apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

"My arguments for painting everything white are making the unit feel larger, brighter..."

i'm sorry, but your place is already huge and full of light what with 50' of windows.

i think it looks great and doesn't need to be messed with.

Two words. HELL NO.

I agree. Your place is beautiful and original. I doubt painting all of that would be easily undone. I would leave it like it is.

I have a new house, big big walls, all painted white, not by choice. The reason I leave them white is because its a very open floor plan and I dont know where walls begin/end. Also, I have read to leave things white if you want to sell soon, and I do.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO don't paint! They are beautiful the way they are.

If you paint over that I will find you and hurt you.

Well, maybe just wag my finger and look cross.

Lord have mercy, no.
No.

I wouldn't paint the timbers and crossbeams -- it'll draw more attention to them. As is, they blend very nicely with the ceiling. A dark, glossy floor would be GORGEOUS, however.

OH NO! PLEASE DON'T!

I am the scourge of AT for painting my knotty pine and I wouldn't paint over any of your brick or wood!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Why whitewash a room full of interest and texture? You will regret it, and worse you won't be able to change it. Your space is huge already and has tons of natural light. Making it all white will be kind of bright and sterile.

NO! if you paint all that beautiful wood and brick it will be blasphemy!

Although I love all white interiors, I wouldn't paint the brick - it really is beautiful and adds character to your home. I dream of having such a great space. Plus, your home already feels airy and light.

If it were my home, I would likely paint the ceiling a white or cream as I am not a fan of wood on walls, ceilings, beams, trim, etc. However, that being said, I wonder if white would bring to much attention to the ceiling? It seems to blend very well now.

if you dont like it that much, i will buy your place.

One word (or is it two?): Don't. I tried painted a small patch of a very similar wood ceiling white in a previous loft I had. I didn't like it and then spend hours with chemicals, sanders and angle grinders trying to get the paint of. Once you started, there is no going back (short of sandblasting the whole place).

Chances are that it will look like a cheap DIY project (in particular the white brick), but there will be no do-over. I think the there are great things that could be done with the brick/wood combo instead.

I understand what you are trying to do, but I think it may be achieved in other ways without painting the timber and brick. Both these elements REALLY have a great look for the place. Please reconsider painting them.

I have done thw white epoxy floor you speak of and I LOVE it. I have two dogs, one with claws like eagle talons and she cannot harm it. I mean, she COULD if she sat and tried aaaaall day... but regular rough play and running aorund does nothing to it. Its still shiny and happy. The light floors REALLY opened up the space in my home and allowed me to keep some dark more natural elements in the house to balance out the look - keeping it looking organic and not TOO stark.

No to the painting! Noooooooooo!!!!!

i like it as is. on another note, thank you for using "wenge" and "mullions" in the same sentence. that might actually get me through the rest of the day :)

Please don't paint. It's beautiful and light and full of texture and character just as it is.

Wait a minute! I have a similar apartment, and I bought mine with the brick wall already painted white. It really looks great! I also have two old wooden beams and they look fine even though it's a different wood than my floor.

So, I would say that you can paint the brick (it will still be brick and cool looking, but white and clean), and change the floors to make them dark, but leave the ceiling as is. The different wood colors will not bother you, and you'll get the bigger, cleaner feel, as well as a nice contrast between wall and floor - currently the brick/ceiling/floor colors are very similar..

Please don't it is beautiful as is!

no no no no no
it's so warm and beautiful.

trust me, as someone who works surrounded by white walls, even with my killer view of the Bay Bridge, i would give my right arm for some character like that...!

Painting your loft white will completely change the aesthetic! I do think that it would be beautiful and unique- especially with dark floors, however it seems like a change that cannot be reversed. I also have exposed brick in my condo and think about painting over it, but the idea of changing something historic makes me sweat!

I'd take "real" surfaces over latex-coated ones any day. Bare brick and wood breath better and are healthier for the occupants.

The white fashion will pass.

I hear ya. But, you've got it all wrong when you say "...the magenta sectional will become the main focus of the space".

The main focus IS the space. It's what makes the place.

Don't screw with it. If you want to highlight certain areas, do it with oriental rugs, screens, lighting, plants, art work, etc. If you still feel the bug to do something drastic, do it SLOWLY and over a long period of time.

Great looking place!

You would be absolutely crazy to paint the brick or timbers. Raw materials NEVER go out of style. We're only now recovering from the tendancy to cover everything up through the 50's, 60's, and 70's. Don't start it all over again!

i agree with most. No paint. It's beautiful as it is.

