To decorate the interior of an apartment, recently people are increasingly choosing not classic, but modern styles, which include loft - an unusual combination of an industrial interior with coziness and comfort.
It’s worth making a reservation right away: the peculiar style may leave some people wondering how one can live here. But young people who reject established traditions enthusiastically accept some of the shockingness of the “attic interior.”
Light design in loft style
Loft style design
Brick wall in the interior of a living room in loft style
Moving to the “attic”
The combination of industrial design design and residential functions occurred in America around the middle of the last century, when industrialists began to rent out and sell empty premises of former factory floors to everyone. Low-income citizens, students, representatives of the “liberal” professions – artists, musicians – did not have the funds to rent expensive housing or to renovate it well. They left exposed brick and concrete walls and water pipes.
The absence of partitions, walls, beams and pipes initially shocked them with their unique appearance, but then musicians, artists, and others after them saw something unique and original in this design. This is how the settlement of the former factory premises began.
Dark colors in the interior of a loft-style room
Kitchen design in loft style
Interest in the original interior captured not only America - then other large European cities were “overgrown” with newfangled dwellings. Gradually, the “loft” (“loft” - translated from English as “attic”) began to “descend” to the lower floors, winning more and more supporters. Single bachelors and young families began to decorate their residential apartments in an industrial style.
See alsoCurtains for the kitchen in the loft style
Loft studio for a young couple
Proper zoning and a well-thought-out storage system make it possible to create comfortable living conditions for a young family without children, even in a small apartment area. Using a window sill instead of a table eliminates clutter in the dining area. The black color of the facades of the kitchen unit echoes the color scheme of the walls of the living room, where a spacious wardrobe is installed. Another closet in the form of a rectangular arch is located above the sofa. Red brickwork and a light-colored floor rug accent the living area. The walls of the bathroom and the facade of the wall cabinet for storing bath accessories are also made in black tones, which complements the uniform style of the apartment.
Living in loft style
The loft design can be distinguished immediately as soon as you enter the room. It stands out not only for the absence of walls and partitions (which, if you follow the style, are allowed only for the bathroom), but also:
- materials for finishing walls, ceilings, floors;
- choosing a color palette;
- selection and arrangement of furniture.
An industrial interior looks best in a spacious apartment with high ceilings - there is an opportunity to create a space that breathes newness. However, the loft style in the interior of a small apartment also looks harmonious: there will be more space and light as soon as you remove all the partitions. It is important to know that only internal partitions can be disassembled - load-bearing walls cannot be touched. To transfer or redevelop, you must first obtain permission from the relevant authorities.
Bright white design in loft style
Loft style design
Apartment interior design in loft style
See alsoIndustrial style in the interior
No. 6 - Lighting
Lamps in the loft spirit
Speaking of accents. You can arrange them not only by using some bright elements or panels in the design, but also by organizing the correct lighting of a number of design elements. In general, the lighting in a loft-style apartment should be diffused, neatly distributed over the entire area. But some small lamps, light bulbs, lighting should be correctly distributed throughout the room and create the effect of depth of space.
As for the design of lighting fixtures, it should be as simple as possible. In some cases, even an ordinary “Ilyich lamp” fits well into the room. And remember - no bulky crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling!
Room decoration
Speaking not about the primary industrial premises, but about creating an interior in a country house or “high-rise building”, you need, first of all, to pay attention to the finishing of the surfaces.
To stylize the industrial style in a small or large apartment or studio, use:
- red or white sand-lime brick;
- wood (for floors, for partitions), plywood (for wall decoration);
- glass - not only on windows, but also when arranging partitions;
- pipes - in addition to natural plumbing and heating, decorative use is also possible.
Many people choose the loft style, purchasing housing in a new building without finishing. There is plenty of room to roam around - no need to imitate brick walls - there is “live” brickwork or an open concrete surface. Brick, as a rule, is coated on top only with matte varnish to protect it from destruction and crumbling, and concrete slabs are whitewashed or covered in whole or in part with sheets of plywood or metal.
Gray walls in the interior of a living room in loft style
Loft style in the living room interior
In secondary housing, where finishing has already been done, if the space allows, brickwork or its imitation is made. It is not necessary to lay the entire wall with brick or clinker - partial masonry, clinker elements that imitate part of the wall protruding from under the plaster, as if crumbling over time, will be enough.
