Loft-style studio apartment: advice from professional designers

Author: Belfan

From this article you will learn:

• How and when did the loft style emerge?
• What are the design features of a loft-style studio apartment?
• How to decorate a studio apartment in loft style
• What furniture to choose for a loft-style studio apartment
• How to create a loft style in a small studio apartment

Today, designers can bring any of your fantasies to life and change your living space beyond recognition. Among all kinds of room design options, the modern loft trend is gaining increasing popularity. A loft-style studio apartment - spacious, bright and a little brutal - will definitely not leave any of your guests indifferent. Read our article about how to decorate an apartment, taking into account all the features of this unusual style.

History of the loft style

The word "loft" translated from English means "attic". Maybe that’s why all interiors in this style are simple and functional. Characteristic features of loft premises are: large panoramic windows, brickwork on the walls, concrete floors, lack of partitions between rooms and much more.

The loft style appeared in America in the first half of the 20th century. At that time, due to the strong increase in real estate prices, people had to occupy premises in empty factory floors. The factory interior bore little resemblance to a residential one, but people did not have extra funds to decorate and repair the surrounding space, so they had to be content with a production environment. That is, most of the elements characteristic of industrial premises have retained their original appearance. Over time, this arrangement of living spaces developed into an independent interior direction and was called “loft”.

It is worth noting that this style is often used not only for decorating apartments, but also for arranging public spaces: art spaces, cafes, restaurants. In such places, rough brick finishing is stylishly combined with soft, dim lighting and cozy soft sofas. In loft interiors, there are often uncovered water pipes, long wires, untreated concrete floors, etc. But, of course, modern loft-style rooms have a more attractive design than those factory spaces into which poor Americans lived in the mid-twentieth century .

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• Armchairs in loft style: types, features, photos
• Children's room in loft style: fresh interior solutions
• Loft style sofas - features of choice

What it is?

If you had to describe the loft in one word, the choice would be “spaciousness” or “freedom”. A loft is space for creativity and freedom of expression. This style direction is directly related to the people who are commonly called bohemians of society.

Adaptation of industrial premises into residential apartments

Having appeared in the 40s of the twentieth century, the loft has now gained wide popularity and great demand due to its practicality. It all started when resourceful American realtors got excited about the idea of ​​turning abandoned enterprises into housing. Such apartments were much cheaper and, moreover, larger. They were purchased by people who did not have a lot of money, but had many ideas on how to improve and use these premises. These were people of creative professions.

Spacious rooms and plenty of light

Over the years, this kind of housing has become elite.

The word “loft” itself is translated from English as “attic” or “top floor”.

The main concept of this style is the combination of various architectural solutions in order to bring the interior of a home as close as possible to the interior design of an industrial enterprise, an open floor plan. By the way, we have material with examples of combining loft with other styles, if you are interested.

For an interesting overview of the interior of a loft-style apartment, watch this video.

Features of the design of a studio apartment in the loft style

• Minimum partitions.

When arranging loft-style apartments, they usually adhere to the studio principle of organizing space. There are almost no partitions in the studio apartment (the only exceptions are the bathroom and restroom). In order to separate the sleeping area, decorative transparent partitions or screens with curtains are most often used.

• High panoramic windows.

Large window openings as the main source of daylight are another element that is relevant for a loft-style studio apartment. To protect from bright sunlight, you can hang light curtains or blinds on the windows.

• Industrial finish.

Ceiling beams, concrete floors, masonry on the walls and other industrial design elements are often used when decorating loft-style rooms. Here you won’t find expensive wallpaper with monograms and gilding, but rather painted concrete or brick.

• High ceilings.

Of course, factory and industrial premises have the most ideal parameters for arranging loft spaces. However, given the high demand for industrial style, developers began to erect buildings adapted for loft interiors. If you are planning to decorate a studio apartment in a loft style, then when purchasing, be sure to pay attention to the height of the ceilings (the higher they are, the better).

• Mixing modern furniture with antiques.