I would improve the lighting around the artwork.

May be use cream or "china" colored rugs to highlight and define the different spaces.

Great place!

Ach, paint the brick! It's not THAT exciting! What works in the space is the space, and the brick isn't really either here or there. And you don't have to paint it white - have a look at the "whites" that Farrow & Ball offer.

I'd probably leave the ceiling. Although, that said, I might paint the higher planks, and leave the long beams natural.

Oh no...this feels like a snuff film: DON'T DO IT!!!

Is that a John Currin?

At the very least, leave the brick alone. You already said the window / brick ratio is four-to-one and that brick is a fairly soft, aged, mellow color. It's in no way making your space feel dim or dungeon-esque.

You can put in the wenge flooring, that will look nice... you can even paint the timber if you feel you must... but PLEASE leave that brick alone.

That would SEVERELY devalue your "timber-loft!" Raw wood beam ceilings, floors, and exposed Chicago style brick should never be painted, for the sake of resale value alone, let alone aesthetics.

If you wanted all-white - Why did you choose this loft?

Enjoy it as it is, or sell it and get something else.

I immediately screamed NO!, then looked at the two examples noted and really loved them. (Though they had ugly brick and you do not.) A white loft requires disciplined minimalism.

But, looking at your aesthetic, (the DIY cube shelving, the big counter, the gold credenza thing, all the wood in your furniture), I think it works best with the golden warmth of your brick and wood. In fact, it looks beautiful. The pic of the one sheetrocked wall in your loft looks just meh--so don't do that to your entire place.

Paint the floor, but keep the warmth and texture of the beams, ceilings, walls. After all, isn't that one reason you bought a loft instead of new construction or a bungalow?

Please, please don't paint the brick. It looks as if it's already a lovely pale shade--it's not as if it's some deep rusty red that would clash with your magenta sectional. (Where is that sectional, by the way?) I do like the idea of either the high-gloss floors or the deep dark ones.

Your apartment is gorgeous.

I have to agree about Not painting the brick. Exposed brick in a loft is as perfect as you can get. The ceiling is another issue. I think it is getting lost now against the floor and furniture. A good way to tell if you're tones are all blending together is to take a picture in B&W. If everything looks to be basically the same shade of gray, it might be time for some contrast.

I would paint it a light color (white or off white), and paint the large beams a dark, wenge color to make them stand out. This should also give the ceiling some height.

I would suggest doing a mock up of this in Photoshop or something to make sure you like it as it would be a hell of a lot of work to reverse it. Good luck and please show us the results. Great space, I'm extremely jealous!

don't you dare!

i just starting shaking my head and saying "no. no. no. no!" Please don't paint this beautiful space! And I am a huge fan of "pristine whiteness" and contrasts, but that aesthetic just runs counter to the awesome vibe of your place as it is now. You have texture and color that so many people would die for. Have you considered alternate white wall hangings/coverings that are slightly more temporary than painting over that gorgeous brick? I don't have an idea off the top of my head, but maybe there's some way to have a few slick, modern white walls and still not let a drop of paint touch that brick? As a fellow Chicagoan, I worry less about all the white feeling institutional than I worry about how blindingly bright an all white apartment would be on a snowy sunny day! You might seriously go blind :) Good luck in your decision. Try not to break everyone's hearts!

From Katherine

The other option is going with the white epoxy floor and installing full height white curtains around the corner of windows. That way the all white look is acheived, we can have filtered light all day long without fenagaling with the blinds [all up, half up, oh its raining, close the windows] , no un-doable damage is done to the brick and timber.

There is an ongoing debate between my partner and I of wall space for books and art. At the moment I need 75 linear feet of book storage [that is not alloting space future expansion] and we have nearly 20 art pieces that are all deserving of their own wall and insurance policy. Where does everything go!! I am sure everyone can relate to my stress of making a place a home.

The size is just shy of 1300SF. I know it is large and we bought it with a 8-10 year timeline in mind, so that encompasses couple, couple with baby, couple with kids. Any renovation to the space has to take that potential transformation into account and the planning | conceptual stage is integral.

Thank you for all your comments!!!

Katherine---it is the very texture of your rough wood and brick walls give such interest to your space. Much better to have the real thing, don't you think, than to muck it up with paint?

But if you long for white, why not very full and sheer panel draperies, that you can push all the way to one side or the other, so you can still have your view when you want it.

