered ceilings and partitions is not sacrilege in the identical manner as overlaying or eradicating some interval options, particularly for those who be certain that future caretakers of the loft have the prospect to revert again if desired.
This condominium design by Jessica Schuster Design (opens in new tab) is a good instance of how one can protect the sunshine, openness of a loft design, with out counting on its industrial options. As an alternative, a clean canvas has been created for a extra inventive inside scheme, as demonstrated on this condominium lounge, to take middle stage.
4. Thoughtfully think about alterations
(Picture credit score: Dane Austin)
‘I all the time attempt to honor the supplies as a lot as potential with out modification, but additionally do not be afraid of the facility of paint, particularly on an uncovered brick or pipework,’ says Tyson Ness. ‘A contemporary coat of paint does wonders in all areas, even in a loft.’
This loft design by Boston-based Dane Austin Design (opens in new tab) showcases simply what may be achieved. The uncovered ceiling, column and pipes have been tailored into a gray lounge scheme, making a extra cohesive backdrop for this inside scheme.
It elevates essentially the most industrial options of this house, making it really feel like a greater match for the extra luxurious tones and textures of the design.
Paint additionally covers a mess of sins, making it a great fallback plan the place your authentic options are wanting a little bit worse for put on.
5. Create cozy, intimate areas
(Picture credit score: Alloy Growth / Pictures: Pavel Bendov)
Whereas the openness and excessive ceilings are good options of a loft condominium, it additionally comes with a problem of constructing your house really feel cozy within the locations you need it too.
‘With open-plan residences, it is very important delineate areas to be able to carry a way of human scale,’ says Nathan Cuttle, founding father of Studio Nato (opens in new tab). ‘We like open plans as a result of they normally imply extra mild within the house. Nevertheless, when it comes down to really dwelling throughout the house, we gravitate in direction of cozy, intimate areas.’
So how can we obtain this? ‘Rugs, sectionals, freestanding cabinets are all instruments at our disposal so as to add a way of intimacy and privateness to a clean open house,’ Nathan says. ‘Sometimes, it means rethinking the normal setup for a sectional or imagining a brand new form for an space rug.’
Creating teams of furnishings is a straightforward approach to demarcate an open plan house, notably when studio condominium structure concepts. However, additionally think about items that bridge the hole between areas, serving to to create stream and never create floating ‘islands’ of furnishings. On this inside scheme created by Rebecca Robertson of RR Interiors for Alloy, a daybed backs onto the couch in the principle seating space, including further flexibility to this design.
6. Take into consideration cohesiveness throughout the loft
(Picture credit score: ddreps)
Designing an open plan loft is in lots of respects like designing one large room. You must think about how completely different parts of the loft house work collectively from completely different angles.
‘When designing a loft you need to think about that the whole lot is seen without delay, so it is essential to have a cohesive palette of supplies and colours versus a small condominium lounge, for instance, the place you solely see one room at a time,’ says New York-based architect Kimberly Peck.
Making a throughline of colours, supplies and textures is an effective way to create areas which are separate, however really feel linked. The place certainly one of these parts, corresponding to a shade, is dominant in a single space of the loft, it may be integrated extra subtly in one other a part of the house.
7. Play with scale
(Picture credit score: Pictures: Nicole Franzen / Styling: Katja Greefe)
Our inside designers have talked about scale a number of occasions already of their recommendation on loft condominium type, however by trying to decide objects that fill the proportions of a loft, you might end up with a perspective downside.
The place issues begin to look out of stability in a loft, think about approaching scale extra playfully, says Michael Okay Chen of MKCA (opens in new tab). ‘In massive open areas, but additionally in small residences too, generally it is about discovering a component or piece of furnishings that may be a little out of scale for the room so there’s some hierarchy or construction that smaller, looser parts can play towards,’ he suggests.