Another advantage of the loft style is the ability to furnish rooms with completely different furniture. You can safely combine antique items with modern products without worrying about their compatibility in an industrial interior.

Interior features

For a clearer understanding of what a loft is, let’s consider the main features of this style:

• Open plan. The room is not divided into rooms, with the exception of the bathroom.

• Zoning. With the help of different types of zoning, space is demarcated through color contrasts, accents and the use of transparent glass partitions in a way that does not interfere with the open layout of the room.

• Abundance of light and air.

• Wide, huge windows without curtains or curtains.

• High, light ceilings with a rough-hewn surface.

• The presence of beams and other structures.

• The interior decoration of the room is represented mainly by masonry made of red unlined brick, metal, concrete, wood and rough plaster. The main thing is that the walls look raw.
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• The floor is covered with stone or porcelain stoneware tiles, or laminate that imitates a wooden board. Linoleum is rarely used.

• A combination of modern interior items with vintage ones.

• Mostly light colors in the interior.

Several interior examples.

Concrete floors and walls with pieces of plaster

Factory ceilings

Minimum furniture and visible ventilation

Dividing a room into functional zones

The interior of an apartment in a modern loft style is presented in this video.

Zoning techniques for a loft-style studio apartment

Before you start arranging your studio apartment, you need to divide the entire space into functional zones. Minimum set: kitchen, bedroom and living room. The bathroom is usually separated by walls. Depending on the size of the area, you can separate the dining room, workplace, and also allocate small corners for each family member.

The next task is to divide the common space of the apartment without installing stationary partitions. Let's look at several ways:

• Differences in wall and floor finishes.

You can separate zones from each other using different floor and wall finishes.

Wall cladding in a loft-style studio apartment is not limited to brickwork: you can cover them with rough plaster, paint, or use ceramic tiles that imitate a raw concrete surface. The last option is also relevant when finishing the floor. You can also lay laminate or floor boards as flooring.

• Textile.

Cold materials - stone, metal, brick - look most organic in loft spaces. To add coziness to a brutal environment, separate the sleeping area with a curtain. This could be a long curtain made of light material. In addition to the curtains, you can use a screen with graffiti or imitation newspaper text.

• Spot lighting.

The optimal lighting option for a loft-style studio apartment is spotlights installed in each zone. Techno-style lamps hanging from the ceiling will also look good. The space above the bed can be illuminated by wall sconces made in the same style.

• Furniture.

Furniture pieces that can be grouped by color, style or finish are often used as functional area dividers. Thus, upholstered furniture can separate the living room, high bookshelves - a work space, and a bar counter - a kitchen.

The separating elements can be any tall structures - columns or exhaust systems.

The loft style is ideal for decorating a small studio apartment, since the absence of walls and partitions creates an open and bright space.

• Interior and decorations.

The ceiling of a loft-style studio apartment is not involved in zoning and in most cases is simply painted white. This adds light to an industrial interior.

Since warehouse and industrial hangars were in most cases heated with stoves, modern loft spaces also often use fireplaces or their imitation as a decorative element.

If your studio apartment has high enough ceilings, you can equip a second level, which is ideal for placing a sleeping or working space. To move between levels, simply install a staircase, which, by the way, can also be a dividing element between functional areas on the ground floor. Stair railings in loft interiors are often replaced with decorative pipes.

Don’t know how to highlight the sleeping area in an original way? Place the bed on a special raised platform, thus creating additional storage space for bedding or bedding.

The kitchen of a loft-style studio apartment is more reminiscent of a factory canteen - laconic tables, large refrigerators and hobs. When arranging your kitchen space, do not forget about installing a hood, since odors during cooking will spread throughout the apartment.

Loft bedroom interiors

There are many ready-made solutions for the bedroom interior, but a loft-style project will change ideas about classic design. First of all, this concerns the choice of furniture, as well as wall and floor coverings. Handmade, vintage, minimalism, and classic will fit perfectly into a loft interior.

Contrasting combination of immaculate white and brickwork

In the photo: Loft-style bedroom interior from portfolio

In this project, all interior items are designed in a minimalist style - even the round clock above the bed, creating a subtle reference to Art Deco. A minimalist wardrobe with a mirrored door visually expands the space.