Also, all the furniture in the picture [less the butcher block island and the credenza] is for sale.

Please

Do not paint this. It looks great the way it is I believe you will reduce the value of your property.

Here's what it would look like if you painted the wood white: http://i37.tinypic.com/1zmfmkx.jpg

eh, PAINT IT UP BABY!

It's great as is. Could be great painted.

Post a note in the elevator asking if anyone in the building has painted and see if you can check it out. I'd try that.

You got guts baby.

I would save the money and put it towards having someone come in and re-do the heat ducts. Or maybe you could remove then and switch to in-floor radiant heat or something. The enormous ugly ducts blocking the upper windows is the real crime.

Yeah! Painting over that wood and brick is a great idea! I mean, when you tire of it or the lifeless whitewashing trend starts to slow down, it's just as easy to change it back, right?-- oh, wait.

katherine--

Re: Your additional post concerning book space - I'd have a carpenter come in and build shallow bookcases in the spaces beneath all the windows - That should accommodate nearly all your books.

As far as the art: You only have so many walls, so why not do as other collectors do: Keep some in storage and pull different pieces out from time to time and rotate them?

And an epoxy floor sounds much cooler than wenge. The dark floor thing is done to death.

You have a beautiful shell that will never age. You can do virtually whatever you want within it that is reversible, and it will always look money. Don't mess with that.

Re:magazine storage. How about cabinets that are at seating height, open at the bottom (as in the picture) for the zines, but leaving the upper part of the wall free for art. Plus extra seating if you want to put cushions on top of the cabinet.

What a fantastic apartment.
I would give my left arm for such an amazing space, in its current state.

I agree with everyone who feels that it is the brick and the wood that make this space so special. The natural warmth of those materials contrast with the white inserted walls in a beautiful way, and set up a nice dialogue between old and new, exterior and interior, structure and infill.

The layout of the plan, with all of the interior walls held back for perimeter circulation, reinforces this contrast and makes the union of space and materials feel harmonious.

I think it is so nice as it is.
Though I do agree that the floor could be made darker or lighter to suit your taste.

Your loft looks so much like mine I had to do a double take to make sure you weren't in my building. I have exactly the same brick color, wood ceiling and dark window frames as you.

Although I think it will look stunning with white brick/ ceiling and dark floor (I wrestled with this same idea when I first moved in), I agree with the others that you should keep it as is.

For one thing, it will take a lot of paint because both the old brick and the raw beams will soak up the first several coats ( I recently helped someone do this, and it took triple what we expected, and we expected a lot).

The key to solving your challenge is in the window treatment.

To achieve your goal of "larger, brighter", you simply need white sheers on all the windows, or semi-translucent white roller shades.

This will also solve the privacy issue you probably have judging from the photos.

As a bonus, the white sheers will also hide the dark window framing -- once these are out of the picture, you'll be amazed at how much bigger and airier the space feels. Once I did this, the place opened up and the diffuse light was quite beautiful.

Against the white sheers/ shades, your brick and beams are still pale enough to maintain the clean, airy palette that you're aiming for, but they add a bit of warmth, which is a better backdrop to certain kinds of furnishings.

I prefer some of my furniture very austere and modern, and the warmth balances the cooler modern elements very well.

Either way -- white or natural -- it'll look very good. But given the choice, I would keep it the way it is.

No no no no no no no no no Do not...I repeat...do not paint that timber loft WHITE!!! GACK!!!! I hate seeing people mess with Chicago history and ruin a beautiful space by doing something goofy like painting original brick and timber!!! I'm assuming the walls are at least 100 years old? Have some respect for the original artisans who created and installed these materials and leave them alone! Appreciate them for what they are or move!!! Move to a place in the suburbs with four white walls and a door and you can have your white. This place has character and history and a story to tell and it would be blasphemy to destroy it with a sloppy layer of Behr paint. It makes my heart hurt just the fact that you are considering it! I will trade you my place if you don't like yours! Follow the other posters idea and just hang long white curtains that you can pull back to cover the brick if you don't like it...though I don't understand WHY you don't like it...it's absolutely gorgeous as-is and it would just de-value everything the second a paintbrush touches it. If it was built in the 1960's...sure, paint away....1860's??? You'd better have a serious re-think session.

I love your ceiling. I would leave it. Wall, I like too, but if you want them white, it could be done (but not undone).

HELL to the NO!!! Leave it be! It's beautiful...

