9 Ways to Transform Your Upstairs Loft
Here at CarrHomes, we’ve been building luxury homes in the Fairfax area since 1925, and many of our current models feature loft areas on the upper levels. Have you ever lived in a home with a loft area on the upper level? What did you use this space for? Was it your home office, a play area for your kids, a sitting area surrounded by bookshelves, or did you simply use it to store all of the stuff you couldn’t find a place for? If you need some inspiration, see below for a list of ideas on how to use your home’s loft space.
Transform Your Loft Area into Usable Space
The Home Office
It’s no wonder why lofts make great offices. For one thing, they’re typically fairly open, at times even overlooking the main floor of the home. This makes for a very comfortable space to work in if you’re the type of person who get’s uncomfortable being cramped in a small space for long periods of time. A home office may not be the ideal use of your loft space if your household is particularly noisy or you prefer a more or less messy workspace; loft offices cannot be closed off to visitors as a traditional office can be.
The Library or Quiet Sitting Space
A library with walls of books and comfortable chairs and couches to lounge on is a great use of your loft space. This will separate the majority of your book collection into one area of the house, which makes finding space for them much easier than trying to fit bookshelves in every free corner of your home. If a full library isn’t your speed, then you might consider using your loft as a quiet sitting space where members of your household can come to chat, read, nap, etc. If you want to add a television to your library or quiet sitting space without disrupting the relaxing atmosphere, consider a smaller TV that can be kept hidden away in a cabinet when not in use.
The Playroom
If you don’t have use for a home office or library or have put these spaces elsewhere in the home, why not transform your loft area into a playroom for the kids? Except for the possible need for a gate to keep your little ones from taking a tumble down the stairs, lofts make excellent playrooms. You can keep your playroom as heavily or sparsely furnished as you want so long as the kids have somewhere orderly to store their toys. Fill the space with comfortable beanbag chairs, or leave the space open for fort building. Either way, using your loft space as a playroom will give your kids somewhere specific to play, which keeps your home from being overtaken by children’s toys.
The Game Room
Kids aren’t the only ones who enjoy having areas dedicated to fun. Create your version of a playroom in your loft space with a ping pong, foosball, or pool table. The game room loft is ideal for those who enjoy hosting friends. Other game options for your game room include air hockey and darts. Perhaps your household prefers to play board games or cards. In that case, you might decorate your loft around a large table.
The Homework Nook
Do you feel as if your children would benefit from having a dedicated space in which to do their homework assignments? By transforming your loft space into a homework nook, you’ll simultaneously give your kids somewhere they can go to focus on their school work without being distracted while also providing yourself the opportunity to check in without having to knock on a bedroom door. You might include computers in your homework nook, but you may need to set parental controls to prevent them from becoming distractions.
The Craft Area or Art Studio
Do you spend significant chunks of your day browsing Pinterest for the next big craft idea? Are you a painter, sculptor, clothing designer, or other kind of artist? Whether you create art using charcoal, paints, clay, textiles, or other media, a loft space can make the perfect craft area or art studio. The loft will prevent you from feeling disconnected from the rest of your household while you work, but it will also grant you a somewhat private space to do your art.
The Home Gym or Studio
We all understand how difficult it can be to get to the gym on a regular basis. If this sounds like you, why not consider transforming your loft area into a home gym? The best part of creating your very own exercise studio is you get to customize it based on what you need. If your focus will be on cardio, then you might invest in a treadmill or elliptical. If you need to do strength and conditioning workouts, you might include dumbbells, kettlebells, and a barbell and weight bench. You can also transform your loft area into a yoga studio or a meditation space if your fitness routine involves more low-impact exercises.
The Guest Room
Although your guests may have to change into their pajamas in the bathroom, loft areas make excellent guest bedrooms. This allows you to create a guest space without having to dedicate an entire bedroom to the purpose. This option is especially ideal for households who need more than one guest room or who don’t have guests often enough to justify having a full guest bedroom. To save space while you’re not hosting anyone, use a sofa bed that can be folded up into comfortable seating while not being slept on.
The Teen Hangout Spot
Many households use their basement media spaces for this purpose, but this may not be an option for you. Having a designated teen space is almost a requirement when you’re living with teenagers. When your teens have their friends over, they’ll need somewhere at least semi-private to go. Dedicating your loft space to this purpose is a great way to create a teen hangout spot that provides privacy but also gives you the opportunity to keep an eye out if you think you need to do so. Teen hangout areas should be furnished with plenty of comfortable seating, a television, video games, and movies. You can even include a mini fridge depending on your household’s beverage rules.
We hope this helps you decide what to do with your loft space. Are you looking at homes in the Fairfax area? Many of the luxury homes built by CarrHomes feature spacious loft areas. Contact us online today.