Posts Tagged ‘Lofts’
Defining Space, Not Dividing Space – Interior Design Tips for Lofts & Open Plan Homes
Wednesday, July 15th, 2009
Lofts, lofts LOFTS! If you know me, you know I love those wonderful urban spaces, with their feeling of spaciousness and unique architectural interest. They have become popular with people who are looking for creative, open, multi purpose spaces. However, they do have their special challenges, and require the ultimate in creative thinking. Although these wide open spaces feel great, and even the smallest lofts feel large due to the lack of walls, they can leave you in a real dilemma with furniture placement. How do you make things feel cozy and warm? How do you give yourself some privacy without blocking light and views and without reducing the feeling of spaciousness you loved in the first place? If your office is in your home, how can you separate work and private life with no walls? Here are a few tips:
Create furniture groupings:
Create groupings of furniture according to activity – living – dining – sleeping – working. Avoid lining everything up along the walls.
Area rugs serve to visually pull together a space so that it feels more like a cohesive “room” whether that is a living area, sleeping area or dining area.They can be mixed or matched as long as they all look good in the same room. Keep the furniture away from the walls if possible, and arrange it in a tight enough group that conversation is comfortable when everyone is seated. The close grouping of furniture gives that feeling of coziness that can be difficult to get in a loft. Consider using swivel chairs so that you can turn one way to enjoy conversation and another to enjoy the view … or the TV … or a fireplace. The grouping of furniture in the photo below is clustered around the coffee table to allow for comfortable conversation. Note that all the furniture is away from the walls so people can walk around the area and enjoy the view.
Select furniture pieces attractive from all sides:
If you choose pieces of furniture that look good from every side, you can “float” them away from the walls to create groupings without having an unattractive side facing you. The good looking back of this sofa still makes a good impression when seen from the kitchen, which is ‘behind’ it. Using free standing open shelving pieces like the one below allows you to separate activity areas without losing the feeling of open space.
Use and Choose Room Dividers Wisely:
Room dividers will allow you to define spaces such as work areas or give privacy for sleeping areas. The best choices still allow light to pass through and are either low enough to see over, or are mobile and can be moved out of the way when desired. This sliding glass wall by Contstructavision uses frosted glass which gives privacy when pulled into place while allowing light to pass through. The cast glass room divider separating the office from the rest of this penthouse loft obscures the view of the office from the entryway and is a beautiful focal point in its own right.
For additional tips on design ideas for lofts or open plan homes check out my other blog posting on:
Soaring Ceilings: What On Earth To Do With Them?!
Tags: Design Tips, furniture arrangement, Interior Design, Lofts, room dividers, Space Planning
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Soaring Ceilings: What On Earth To Do With Them?!
Wednesday, June 17th, 2009
written by Pangaea
Oh we love space! Air above our heads! A roof that requires clearance from the FAA! Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit … just a bit. But it does feel good to see those soaring heights … right up until you are decorating it. Then what on earth do you put in a place that has 15′ … 17′ … even 23′ high ceilings? Well, I have a few tips and suggestions and one or two might surprise you.
The first thing I do when faced with a property that has soaring ceilings is to look for some art that is large enough to take advantage of the great verticle space. If your budget doesn’t allow for a large piece of artwork, consider a fabric panel like the orange one below. Marimekko makes fabulous large scale prints that look wonderful hung as art.
The second way to enhance a tall ceiling and add drama is to install a fabulous chandelier. It’s like a lit sculpture hanging from your ceiling! Be sure to use a chandelier that is large enough and that provides plenty of light, while reflecting the style of the rest of your furnishings. Photos are of the Foscarini Big Bang Chandelier, and a room by designer, Shaun Jackson. This is an opportunity to really make a style statement!
A third way to accentuate that lovely vertical space is to add accessories such as exceptionally tall plants, sculpture, or floor vases with tall branches that are large enough not to feel dwarfed by the height of the room. Don’t be timid here. Really fill the space. Notice how much better this living room looks after removing the too small book shelves and replacing with a fiddle-leaf fig that is nearly to the ceiling. The height of the plant also balances the strong vertical lines of the concrete fireplace across the room.
Now here’s the part that may surprise you. The final piece that really makes a home with tall ceilings work is to incorporate some good strong horizontal lines in the room, and to be sure to also have some of the art or accessories on a “human scale”. Notice in the living room above that the lines of the very long, low sectional provides a strong horizontal counterpoint to anchor the vertical fireplace and tall plant. In the photos below, the strong horizontal lines and lower height of the furnishings and artwork along the wall on the left, provide a human sized foil to the floor vase with tall branches, the high windows and the tall orange panel on the right. Tall artwork on both sides of the room would have begun to make the room feel as if it were looming over the occupants.
So, the key to working with those lovely soaring ceilings is to balance appropriately scaled large vertical pieces with some strong horizontal lines and pieces on a human scale.
For additional postings on design tips for lofts and open plan homes, check out my posting on:
Defining Space, Not Dividing Space: Design Tips for Lofts and Open Plan Homes
Tags: Art, Design Tips, high ceiling, Interior Design, Lofts, scale
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