Leave as is. Please?
AT House Tour. Please?

Ha... I can hear the horrified screams through my computer screen.

I have absolutely no experience with this but I think your loft is gorgeous as-is. And while I can't see the magenta couch, your furnishings and decor seem to work well with the space. I'd leave it.

But again, I have no experience painting things like this so take that with a grain of salt.

Paint it? NO, that's my vote.

In the interest of the safety of the members of AT and yourself, I would strongly recommend not painting the brick, beams, and floor. Perhaps a move is in order instead; preferably to a place that doesn't already encompass a great balance of tones and texture?

Again, I would leave the floors alone. You could install floor to beam window coverings though. Check out the pictures they have on this page. As for the pictures, what I've seen so far looks great, although some accent lighting might make it even better, esp. at night!

http://www.lutron.com/shadingsolutions/acshading.asp?s=&t=

Please don't. It's beautiful as is.

I'm gonna cry.......

Please do not paint it! Yikes. If you don't like the exposed brick and beams, then you may want to consider moving. Isn't the whole point of a loft seeing all that stuff in its raw form?

Once you paint the brick, you've pretty much destroyed the structural integrity of the brick and mortar. I live in a similar place in LA, and the other lofts in my building that have been painted white have trouble with the condensation.

But also, if you wanted a white box, wouldn't it be easier to find one and move? Of the photos of white lofts, Andrea's is very edited, and Arthur had far more brick than you do.

My floors are pre-war redwood (pre WWI) and I'd never do anything to them.

Have to go with the theme here, don't paint. But if you do, I'd only paint the brick and leave the ceiling as is.

Bookcases under the windows would definitely be a great idea I think. It would also create a lot of space to put plants/flowers and other decorative bits on and leave the walls free for your art.

Absolutely not.

You have a beautiful home, by the way.

No, don't paint it all white. tam-tbag had a great suggestion - spend that money on redoing the ducts.

PLEASE BABY JESUS.... DO NOT LET THEM PAINT THESE BEAMS.

I second bepsf's emotion.

Don't paint! This is an amazing space--and it's the space itself that wows, not the furniture! You can have all my white ceilings, floors, and trim in the suburbs.

If you want to lighten the place, I agree with others that white drapes/shades would help, as would the removal of the large duct. Some spot lighting would also help highlight particular areas and features. (You can really do amazing things with the right lighting!) I think the epoxy floor would be nice, but personally I'd prefer the dark wenge. Either one will change the tone of the place; I think they'll make the brick and ceiling look even better because there will be more contrast.

Please don't do it! Your loft has so much light and charm as it is! I absolutely love it as is. Once you paint you'll never be able to restore the warmth of the brick and wood.

I think Cocoboo makes the strongest case against painting-- their photoshopped "painted" version looks like hell compared to the raw wood.

It is a beautiful space... but I don't know if I could live there as is. The beautiful wood and brick are lovely, but it's a lot of brown. It sort of defines the whole space and makes it hard to define it as your own, if your personally not so into brown- which I'm not.
I bought a home with 2 beautiful solid wood paneled rooms and everyone told me not to cover the beautiful wood- "oh- it's original- it's natural- it's beautiful" In the end, it's just wood. I covered the wood in one of the rooms with drywall (oh, the horror!) and left the other room- thinking maybe I'd bleach it out. But then I just went ahead and painted it when I got sick of looking at the wood and didn't want to start with the bleaching chemicals. Is it spectacularly awe-strikingly gorgeous? No. But I enjoy the space more now, and I'm the one who has to live in it.

Please don't... I live in a loft apartment where the brick was painted white and the lovely exposed timber beams painted white (before I moved in) and it feels like I am living in a museum. The paint doesn't stay clean and fresh for very long, it is all grey, smudged and scratched, and it will be an absolute nightmare to try and paint the ceiling white inbetween all the cracks.

I want to know how the hell can I get the paint of the timber and restore it. White will ruin your space.

OMG NO! Please don't paint any of that. You can never return it to it's original glory of being a true warehouse space. I absolutely love all white places, but I don't think your space suits it. My place is all white, but it's drywall. I've left the ceiling exposed concrete while other people in my building painted their ceilings white (or red). Their place just doesn't seem to have the character mine does because you can see the "history" of the building undisturbed.

I'd think long and hard about painting all that white because you can't go back to the way it is.

From Katherine..