Vintage and classic

In the photo: Loft-style bedroom with vintage furniture

Vintage and classic elements are combined in the bedroom interior with loft features. Loft masonry fits perfectly with a boudoir console table with curved legs.

Concrete walls and plain textiles

In the photo: Loft-style bedroom with concrete walls

Another, less popular technique for creating a loft-style interior is concrete surfaces. “Rough” concrete with traces of formwork looks especially impressive. To create a special loft atmosphere, one or two untreated walls in the interior are enough.

Accent walls and black and white panels

In the photo: Bedroom with loft elements in the apartment

Black and white panels leaning against the wall will create the effect of “creative chaos”, which often reigns in the artist’s studio. Black monochrome walls and wooden panels complement the democratic and modern decor of the bedroom.

Brickwork painted white

In the photo: Bedroom interior with brickwork and posters

An effective technique for decorating a loft-style bedroom would be walls lined with brickwork and painted white. The more careless the painting, the better. Small chips, cracks and unpainted areas of the wall are the main “highlight” of such an interior.

Gray-beige color scheme

In the photo: Bedroom in beige and gray tones in a loft style

The natural gray-beige color scheme is especially suitable for loft-style bedroom design, since the brightness of the stylistic direction itself needs to be “muted” a little. Pastel and neutral colors will make a brutal interior with brickwork softer and harmonious.

The Group’s portfolio includes many projects in the loft style, and this is no coincidence: this design direction remains at the peak of popularity, experiencing a new birth. Design studio specialists will develop a unique interior design project, taking into account the characteristics of your apartment, and repair and construction teams will carry out high-quality apartment renovations at the highest level.

Tips on how to decorate a studio apartment in the loft style

Since the hallway is the first thing that people see when they come, it should be decorated in accordance with the overall style of the studio apartment. You can leave the brick wall unfinished, in its original form, slightly lightening the joints so that it does not look too gloomy. If the brick is hidden under a thick layer of plaster, you can simply paste wallpaper with imitation brickwork. You can make the hallway lighter by painting the brick white or light gray.

Another design option is finishing the walls with light plaster mortar. It is better to make the ceiling pure white, since this way you can visually expand and enlarge the space.

The optimal furniture for furnishing a hallway in the loft style are cabinets and cabinets that have a simple and laconic design. Remember, the main principles of the loft concept are restraint and minimalism.

If the mirror is not built into the front of one of the cabinets, it can be placed directly on the floor.

Current lighting fixtures for a loft hallway are metal shades and sconces, which also have a very simple design.

In order for the living room of your studio apartment to fit into the industrial concept as much as possible, one of the walls should have brickwork (or a finish that imitates it). Brick is the most striking and characteristic feature of the loft style in the interior. The remaining walls can be finished with plaster. It is desirable that the floors in the living room be wooden or have a coating that imitates natural stone.

As we noted above, one of the features of the loft interior is large panoramic windows, which act as the main source of daylight. If your studio apartment has small windows, you can order window frames with vertical imposts, which will visually lengthen them. It would be good if the window frames were wooden, or at least made of brown plastic.

It is not recommended to cover the window openings of a loft-style studio apartment with curtains, so it is better to purchase roller blinds that are easy to manage and maintain, which will fit perfectly into the overall concept.

Loft-style living room furniture should also be simple and functional. To arrange this area, a small sofa and a pair of armchairs with a coffee table will be enough. When decorating loft spaces, as a rule, two main neutral shades are chosen and diluted with a small number of bright details (pillows on the sofa, potted plants, etc.).

The design of the sleeping area is subject to similar requirements: the presence of brickwork on one of the walls and laconicism throughout. It is recommended to decorate the bedroom in light colors so that the owners have the opportunity to relax in a comfortable and calm environment. The furniture should be simple and functional: a metal or wooden bed, a spacious wardrobe and bedside tables will fit perfectly into a loft-style bedroom.