This loft designed by Jesse Parris-Lamb (opens in new tab) presents meals for thought, with a supersized banquette seat designed round one of many loft’s supporting columns and an enormous eating desk anchoring the house. This creates room for smaller vignettes too, with out them changing into misplaced within the measurement of the house.
8. Use room dividers to create zones
(Picture credit score: Brooke Helm. Design: Worrell-Yeung)
Typically the open nature of a loft is value preserving, whereas generally you will must insert partitions to make the house extra practical.
Room divider concepts are available in all sizes and shapes, and do not essentially must imply constructing partitions to carve up your loft.
‘If rooms do must be correctly divided with partitions think about if they are often manufactured from a clear materials or use large sliding pocket doorways so you keep an open plan sense, however also can obtain some privateness,’ says Simon Graham of Yard Architects.
‘Furnishings can also be a great way to divide up areas in a semi-permanent manner which lets you change the structure later, for instance putting in freestanding wardrobes would possibly will let you create a bed room space behind a lounge with out constructing partitions.’
‘Bogs all the time want privateness so tuck them in the back of the condominium away from the open plan house.’
9. Search for methods of dressing massive home windows
(Picture credit score: Sean Litchfield)
One other characteristic that usually comes with loft residences is massive and plentiful home windows. These flood your house with pure mild, however create a little bit of a conundrum in relation to window therapies.
‘Dressing home windows could make or break the house, particularly when it’s for bigger volumes,’ says New York designer Ahmad AbouZanat of PROJECT AZ (opens in new tab). ‘Window therapies ought to complement the general aesthetic and in fashionable and minimalist areas which means they may take the backseat generally or simply be very delicate.’
‘For taller ceilings and expansive views that we don’t need to hinder, utilizing easy ripple fold drapes and/or curler shades of matching colours with the partitions or mullions is the least intrusive. Go for textured cloth to provide it some quantity and visible curiosity.’
On this New York loft, designed by Olivia Stutz Design (opens in new tab), a curtain thought on a observe has been used, positioning a curtain between every of the big, steel-framed home windows.
10. Do not push furnishings to the corners of the areas
(Picture credit score: Costas Picadas. Design: Studio Ness)
The place you’ve gotten further house to play with, be conscious of the way you structure furnishings inside an area. ‘I believe any alternative to keep away from pushing all of the furnishings to the sides, or solely centering all of it in the midst of a room is normally attention-grabbing and value contemplating,’ says Michael Okay Chen.
Whether or not a loft or a studio condominium, if the furnishings is all pushed towards the perimeter of the room, it may well create massive voids in the midst of the house, whereas if nothing is towards the partitions, it creates an odd sensation that the interiors aren’t grounded within the house. Placing the correct stability is essential.
On this design by Studio Ness, the sitting space occupies the house properly, whereas a credenza behind the eating desk sits towards the wall, anchoring this space into this a part of the room.
How is a loft completely different from an condominium?
‘A loft, to me, is a former industrial or manufacturing construction that has been transformed to a residential house,’ says inside designer Tyson Ness. ‘Sometimes present in commercialized spots of city or close to the river, within the case of NYC, the place items had been taken from ships and saved in warehouses earlier than being shipped out to their ultimate vacation spot.’
Lofts do not all have widespread options – some could have double-height ceilings, whereas others will not. Small residences may be created in industrial buildings, nevertheless with none presence of business options, massive home windows, excessive ceilings or extra beneficiant proportions, it is unlikely to be categorized by most as a loft.
(Picture credit score: Design by Sam Sacks Design, images by Lauren Millier Pictures)
Whereas lofts could really feel generously proportioned in lots of respects, they typically have drawbacks too. ‘Lofts usually haven’t got an interesting kitchen or toilet location as these options are added in when the items are transformed to residential,’ explains Tyson.
Additionally they usually have home windows on one facet, except in a nook unit, which signifies that the again of the condominium is darker, and any inner rooms could not have exterior home windows, counting on synthetic lighting far more, as a substitute.