I couldn't tell from all the comments...to be clear...I should paint it right?!?! [don't answer that]

Thank you again for all the comments. I compeltely agree with Jeannie_Badger...the ducts were one of the first items of our renovation. Although it is the most efficient layout to follow the perimeter of the space and blow down over the windows, they drive me MAD since I can't see the top of the windows. We were going to put in a new AHU [one more efficient and quiet] and resize and run the ductwork between the beams, thus getting them out of the sitelines. Once you see the top of the windows, the space will feel much larger.
And I won't want to take a bat to them.

You will not ruin the structural integrity of the brick and mortar by painting the INTERIOR side of it. The exterior is a different ball of wax.

Someone commented that I should post a note in the condo building to see if anyone else has done the same with their unit....GOOD IDEA!! I will try and figure out a way to do so without my condo board getting all nosey and want to know what I am up to. [they want a contractor with a $1M of liability insurace just to patch drywall!!! I try to fly under the radar until I have to get their approval]

To other art collectors, what type of storage space do you keep your art in? I agree that some level of art rotation may be the best for us in the future, but we are new collectors and have been fortunate with auctions and estate sales to acquire a serious art collection in a short time. I think I may have a time when all the peices are out on display and then edit down.

those pictures were taken pre-sofa. The sofa was a quick necessity that was needed, since we had no where to sit beside the kitchen table. It is not ligne roset or any super expensive piece, but it is fuschia and awesome and I love it.

When we start the renovation, I will definately make a public photo file that people can browse.

Any questions feel free to ask. I look more and more at the peices of furniture that we have, mostly teak and lighter colored wood, it would definately clash with a wenge floor. That floor color would look great with the mullions, but the furniture peices that we have acquired would clash a bit. I think white epoxy floor [which I was quoted $5SF] and some nice white fabric full height curtains may be the way to go.

Cheers!

Athur's and Andreas' white lofts are both lovely, but here's the interesting thing: if you mentally replace their white walls and ceilings with the same honey-toned brick and wood of Katherine's loft, both apartments suddenly become warmer and even more beautiful.

As others have said, warm tones and natural surfaces sometimes drop out of fashion but never go out of style. If I owned this loft I certainly wouldn't paint it.

Definitely do white floor-to-ceiling window treatments...before epoxying the floor.

As if you need another no.

I really wouldn't. My loft is bordering on all white. But it is concrete and windows.

You've got wood and brick in their original and beautifully aged condition. I think painting them would be tragic.

If you did paint them it would be so dramatic that I think you would have to be just as dramatic with all of your other decor. Your current style seems to be very organic and warm with your rich wood furniture and plants.

Just doesn't seem right here.

There's a word called original. I can't believe how one-sided this thread is being (amazed, I am), but I hope it has had an effect on your decision. What is drawing you to a cookie-cutter look? I don't want to "focalize" on your magenta sectional in the blinding bland white loft, I don't want your art to *POP*. It's a living space, it looks so nice and rich. I don't know why you want to fuck that up to be all slick and monotonous and unoriginal.

NO! It's beautiful.

KTG...
A HAHAHAHAHAH!
I orignally asked a question to the AT audience that said two main things.

"have you done this and how has it held up"
and [now regretfully]
"should I do it"

Please, let me see your 'original' space before you are so quick to make negative comments to other people.

All white makes spaces feel sterile, or museum like. I can understand wanting to set off particular items or art, but I think you'd be trading that for the warmth that this space has. It's just more...homey. And if you're planning on kids, how much white do you want to clean up after?

Also, from the plan it looks like you really only have the one long wall to hang (and rotate) your art collection, but you have a TV as the focus of the sitting arrangement. Maybe consider some furniture that allows the TV to hide away when not in use so that the art you're proud of takes center stage. In this layout you could also have it hung on the wall, with that section rotating from master to living room. (I've seen this before, but can't remember where)

In any case, good luck on the renovation, it's a beautiful space.

Nooooooo!! This space is so exceptionally gorgeous. Don't ruin it with white paint. Ugh, so boring.

If you paint it, that's one BIG commitment. There's no turning back. I really like the way it is now and wouldn't even consider it, but it sounds like you live a little more on the edge than I do. It's beautiful now, but I understand the need for change. I'm always rearranging, adding things, and painting. Good Luck! And please post pictures of whatever it is you decide to do.

No! It's lovely the way it is. The colours of the timber and brick look so warm. And I like that it's not all perfect and one colour... the combination of the different surfaces gives the space character.

