What is a Loft? Pros and Cons of Loft

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What is a Loft? Pros and Cons of Loft

If you ask different people to describe a loft, you will get varying answers. However, that is indeed the perfect way to define a loft— it can be anything you want it to be.

Lofts have been used in films for years, as it is a great way to depict one’s personality, create a particular atmosphere, and set a scene. After all, it can show a character’s creativity, interests, or wealth. In the real estate world, lofts are not treated much differently. How homeowners convert these spaces can tell a lot about them as a person: their hobbies, preferences, and even priorities in life.

If you are considering having a loft in your house as well, chances are, you are in need of space, may it be to showcase your creativity, have fun, or for practical uses. With that said, here are some of the things you need to know about lofts before adding them to your home or converting an existing one.

Table of Contents

What are loft-style homes?
What makes a room a loft?
Loft Room vs. Bedroom
Loft vs. Attic
Pros and Cons of Lofts
Loft conversion ideas for every home

What are loft-style homes?

Loft-style homes are recognizable for their specific architectural style, with the open-space concept. The loft levels or rooms are usually elevated close to the roof, overlooking the main living space. Other typical characteristics include high ceilings, low interior walls or division, large windows, and a lack of doors. These go for regular average-sized houses, tiny homes on wheels or THOWs, recreational vehicles or RVs, and accessory dwelling units or ADU with loft.

What makes a room a loft?

Since there is more than one way to describe a loft, differentiating it from other rooms or areas in a house can be confusing. Therefore, instead of describing it by its appearance, you can look at its uses and functions. Due to its open-space concept, there is a noticeable lack of privacy in lofts. This is why it is not usually used as the main bedroom or primary storage space. Most of the time, homeowners convert their lofts to recreational spaces and secondary bedrooms or storage.

Other configurations of lofts include an all-in-one unit, where the elevated level is used as a bedroom, work or study space, closet storage, and hobby area. It can also be just one of those, used only for a specific purpose. Therefore, it is not only the floor plan nor the elements of the room that makes a loft, but also its level of privacy and accessibility, and its flexibility to be used for different purposes.

Loft Room vs. Bedroom

Loft rooms and bedrooms are often used by many people interchangeably. While both can share similarities in their functions, such as sleeping, they are completely different from each other. In the first place, bedrooms are mainly used for resting only, while loft rooms can have many other uses than just a sleeping area, depending on the homeowner’s decision to convert it as.
Another noticeable difference between both can be observed if you look for a small house with loft bedroom plans. While the loft room is used as a sleeping area in such cases, it does not offer the same level of privacy as a traditional bedroom. There is a bed you can sleep on, but there are most likely no doors to keep others from entering the area. The walls do not typically go all the way to the ceiling as well, so you will be visible in the main living area or those passing by the loft room.

Loft vs. Attic

Another area in the house usually mistaken for a loft is the attic. In fact, this term was originally used by people to describe only top stories or attic-like spaces below the roof of a home or structure. After all, besides the location, lofts and attics can also be used for the same purposes, such as storage. However, there is again the issue with privacy because of the open-space concept in lofts. Unlike attics, the space is not closed off or hidden, so the items or belongings you store there would be easily visible to the residents and guests to see.

Pros and Cons of Lofts

Adding a loft to your house comes with numerous benefits. Depending on your needs, it can even be a practical solution to the lack of space. Other pros of lofts include:

create an area for your hobbies and needs
add extra bedroom
provide additional space for storage
increase the value of your house

While having a loft sounds good and all, there are other considerations to think about before adding one to your home or getting a house with one. Here are some cons of owning a loft-style house that you should know and be prepared for.

lack of privacy for residents and amenities for guests or tenants
contents will be on display if used as storage
additional cost for conversion

Loft Conversion Ideas for Every Home

The whole idea of converting a loft is to use it if you need an area for a specific purpose. It can be for your work or studies, for your entertainment or that of your family, or for more practical uses. Regardless, there is no right or wrong use for a loft, unless it is for purposes needing privacy, like dressing up. Here are some ideas you can use as inspiration for your next loft conversion.

semi-private workspace for work-from-home employees
personal study space for self-study and remote learners
library and lounge area
home gym or exercise room
playroom for kids
computer or gaming room
extra bedroom for guests
secondary storage area
short-term rental space

If you look at the overall benefit of having a loft, having one in your home is no doubt worth considering. After all, it gives you space for anything you need or want. There are concerns with privacy and additional costs, but if the pros outweigh the cons for you, allow us at Small House Solutions to assist you in this big step. We can provide you with small house plans with loft and ADU with loft plans depending on your budget, area, and architectural preferences. Rest assured, Small House Solutions has years of experience in planning, designing, and building loft-style homes in different shapes, sizes, and uses.

Accessory Dwelling Units / ADU’s