A moderate amount of stylish accessories are welcome in the sleeping area, which will help make the resting place more comfortable. As textile parts, it is allowed to use only a bedspread and a small rug in the center of the room.

When decorating a bathroom in a loft apartment, do not use multi-colored tiles with designs or patterns; here you should limit yourself to a simple mosaic in black and white or other neutral shades. It is better to choose a white bathroom, a simple shape and preferably with legs.

Before arranging a kitchen, it is very important to think through every detail in order to make the cooking and eating space as comfortable and functional as possible. In order to achieve these goals, there are many design tricks, using which you will not only emphasize your favorite loft style, but also make your stay in the kitchen comfortable for all family members. A very important design nuance here is lighting: there should be more than enough light in the kitchen space.

Creating a cozy atmosphere in the kitchen is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. So, rough brick finish can be softened with light tiles and delicate textiles.

In accordance with the studio principle of organizing space, the kitchen should be combined with the living room. To separate zones, you can use flooring that is different from each other: for example, a wooden floor in the living room and tiles in the kitchen.

Household appliances in a loft kitchen can be both rare and the most modern. But all equipment must be combined with each other and ideally have surfaces in steel shades. You can complement the overall picture with the help of a metal bread bin, snow-white dishes, a matte wooden table and chairs with metal rods.

Furniture for a studio apartment in loft style

Premises in the loft style differ from others in their originality and informality. Lovers of luxury and arrogance usually do not feel very comfortable in such spaces. When arranging a studio apartment in a loft style, you can implement the most daring and non-standard solutions. Original form or content are good reasons for using an item with such characteristics as an element of an industrial interior.

To decorate a studio apartment in a loft style, you can buy furniture in antique shops, flea markets, or even use a warehouse in the attic. Iron beds and chairs with forged elements will fit perfectly into the surrounding interior.

However, loft-style furnishings can be more modern. It is allowed to use classic pieces of furniture that will add sophistication and originality to the studio apartment. For rooms with an industrial interior, it is recommended to choose furniture of the correct geometric shape: a rectangular bed, a square table, chairs, and so on. Since there should be little furniture, it is better to install open clothes hangers instead of a wardrobe.

Furniture in the loft style is massive and brutal. But she cannot be called uncouth, rather stylish and elegant. To place it in the apartment, there must be enough free space.

Decorative finishing in the loft style is replaced by various physical defects:

• scratches;
• potholes;
• holes;
• natural imperfections of materials.

As already mentioned, simplicity and minimalism are the main principles that should be followed when creating a design project for a studio apartment in the loft style. There is no place for unnecessary things; all items must be practical, comfortable and functional.

When decorating loft spaces, they often use vintage items that have been given a second life by caring craftsmen. Remember that even from simple materials you can make exclusive items. The main thing is out-of-the-box thinking and a creative approach.

In the production of loft-style furniture, the following are most often used:

• wood (pallets, scraps of building materials, various stumps, snags);
• metal (pieces of pipes, metal sheets, wire, fittings, staples, rivets);
• glass (full-size sheets, less often trimmings);
• dense material (jeans, ropes, leather).

Moreover, it is quite rare for manufacturers to choose just one material. In most cases, this is a harmonious combination of several of the items listed above.

It is worth noting that the color scheme plays an important role in the design of loft spaces. White, gray black, terracotta are the most relevant shades for the industrial style. Natural colors and materials go well with them: wood, rough fabric, steel.

In the loft style, special attention is paid to natural wooden color and texture. The ideal option for a loft style in the interior of a studio apartment is considered to be untreated wood (see photo), and the best accent is natural contrast. Characteristic veins, annual rings, knots and hollows - all this gives loft items a special charm.

Naturalness and naturalness are welcomed not only in wood products. Designers often combine unpainted metal surfaces, simple clear glass, rough fabric and thick leather with wood. In the loft style, pristine, simplicity and practicality are especially valued. Products are given originality mainly due to their shape.

Of course, in loft interiors, as in any other, the possibility of placing accents is not excluded. However, the play of color is used extremely rarely for these purposes; most often, the details of the situation are highlighted due to the texture or original content.