In a small apartment, it is very convenient to use clinker tiles - they will not “steal” part of the room, which is already insufficient - after all, lofts love space and light - they are easy to choose by color and texture. No additional processing of natural brick is required.
The floor in an authentic room should be concrete, but the style of a residential interior allows for a wooden floor; artificial stone is less often used. If ceramic tiles are used, then they should be plain, gray, beige, without any frills or designs or patterns.
Living room design in loft style
Bathroom in loft style
Brick wall in the interior of a room in loft style
Popular are self-leveling floors, under which you can install a “warm floor” system, which is especially important for sleeping and living areas. Different floor finishes can serve as a way to zone a room.
If the apartment has a balcony and you want it to be in harmony with the rest of the living space, modern glazing methods will be inappropriate. Leave it open, save the wrought iron fencing and wooden railings.
Partitions for zoning the space of a small apartment can be different:
- high or medium partitions made of glass blocks;
- open double-sided wooden shelving;
- wooden screens.
A bar counter on a brick base can be a kind of partition separating the kitchen from the living area. In a loft-style room, a single space was deliberately created, so only partitions for organizing the sleeping area may remain appropriate, while the rest is a matter of taste for the owners.
Bright apartment design in loft style
Loft style room design
See alsoRestaurant in loft style
Bathroom
Try to put the maximum of your imagination into this room. No matter how small the room may be, you can always fit a designer bathtub with graceful legs in a retro style. The walls and floor should be covered with ceramic or plastic tiles. A good option is imitation wood. In addition, you can experiment with a combination of metal and glass using the example of plumbing fixtures, chrome accessories, and mirrors.
Interior styling
If the ceilings in the room are high, then beams and pipes must pass through them. If there are none, wooden false beams and various wooden structures are placed, imitating the ceiling of the attic. Between them you can place lamps on chains.
If the height of the ceiling does not allow placing beams, the ceiling is simply plastered and painted, whitewashed.
In the kitchen, leave communication pipes uncovered. Of course, modern polypropylene water supply and heating pipes would be inappropriate here. Just like modern heating radiators - they will have to be masked, but in plain sight it is better to stylize stoves and fireplaces - after all, initially factory and warehouse premises were not heated, so they warmed the home with the help of iron barrels with firewood. You shouldn’t light a fire in your apartment - make do with a false fireplace.
Window decoration is a special issue. Firstly, modern metal-plastic options are not welcome. It is better to choose painted wooden frames. Secondly, huge panoramic skylights are trending. They do not need to be covered with curtains or curtains - all natural light should enter the apartment.
Living room in loft style
Hallway design in loft style
Loft style in the interior
See also New Year's paper window decoration, instructions and photos.
Color palette
Traditional colors for the loft style are stone and brick. It is characterized by:
- brown-beige-terracotta color scheme;
- shades of white (not snow-white!), gray, black.
If you want to create color accents in the room, choose red and blue paints for them.
The color scheme of the “attic” style is close to other modern trends, for example, high-tech, minimalism, so the color scheme may overlap with them:
- as in high-tech, cool colors can be used in the loft - silver, gray-white, black;
- a combination of contrasting colors or several shades of one with the addition of bright accents.
The color of the furniture is selected in the same way - strict, one tone or two or three harmonizing or contrasting ones.
Apartment design in loft style
Brick walls in loft style
See alsoLoft style in the interior
No. 2 - Brick walls and open communications
Brick insert in a light loft
The history of the loft style began once upon a time with old factory premises, where various scrap materials and old building elements were used as furniture. So it’s not surprising that the presence of a raw brick wall or an old plank surface in loft spaces is welcome.
As well as open communications - for example, pipes, both water supply and ventilation. There is no need to hide them. The most you can do is coat it with fresh paint. And the brick wall is varnished.
Advice! You can make an imitation of a brick wall using panels or wallpaper of the appropriate color.
In some cases, even electrical wiring brought out will look harmonious and interesting. But we do not recommend experimenting with it yourself if you are not an electrician. Limit yourself to pipes.
Furniture in a loft interior
Choosing loft-style furniture for a small apartment is not difficult, but you need to take into account that it is often a means of zoning the open space of the apartment, because there are no walls.
The kitchen area can be decorated in the same way as in the high-tech style - a wooden kitchen set and all kinds of household appliances are appropriate here:
- fridge;
- stove or hob;
- hood.