Your place is lovely the way it is, and would still be lovely if you do decide to go ahead with your plans. I'm not much help am I?

I second the request for a house tour! Pleaaaaase??

No way don't paint anything!

To make your artwork "pop" more, you could try doing a mat around the artwork on top of the brick, but still behind the framed piece. I.e. put a larger piece of material (some type of thin board) that is probably 6 inches larger than the artwork frame, creating a secondary frame that is a break from the brick. It lets the eye rest, makes the piece seem larger and more worthy of attention in a sea of brick texture, and doesn't permanently destroy the character of the space. You could even change the mat color to suit the works, but classic white could still be great and have impact.

I say paint the wood if you don't like it. It's your space. I painted two horrible wood beams in my home and I love it-it turned out great! The bricks look nice, but I like the look of most brick. I had to use an oil based primer, 2 coats, to keep the oils from the wood from leeching through, so if you do it I hope you can open up those gorgeous windows! Good luck!

i wonder why you would move into that place if you want a super sleek look.
you have to do what you need to feel comfortable, but i think it would be a shame to paint over the brick and wood. :-s

(i had a neighbour who painted beams which had been treated with some kind of oil before and the paint was flaking badly - they had to take it all down again and flex the top half inch off the wood to re-do.)

Katherine, what I said is you are considering trading in what you have, a unique kind of space with its own personality for something that belongs in a different kind of space, you want to make something be what it's not. Everyone has said no, yet you cackled at ME. Why? I am telling you like it is, and instead of just voting no, I am giving you more reasons not to give in to the trap of altering your awesome loft look like someone's boring new house. I mean it's all well and good and you should move there if that's really the look that feels right for you.

I don't have to show my space or ask anyone any questions, so that means I'm not allowed to offer my opinion when asked? It would be a bad idea to paint, my dear. Bad bad bad idea. I'm sorry you feel so that you are taking that personally from me, when everyone has said the same thing, but we're not wrong, and you asked to be counseled on this fact.

I swear to god if you pick up a paint brush ill be on the next flight to grab your wrist before brush hits brick.

i agree with alex.un. paint the brick. epoxy the floor. DO NOT TOUCH the ceiling!

I say go for it if you really want to. Do not let anybody tell you otherwise if you really feel and see it. Granted your home is beautiful and I would never do it myself as I love natural tones, it is still your home and your vision.

I usually like all white spaces, but think yours looks really beautiful as is. So I vote NO too - sorry!

I'll offer a different solution if white is what you want. Why not drywall over some of the exposed brick? You can paint it white. Then, when and if you move you simply remove the drywall and expose the natural brick. It might also help you decide if you truly want a large white space.

I'm a huge fan of white painted brick, but only if your brick is ugly. I painted a large brick wall that includes shelves and our fireplace facade and a ledge because the brick was the worst choice in brick colors ever.
The outside of the house was also that same horrid brick. In our case, it increased the value of our home to paint the brick. Your brick is beautiful, not too dark, it's cozy and warm. I agree with someone above, do the floor white, maybe the beams, and leave the brick, it's interesting and adds dimension.

One of the primary reasons I dream of living in a loft are the beautiful, warm exposed brick and timber. To paint it would diminish the character of your space.

KTG
You could have completely stated your opinions without using the work fuck as emphasis. I appreciate everyone's opinion and have read each and every post, [and I am trying to respond to the ones that have questions] but a claim that I am not being original because I am considering painting something just blows my mind.

And yes, we have seriously considered moving. I guess rock paper scissors is not the best way to agree on a home.

Katherine

Um....NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Beuller,
We drywalled over brick in another project of ours.

http://www.chicagohomemag.com/Chicago-Home/March-April-2007/The-Great-Outdoors/

The brick had severe fire and water damage to it and it was best to repair and reinforce the perimeter wall, but the brick no longer had a quality look to it. So we added the drywall which gave us a cavity to put additional insulation and also provided window seats at all the windows.

And yes, I like this white space. The photos were obviously staged [we had to remove all traces of children's toys] I disagree with the space and details on many points, but when you are in the space, you don't feel institutionalized at all. The big white box does not consume you.

Katherine - I too have a corner loft with a similar brick situation (though my ceiling is concrete beams not wood). I really love the house tours referenced above, and it did make me think of painting, but I think the big difference is with the number of windows we have, the white could get overpowering. That being said, the all white with wenge (or epoxy) is a pretty awesome look, and with the right window treatments (so you don't go blind), it would look great.