Furniture in the room

The main requirement for furniture is functionality. It can be either antique - in the style of past centuries, or modern, designer. Combinations of vintage items with minimalist and modern ones look impressive. Some examples can be seen below.

The tones should be neutral, interspersed with expressive accents, but bright, “flashy” colors should be avoided.

The amount of furniture should be minimal. It is advisable to leave a lot of free space between objects, again, in order to make the room more spacious.

Interior in neutral colors

Minimum furniture

Functional furniture

Combination of wood and metal

Cool ideas for decorating a studio apartment in the loft style

• Paintings in the design of a loft-style room.

The laconic furnishings of a loft-style studio apartment can be diluted with some accessories. Due to the fact that the industrial style originated among artists and musicians who lived in industrial premises, works of art of a certain orientation look very organic in loft spaces. So, the walls of a living space can be decorated with paintings. But make sure that all the canvases fit into the overall color concept and do not overload the space.

• Chandeliers of unusual shapes in the design of a studio apartment.

Chandeliers of the most unusual shapes and sizes are used as devices for lighting loft apartments. These can be either exquisite ceiling lamps in a classic style or futuristic models. Try decorating the work area of ​​a loft-style studio apartment with a silver lamp of complex geometric shape. Such a chandelier will add originality to a brutal industrial-style room and bring a feeling of a little creative disorder.

• Light bulbs on pendants.

This is another lighting option typical for loft-style rooms. Lamps on pendants will look great above the bar counter, which can be used to divide the space of the kitchen and living room. You can choose lamps with lampshades of an unusual shape or an original shade that can dilute the monochrome surrounding space.

• "Carriage" screed in furniture finishing.

To decorate a studio apartment in the loft style, you can choose not only modern, but also classic pieces of furniture. You will be surprised, but sofas with a “carriage” screed look great not only in expensive offices, but also in loft spaces. Thus, a Chesterfield sofa with a “carriage” screed allows you to create an interesting vintage effect in such a room.

• Shades of gray in the design of a studio apartment in the loft style.

When arranging loft interiors, you can safely use any shades of gray, since they go well with almost the entire color scheme. Bright accents in the form of sofa cushions or modern works of art on the walls will look good against a gray background.

• Brown colors in the interior of a studio apartment in the loft style.

Most shades of the brown palette are traditional for arranging loft-style spaces. These shades are characteristic of brick and wood, without which, in turn, it is impossible to imagine a loft-style room. And you can dilute natural colors using muted tones of red and blue.

• Shades of eggplant.

When arranging modern loft interiors, the color purple is often used. In order to add originality to a room decorated in an industrial style, simply install a sofa or a cozy chair in a soft eggplant shade.

• Transparent partition between the living room and bedroom.

Despite the fact that the main principle of organizing space in loft rooms is zoning, in some cases you can still use a small number of partitions. Your task is to at least roughly designate the functional areas available in the studio apartment.

The use of transparent partitions is very important for arranging loft premises. They let in enough light, and therefore are ideal for zoning a studio apartment with one window. And if you want to completely isolate your sleeping area from prying eyes, you can complement the transparent partition with light curtains.

• "Rack" partition.

This is another option for dividing zones, especially relevant for a loft-style studio apartment. Such partitions are easy and mobile to use, do not weigh down the space, and also allow sunlight to pass through well.

Loft style in a small studio apartment

All studio apartments with a small area can be divided into two types: the first are equipped with high ceilings, the second - low. Each room has its own characteristics, so the main task when arranging them is to correctly distribute the available space.

Of course, a studio apartment with high ceilings is more suitable for finishing in a loft style. In such a room you can bring to life many design features and techniques. So, if the ceilings of your studio apartment are not lower than three and a half meters, you can safely build a second tier in the center of the main area. On the second floor there is usually a bedroom area, which is often supplemented with a small TV and bedside tables. The first floor under the sleeping area can be left for a small library and place a couple of bookshelves with soft armchairs and a coffee table in it.

