Lofted Spaces: From Bookshelves to Bedrooms

Short on space? Look up. If your ceilings are high enough, there might be a bedroom or home office waiting to rise from the floor. Lofted rooms are valuable space savers, since they increase a home's usable area without expanding its footprint.

Lofts can exist at many levels. They might be high up, but they could also consist of a low platform with storage or a trundle bed tucked underneath (see photos 2 and 3). Some can be purchased as pre-assembled sets, like the Italian Tiramolla lofts (2 and 3), but more often effective lofts are custom-made to fit the specific dimensions of a room.

If you're considering building a loft, safety is the first priority. You want to make sure there's enough clearance to comfortably use your bedroom/workspace/etc, and you'll want to include protective railings and a functional ladder or staircase in the design. The best way to create a safe and stable custom loft is to work with an architect who will be able to account for loads and structural safety. If the loft is low and you're a skilled builder, you could try a DIY version.

We've rounded up a few examples of beautiful lofts just to whet your appetite. If you'd like to know more about the spaces above, click through the links listed below.

SHOWN ABOVE
• 1 Kimberly's Renovated Loft
• 2-3 Tiramolla Loft Bedrooms
• 4 Alex Fuller's Loft
• 5 Sleeping Loft from a Swedish Apartment
• 6 Curved Douglas Fir Loft Bed
• 7 LJ Builds to Fit One More
• 8 Mezzanine Beds in Paris
• 9 Yoko and Matthew's Simple White Home
• 10 Maisonette by Studio Gang Architects

Photos: Kimberly, Tiramolla, Evan Thomas, Alvhem, Steve Montpetit, Jill Slater, Gautier, Yoko, Steve Hall @ Hedrich Blessing

Comments (10)

I love the way the orange screened loft looks...I'm so into orange colors and the slatted screen is tres cool. What I'd worry about is the linens getting saturated with cooking odors but, hey, maybe it is not a big deal.

I love the lofted bookshelf look, but wouldn't it be a smidge more practical if they turned around the bookshelves and just accessed them from the loft side rather than the ladder side? I suppose there might be another set of shelves on the loft side.

Love #5, but as FengShuiByFishgirl noted, the cooking odors might present a problem. Of course, I don't cook that often...
Also think #2 and 3 are great but probably cost a pretty penny.

Several of these made me think of the word "compact". It's so different, and I actually like it!

@kelmit

Well, they do have the library ladder, and this way it adds to the view from below rather than being a blank wall of white? The loft actually looks like it could be pretty sizable, so maybe they use it for other things in addition to book storage.

The staircase in #1 is cleverly done and very handsome, but it's not very safe. Why not rise to the challenge of making a really stylish, good-looking staircase with a hand rail?

Every time I see loft like these, I always wonder if the bed is safe/stable enough for sex.

hahahahahahahaha, patrick.

I agree with spanky, #1 is very well thought out, and closest to possibly meeting code requirements. All you'd really have to do is add side mounted glass panels, and mount a handrail to the wall, and it will pass in the states.

My concern is with the design options with ladders. Great organization of space, but what do you do when you've had a couple drinks to many? Fall to you death? haha!