Loft apartments glorify the aesthetics of warehouses. At the same time, they are incredibly welcoming and comfortable both for people who live alone and those who have families. From this article, you’ll get to know how to design a top-notch loft style apartment and which furniture and accessories to buy for it. These recommendations should come in handy for any budget and apartment size.

Loft Style InteriorPhoto credit: Unsplash

Origins of the Style

The loft design style was invented in New York in the 1960s. Back then, creative personalities who couldn’t afford more expensive housing moved into ex-factory spaces. In addition to being budget-friendly, such apartments were also spacious and bright. Their harsh fixtures and fittings only added some quirky charm to them. Today, people of any level of income eagerly recreate the loft aesthetics in their apartments. Warehouse-style interiors never go out of fashion and look effortlessly elegant.

Retain the Original Fittings

Here are the original elements that you might want to leave untouched:

  • Brick walls
  • Pillars and vents
  • Windows
  • Flooring

Of course, you should retain them only if they remain functional and pose no hazards. If the bricks are too old, you might want to use brick slips instead. Compared to the normal bricks, this alternative is lighter and easier to install. You can choose between real or faux brick slips. The former look more premium and recreate the original aesthetics of bricks more vividly.

Stick to a Neutral Color Palette

Metals, brick and concrete are usually brown, black, gray or beige. If you try to combine them with bright and vibrant colors, you would risk turning the color palette of your apartment into a mess. Earthy and neutral tones should work wonders in a loft interior.

Use Blinds Instead of Curtains

Blinds look more minimalistic. Besides, when fully open, they allow more light to get through.

Purchase Loft-Style Lighting

A typical loft-style apartment should have large windows and be full of light. The most obvious lighting options for such a space would be:

  • Concrete pendant
  • Metal
  • Nautical

Concrete pendant lights look raw and minimalistic. You might want to hang two or three of them over your breakfast bar to make your kitchen look industrial-chic.

If you prefer metal lighting, you might consider purchasing oversized dome-shaped lights that allow for a good spread of light across the room. To accent a lonely corner of the premise, you can place a metal lamp on a table or your industrial-themed floor.

Alternatively, mesh-style ceiling lights can allow for a wide spread of light just as well as their dome-shaped counterparts.

Nautical style lighting incorporates such materials such as rope and natural wicker or rattan. They should make your interior more refined.

Opt for an Open Plan or Broken Plan

Open-plan apartments look impressive but at the same time less cozy than their more conventional box-room counterparts. To add more charisma to your warehouse-style space, you might want to install a concrete fireplace in it. You might consider placing a log burner in the center where it will become the main focal point of the interior. Your friends will enjoy sitting close to it, drinking coffee and chatting.

If you prefer a broken plan and not the open one, you can opt for a double-sided fireplace that will make two rooms warmer when you light it. A broken plan suggests that you should avoid creating box rooms but instead, separate several zones within an open plan. For instance, you might want to separate your kitchen from your living room. Or, you might organize a closed storage room somewhere in the corner. Sliding and bifold doors are indispensable for broken-plan apartments. To emphasize the difference between various zones, you can also use mixed lighting styles and varying floor levels. That should enhance the sense of privacy in each area.

Brick Interior WallsPhoto credit: Unsplash

Choose Industrial-Style Furniture

In a loft apartment, you would normally come across the following types of furniture:

  • Backless copper bar stools
  • Industrial style modern bed
  • Parquet coffee tables
  • Open-faced hanging shelving units

They are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Their only drawback consists in the fact that they might lack coziness. To compensate for that, you might want to resort to complementary soft furnishings. You may buy faded vintage rugs for your bedroom and living room. Plus, you can put distressed textiles or wool blanket throws on your seatings. Please mind that if you spread a large soft carpet in the center of the room, it will make your open-space apartment look smaller.

To add a rustic appeal and a personal touch to your loft living, you might try to refurbish antique pieces of furniture. Or, if you lack skills and time, you can buy vintage ones. Restored coffee tables and chests of drawers should look particularly stunning.

Purchase the Right Accessories

Any concrete accessories should look great in a loft interior:

  • Vases
  • Planters
  • Tables
  • Clocks

Besides, you might want to get a towel ladder. They are available in an extensive range of eye-catchy designs. The most versatile ones are those made of natural wood. They can retain their color for decades and they will add even more character to your apartment.

Another popular accessory for loft interiors is a gold metal frame mirror. It is ideal for compact apartments because it creates an illusion of having more light and air in the premise. To benefit from this trick to the maximum, you can try to place the mirror opposite a large window or at the end of a hallway.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, this article came in handy and now you better understand how to design a top-notch loft-style apartment. Retain the original fittings, stick to a neutral color palette and use blinds instead of curtains. Opt for an open or broken plan. Buy industrial-style furniture and accompany it with soft textiles to make the space look cozier. Consider refurbishing antique furniture items with your own hands or buying vintage ones. Purchase concrete home accessories, natural wood towel ladders and metal-frame mirrors. Your apartment will be beautiful and easy to take care of.

Published in: Ideas | Author: Lynn

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