The presence of high ceilings allows you to arrange a studio apartment in a loft style in both light and dark shades. At the same time, metal lamps hanging from the ceiling can be an excellent addition to the industrial setting.

If the ceilings of your apartment cannot be called high, you will have to completely free the living space from walls and partitions in order to visually expand it. Further arrangement of a small studio apartment (up to 30 sq. m, for example) in the loft style should also be carried out taking into account all the characteristic features of the industrial concept.

Lighting recommendations

Most often in the urban direction there are massive chandeliers or multifunctional pendant lamps, which can be equipped with wires or chains that allow you to adjust the length of the lighting fixture. To add more comfort to a studio apartment, floor lamps are preferred.

The photo shows a version of ceiling lighting in a loft-style studio.

Also, quite often, bright lighting and LED bulbs are used here, thanks to which it is possible to visually enlarge the room, give it volume, focus on certain areas or illuminate niches. A simple metal table lamp with a flexible leg will complement the interior no less advantageously.

Decoration of a one-room studio apartment in loft style

Modern designers successfully combine brutal industrial chic and fashion trends when arranging one-room studio apartments in the loft style. It is worth noting that the standard layout of one-room apartments rarely involves panoramic windows and high ceilings. In this regard, when decorating a one-room apartment, it is very important to keep the room open, bright and cozy.

We invite you to take a closer look at the design options for each zone:

• At the entrance.

To decorate the hallway, you can use imitation of rough natural wood, both on the floor and on the ceiling. Light wallpaper, brickwork or slate boards are perfect for decorating walls. Retro lamps and glowing garlands will help to visually expand a narrow space. You can complement the loft setting with hanging wires, a mirror in a metal frame, as well as simple furniture with an antique effect.

• Bedroom-living room.

It is recommended to decorate small loft-style rooms in light shades, combining them with multi-level lighting and proper arrangement of laconic furniture. Traditional elements of loft design are brick walls, light bulbs without shades or lampshades, as well as open, half-empty shelves on the walls.

To zone space in modern loft spaces, they use the play of light, partitions, and various color schemes. It’s good if each functional area has its own shade that matches the overall interior.

The sleeping area in a small studio apartment should be not only comfortable, but also functional. An excellent option is a small bed with a podium containing spacious storage systems.

If there is a sufficient ceiling height in a studio apartment, you can equip a small podium, place a workplace on top of it, and build a pull-out bed inside. This organization of space allows you to leave enough space in the apartment for a living room. The most relevant items here are: a stylish leather sofa, a metal shelving unit with wooden shelves and modern appliances. As accessories, you can use a bright chandelier and several abstract paintings.

• Kitchen-dining room.

To arrange the kitchen space of studio apartments, they often purchase a functional transforming table or install a stylish bar counter. You can choose high stools on a thin metal frame for the bar counter, which will help add lightness and ease to the production style.

It is recommended to use ceramic tiles with a wood pattern as flooring. Kitchen furniture should be chosen as simple as possible: closed cabinets or open shelves with a minimum number of items.

Don’t forget about household appliances, which must be in the same style and be visible.

There is one simple rule in a loft-style kitchen: the more metal surfaces, the better. A shiny hob, a steel refrigerator, hoods and mixers, together with chrome lamps hanging from the ceiling, will create a unique and original atmosphere. One of the walls or part of it can be covered with slate paint so that all the most important things are visible.

Lighting

Lighting plays an important role in creating a loft. The more light there is in the room, the better.

Natural light is provided by large windows and no curtains. During the daytime, a sufficient amount of light penetrates through the windows and is reflected from the surfaces of objects, ceilings and walls, thanks to the predominant light shades in the interior.

Lamps on the ceiling and walls

When the sun, a natural source of light, sets, the home can be illuminated by soffits, which, with their laconicism, emphasize some of the negligence of the loft and are reminiscent of lamps in an industrial enterprise.

To get even closer to the loft style, you can get incandescent light bulbs on a cord or braid. No lampshades or glass pendants. Only bare light bulbs!

Large windows and lots of light bulbs

No lampshades