Sorry I don't have any expertise on painting brick/wood. I suspect that if you TSP and use a good primer, you'll be in luck.

For the art (if you don't paint) you might think about mounting a chuck of plywood (larger than the art and painted white) behind the piece of art to give it a chance to pop.

Good luck.

High class problems.

You are absolutely blessed to have such a beautiful home, so I think that is why this question is eliciting such a strong (and yes sometimes harsh) response. In such a beautiful space (when many are struggling to transform tiny boxes or even own a home) understandable brings out the fangs.
I can't imagine dealing with that work and expense--and chemicals, frankly--when the place is so jaw-droppingly gorgeous as is.
Good luck--I truly hope you are able to love the place or make the changes you need in order to do so.

White epoxy floors would look great but know that epoxy is very harmful environmentally-- lots of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) / fumes. Try to find a more eco alternative like a glossy eco-paint spec.

You might look into sheer fabric window shades that close horizontally on a track as well as regular curtains. The shades would be more contemporary and cleaner.

i was always taught to never, never, never paint brick.

once you do it, you can never (short of sandblasting the heck out of it) go back.

the example photo of your space is incredible. the photo posted of the person who did paint their brick/ timber white is less inviting, more sterile, uncomfortable and unnatural looking.

keep the beautiful exposed brick and amazing timber, even with the different stains and oils. what a beautiful place with great history.

Katherine - your loft is truly lovely! I think loft dwellers in general go for the specific and unique character that a loft provides. Thus - I would definitely keep the brick natural - and I think even the HVAC piping adds tremendous character. If you take away the uniqueness and the textures you are moving more and more toward a general boxy condo feel. Also - what computer program did you use to do your floor plan? I agree with comments that white sheers in particular will both brighten and counter the hardness of the brick with their softness. I love silk curtains next to brick also for contrast.

realdesigner

Epoxy flooring is VOC compliant in all 50 states and actually offgasses less than KILZ Primer and some "eco" paints. It is LEED compliant [which is the debateable standard of environmental responsibility]. It is the same flooring that is used in hospitals and their requirements for VOC content and hypo-allergenic materials is much, much more stringent than LEED. [That is until LEED for Hospitals comes out] I thought the same, but we used it in another residential application here in Chicago and were surprised with the facts of the product.

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ks

The program is straight up, old school AutoCAD.

ValHalla

I totally agree it could be perceived as a high class problem. I'm fine with the harsh remarks as long as they are constructive and done with tact.

We both lived in a 566 one bedroom for years before buying this place. It was perfect, well organized and truly a refuge. Before that I lived in a 300SF one room clusterf*** in Paris, a flat in Copenhagen were all the doors [front, bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen] opened into each other, and then a myriad of dorm rooms of various sizes and smells while we both were in grad school. It is a constant struggle to make and define a sense of place and 'home' I am trying with this space. It is HUGE, awkward at moments, but the bones of it are fantastic. I get frustrated because everything is a homogenous color in the space. The floor and the timber beams are the same color. The developer special cabinets are the same as the floor. The brick is peach. I need some contrast to undermine the golden glow that the place takes on. My knee jerk is white, always.

We bought the place with the understanding that it would be gutted. I can't wait. We were on the fence about painting the walls and bricks and our peers were split 50|50 down the middle with paint or not to paint. I am surprised that there are only have a few outlaws in the comments that are all for painting. I thought I would get the same ratio.

I know you don't need another vote here, but I'll put my oar in anyway.... Usually, I am a big white-paint fan, even planning to paint our brown brick fireplace white, and have wenge floors myself, BUT in your case -- don't paint everything white! And having done the wenge thing years ago, I am over it -- don't ruin the look of your place going after such a look -- your place is gorgeous.

Instead of the epoxy floor, you could install white rubber. A shined white DalUni floor would look very similar to the epoxy, but would be gentle on the environment, non-toxic, and much softer underfoot.

Another option though would be a different wood flooring.

Living in Europe for the past 18 months, I've come to appreciate and really love the almost raw wood they use here -- wide plank oak or something more exotic (the Copenhagen airport has a mahogany floor) -- with an oil finish, that is matte and looks natural.

