There are one thing movies and TVs all agree on – lofts are cool. If there is a loft in a TV show or a movie, you can bet it will be chic and stylish, furnished in the latest fashion, exuding both the minimalism of the upper class and the industrial design of the hipster movement.
Generally speaking, a loft can also be the small attic apartment directly under the roof of the building, but we will keep to the first definition of the loft. We asked real estate pros from Neuman & Neuman to tell us what advantages and disadvantages you may expect if you opt to live in a loft.
1. High Ceilings
As mentioned before, we will focus on the apartments on the top floor which have a lot of free space in which you can adapt to your liking, usually including the attic. That means that the height of the ceilings will be considerably higher than in other apartments, even in that same building.
Naturally, what you do with all that extra vertical space is up to you, some people enjoy having a completely open plan and admire the height of the ceiling, whereas other construct landings and floors within the apartment, creating smaller separate units with or without physical walls.
2. A Lot of Natural Light
Being on the top floor of a building comes with some perks, and having access to a lot more natural light than others is one of them. In cases when a building or the loft itself is adapted from a different purpose into a living unit, ceiling windows may exist already, or you may install them to give yourself that coveted sunlight.
In other cases, ceiling windows may not be an option, due to the building itself, but with the vertical dimension of your home a lot bigger than a regular apartment, you may have a lot more room for regular wall windows which a door interior designer will know how to incorporate in your home’s design.
3. An Amazing View
Finally, living on the top floor of a building means that your view of the surroundings promises to be spectacular. If you are fortunate enough to have a terrace or a balcony – all the better. If not, I’m sure that the view from your many large windows is just as spectacular as ever.
The view factor is particularly appealing in revitalized buildings in the city centers, like in San Diego’s Little Italy district, or Brooklyn in New York – which makes the prices of these loft properties go up in recent times, especially since they’re becoming more popular with the younger population.
4. Disadvantages of Lofts
Even though lofts look amazing and have a lot of advantages, there are some drawbacks as well. One of the biggest potential problems is that lofts tend to be, at least partly, repurposed old buildings. That means that they were not built for living and that the insulation is not great. And having so many large windows isn’t exactly helping, either.
This can potentially increase your heating and air conditioning bills. However, if you spend some money on adaptation and adding insulation, you can increase your home’s energy efficiency considerably.
Another problem may be the echo and the noise, especially if you opt for a completely open plan. The cavernous nature of lofts means that the sound will reverberate and there’s not much you can do about it. Having drapes and cushioned furniture may reduce this problem, but this is one thing you will have to learn to live with if you go for buying or renting a loft.
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