It is typical for the loft style that a dining area is rarely placed in the kitchen - if the family is small, more often the bar counter is both a place for eating and serves as zoning of the room. High bar stools with forged or chrome-plated legs can be used as chairs.
Brick wall in the interior of a room in loft style
Chocolate color in the interior of a loft-style living room
Light design in loft style
For a loft-style living room, furniture in a minimalist style is suitable: an ordinary, no-frills bed with a simple headboard, tables, and chairs made of wood. If cabinets are planned, they should be open. Often wooden shelves are made on one wall from floor to ceiling. Open shelves for books can be used to fence off the sleeping space, and instead of a wardrobe, install an open hanger.
Upholstered furniture - a corner, straight or semicircular sofa in a calm tone or, conversely, a bright, contrasting color, can be a single color - made of velor, artificial leather.
For the loft style in the interior of a small apartment, like nowhere else, old, shabby wooden furniture that came from the last century would be appropriate. Even if the paint or varnish is peeling off in places, handles are missing, a corner is knocked off, even a little artificial aging will not harm it.
Bathroom furniture, despite the fact that the bathroom is a closed room, should support the overall styling - either the most modern in the spirit of high-tech, or with a touch of steampunk, coming from the industrial era. Furniture and appliances here are kept to a minimum. Leave only the essentials.
Living room design in loft style
Loft style in the kitchen interior
See also Loft-style kitchen design: interiors in the best traditions of American developers
Materials used
With the choice of materials for the loft, everything is very simple and clear. For finishing you can use:
- Brick. Brickwork is the hallmark of a loft in principle. There is no need to strive to decorate all the walls in the apartment in this way. To style an apartment, it is enough to decorate one wall in the form of brickwork, and not completely, but combine it with plaster. You can use natural red or white brick, painted, it all depends solely on your imagination.
- Concrete. Remember that the concrete surface can be different, although in most cases it does not evoke associations with luxurious design. When decorating a room in a loft, it is recommended to combine dark and light concrete, as well as play with texture.
- Tree. You can combine wood wall decoration with other materials. This finishing option makes the apartment more comfortable and domesticates it, however, for a loft it is necessary to combine wood with concrete or brick, especially red.
- Metal. This material can become part of a project, but you shouldn’t get carried away with it. An excessive amount of metal in a room can turn a loft into hi-tech. Therefore, it is recommended to include it exclusively in decorative elements, such as pipes and ceiling beams.
- Plaster. The loft style loves rough plaster, which can serve as a neutral wall. This will highlight the textured finish.
- Glass. This material helps to recreate the illusion of free space when it is sorely lacking. Glass walls in this case are the ideal solution to the problem. They allow you to maintain the volume of the room and have excellent sound insulation.
The main materials of the loft style are brick, concrete, glass, rough plaster
These materials are basic and do not limit the imagination of an amateur designer who is trying to create a loft in his own apartment.
Designer tips
Lighting for a loft-style interior plays an important role - if there is a lack of natural light in a small apartment, lanterns, lamps, lamps - from those imitating street ones to miners - will help out. It is better to highlight each zone separately, then a harmony of style will be achieved.
When choosing a loft style for a small apartment, do not overload the space with furniture and decorative details. There should be a few of them:
- a hammock on chains in the relaxation area or a chaise longue, and a floor lamp next to it;
- assorted chairs or wooden bench;
- chains under the ceiling;
- drawings on walls covered with plywood sheets;
- fireplace.
They don’t make particularly bright accents in the loft style; rather, unusual interior items are enough; they create an unusual style that came to us from the last century.
See alsoProper use of space when creating the design of a one-room apartment with a niche
Bedroom
You can separate the bed from the other areas of a one-room studio apartment using a folding screen. If your small apartment does have a separate room for sleeping, its design follows the general style. For small bedrooms, “loft beds” with many spacious drawers, which make it possible to make the most efficient use of the available space, are especially popular. It is good if the bed - the main element of the interior - is wooden, but the presence of metal parts on it is quite acceptable. If desired, the construction material can be artificially aged.
Remember that all bedding and bedspreads must be a single color. If you don't want to install blinds on the windows like in the living room, hang translucent tulle or Roman blinds that can be easily rolled up. Taking into account the specifics of this room, you have every right to deviate somewhat from the usual loft standards. For example, you can cover your bedroom walls with photo wallpaper. The only restriction is a ban on various landscapes with flower fields, waterfalls and the like. The main guidelines when choosing should be strict lines and solid colors.
