Loft, the word itself sounds very chic, modern and exclusive. With a loft it seems like you have a home and something more. What is it? You will discover that in the following lines:
What does the loft concept mean?
The term loft comes from English and can be translated as attic or warehouse, which when said like that sounds much less cool and glamorous.
However, it actually refers to a house with open spaces made up of a large room and where the living room, dining room, kitchen and bedroom are joined together because normally there are no walls.
Where they come from: a little history
Lofts emerged in Paris in the mid-19th century to meet the requirements of artists, who needed large open surfaces for their paintings.
However, the concept did not become popular until later in New York. First in the 1940s, where students and artists found an alternative to cheap housing in abandoned factories in SoHo and Tribeca, and later in the 1970s, when a new crisis left more workshops, factories and small warehouses available.
Over time, lofts became fashionable and today they are more associated with luxury than with people looking to save money. In fact, there are even those who transform normal homes into lofts with mortgages to buy a house and renovate.
Features of a loft
A loft is an open space, but not all houses with open spaces are lofts. A studio can also be open and still be a studio.
These are the characteristics that define a loft:
It is an open space
This is the main distinguishing feature of a loft. A loft presents an open and diaphanous space. In essence, only the bathroom would be separated by walls, although in recent years different trends have emerged. One of the most widespread is to include partitions that do not reach the ceiling or glass panels to separate rooms without breaking the open aesthetic.
They have high ceilings and large windows,
which are the legacy of having been conceived as factories and warehouses. This helps to create a great feeling of spaciousness, which is what is sought with this type of housing.
Design with exposed installations and pillars.
Another feature of lofts is that many have exposed installations, from air ducts and wiring to exposed brick columns or pillars. The reason is very simple: these buildings were built for industrial or commercial purposes. Again, this is part of the appeal of lofts.
They are in old industrial areas.
Lofts were born in industrial areas, although many of them have already been fully integrated into the city.
In addition to these characteristics, there are two others that affect the type of property more than its design. The first is that, when you buy a loft as such, you are buying an industrial building. Unless you are buying it from a person who has already transformed it into a home, you will have to start the process to transform the commercial premises into a home. The criteria for doing so depend on each autonomous community.
Since it is a commercial premises, you will have to pay VAT even if it is second-hand instead of the Property Transfer Tax.
And finally, all lofts need to be renovated and have certain conditions in order to be habitable and obtain a certificate of occupancy. This means that you will need to look for a mortgage that also covers the costs of the renovation.
Types of loft
The original loft style had an industrial feel and did not hide elements such as exposed brick or cement, pipes or partitions. Over time, this style has become just one of the options, as today there are different types of lofts:
Rustic loft, where style and design involve reducing everything to the most basic, from colors to finishes.
Minimalist loft, which follows a design with simple shapes and where functionality prevails. Few elements and a lot of open space.
Mediterranean loft, which opts for simple decoration with traditional and natural materials.
Scandinavian loft, very similar to the minimalist one, with a simple and functional design.
Advantages and disadvantages of lofts
Like any type of home, lofts have their pros and cons, just as would happen with an apartment or a terraced house, to give two examples.
The advantages of lofts are:
Spaciousness, as they are larger than most apartments.
Flexibility to be able to distribute the space as you wish, without partitions or walls, both when purchasing the loft and afterwards.
Versatility to transform the space at any time with a simple screen or curtain.
More natural light.
Better ventilation.
On the opposite side it stands out:
Lack of privacy, especially if you live with other people. After all, there are no walls or separate spaces in the entire house.
More smells that will mix throughout the house.
More noise that will be heard throughout the house.
Greater energy consumption due to having to heat a larger space.
In the end, lofts are a housing option that is not for everyone, although due to their design, spaciousness and what we have seen in movies, they are captivating.