Here is an example:

http://www.duchateaufloors.com/chateau-collection/

It would harmonize more with your ceiling and the brick, and would have a beautiful feel -- I particularly love the sound of wood floors in rooms with high ceilings -- a soft quiet, instead of sharp accoustics.

it looks like you already have an amazing space and great taste. although I prefer your place NOT painted white it seems like the whole thing would work. just be aware that a lot of the lovely old details and charateristics of your loft are going to fade away into a sea of white. I would be afraid of it feeling too institutional and void of the lovely personality that it aleady has but it's your place

are you really ready to let all that character go just to focus on a sofa and some art work?

Here's how I view it:

Hunter green is today what magenta will be tomorrow.

But that loft will always be beautiful if you leave it as-is.

What's more timeless, the apartment or the sofa?

And what stands to lose more worth?

After looking and thinking about the situation some more, has anyone suggested finishing the ceiling?

I know there was a suggestion to drywall over the brick. If you took both of these steps you would obviously have an a box that you could paint all white and if someone wanted to restore the original loft-like look after you leave, they or you, could do that.

One huge advantage to finishing the ceiling would be that you could come up with a much better lighting design and will insulate your ceiling from noise above which can be common with timber lofts.

I remember that garden rooftop unit above. That was pretty amazing. I particularly like the kitchen cabinets.

You mentioned that this was an 8 to 10 year place for you and your partner, and that you wanted to have it function for not only two adults, but two adults plus baby, and two adults plus kid(s) over time.

I think that plays a HUGE role into what you do with the space, because no matter what we think we can do to "train" our children, crayon is used on walls, and dirty faces get wiped on curtains. Given that, I would definitely agree with what everyone else is saying. Stick with the brick work the way it is. A little crayon on your current brick work will go unnoticed; a little crayon on pure white brick will stand out like your fuchsia sectional. And crayon is very difficult to remove from masonry, even painted masonry. Curtains, on the other hand, if selected in a compatible fabric, are entirely washable, even after visits from the most grubby of toddler hands and faces. Plus being able to wash your curtains will make them appear whiter, and less grungy over the 8-10 years you're living in your place anyway.

I think the kid factor needs to be taken into consideration when you think about your art collection, too. What walls, and what heights will the paintings be hung at? What other artwork do you have, and how will it be displayed? Will it be child-susceptible? Will furniture near the artwork make them more damageable or child-reachable? I'm not saying you need to kid-proof your space now, but if you're thinking about making renovations to last you through the early kid years, you're going to want to take eventual kid-proofing into consideration while designing renovations.

And as for the ceilings and painting them, maybe you should ask someone about it health-wise. While it's true that leaving the woodwork bare allows it to breathe, the fact that the space was used for manufacturing might mean that the unpainted wood is breathing some not-so-great stuff down on you. Painting can do a great job of sealing toxic stuff into the wood, and keep it out of your household air. (they do it after house fires with extensive smoke damage, why not in this case?) As for the issue of oil and chemical stains influencing paint adhesion, talk to paint companies. There are some excellent primers on the market that stick to just about everything, and also seal wood at the same time.

As a bit of a purist myself, I'm hesitant to suggest you should actually paint the ceilings, they add so much character to your place, and contribute to the historical influence that has created your loft. But, if the options are harmful chemical residues and bare timbers or cleaner air and painted ceilings and beams, I'd go for paint.

Whatever you do, I think you've got a gorgeous space right now, and I hope your renovations make it even more liveable and lovely for you and your partner in the future. Just... think long-term when planning things, and maybe disregard the majority of trends, because unless you're comfortable living in a very easily identifiably late 0's loft, you might want to go with a bit more versatility.

I would totally go for it. We painted our timber and brick in our loft( and stained the floors a dark walnut) and love it. It is so much brighter and feels much more modern. It also keeps the brick from making your apartment dusty.

The textures of the brick and the wood grain become very graphic in white on white. It is a specific look, but if you are even entertaining the idea, I'd do it. Try using a semi-gloss on the timber and the brick while having the walls an eggshell. It's subtle but really enhances the textures and adds interest.

I've found Chicagoans like dark interiors for some reason. In NYC and Europe it would be very natural to paint the timber and brick. Definitely, hire a professional to do the job. Your neighbors will dislike you for a few days because you need an oil based primer on the timber.

It sounds funny, but reclaimed street pavers can be used to make beautiful walkways and landscapes for your yard. A friend of mine turned me on to Lincoln Brick and Supply (http://www.lincolnbrick.com) and they were able to offer a variety of masonry services including the use of a reclaimed paver. It’s not the first thing one thinks of when putting together a plan for redoing a brick patio or walkway, but let me be the first to say that Lincoln came through in a pinch for me.