| From Montreal to Minneapolis, lofts are a the | | | | small tea-light candle within them. The candle |
| hottest thing in city housing right now. What | | | | warmed up the stone, which could then be placed |
| makes them so great? Well, for starters, not | | | | at ones feet under a desk, or on a low shelf near |
| everyone thinks there great. There are definitely | | | | a chair. I think this is a classy way to add extra |
| pros and cons to loft living, and you should be | | | | warmth where you need it. Also, as I mentioned, |
| aware of this to decide what type of home is | | | | having area rugs keeps your feet from getting |
| right for you. | | | | cold in a home that typically has wood or cement |
| One of the things people love about lofts is the | | | | flooring. |
| open space. The large windows offer amazing | | | | One more way to keep the cold from bother you |
| views and soul-fulfilling natural light. You could | | | | is to look for a loft with a mezzanine, a sort of |
| never get claustrophobic in a loft, as the ceilings | | | | loft within a loft. Usually, a mezzanine is a way of |
| are high and the space is open. You can work in | | | | having a private bedroom in a loft, offering a |
| one part of the house and not feel cut off from | | | | second floor to your open space. Because it is |
| any of the other areas. | | | | higher up and therefore closer to the ceiling, heat |
| Also, they have an artsy feel to them. The walls | | | | won't be lost as easily as it will on the lower floor. |
| can easily fit huge paintings. The large space begs | | | | If you live in a really cold city, perhaps your |
| you have an art studio in one corner, or maybe a | | | | mezzanine could be your living room and bedroom |
| small dance floor. They are great for parties as | | | | in the winter months. Convenient, maybe not, but |
| none of that cliquing away in another room can | | | | there's lots of reasons a loft is worth it, if you |
| happen. You can see and enjoy all your guests at | | | | value them. |
| once, and the music in one corner reaches the | | | | One loft resident says he still feels great after a |
| entire party. | | | | whole day spent inside, because he's got the high |
| However that open space can have its | | | | ceiling and floor to ceiling windows to help get that |
| drawbacks, especially if you like privacy. While | | | | outside feel. Another bonus is the passive solar |
| room dividers create affective visual privacy, | | | | heating created by the large windows. Look for a |
| sound can travel easily in such open spaces. If | | | | loft facing south to maximize this. Warning, you'll |
| you have children, or often have house guests, | | | | need blinds for the summer months, but in winter |
| you might want to look for a loft with a separate | | | | the sun's warmth will be lovely. And all the sun's |
| bedroom. Some people have chosen to hang | | | | light means you're turning electric lights on less. |
| things from their ceilings to create baffling, a way | | | | That could well make up for any extra heating |
| to disperse sound and prevent it from echoing | | | | costs. |
| across the house. Rugs on the floors have a | | | | Also, consider this: getting a projector and |
| similar sound-calming affect, and can also help to | | | | watching your favorite movies on the ultimate big |
| add warmth, which brings me to another downfall | | | | screen, your huge white wall. |
| of the loft concept. | | | | The opportunities for doing custom interior |
| In colder climates, the open space can be a bit | | | | decorating abound in a loft, because they are |
| hard to keep warm. Because heat rises and the | | | | usually sold with very little finishing detail. So you |
| ceilings are so high, this can be a challenge for | | | | have the chance to finish the place just how you |
| loft-dwellers. space heaters help, directing heat | | | | want it, or leaving it raw to appreciate the true |
| exactly where you want it, instead of baseboard | | | | lofty-ness about it. Either way, if loft living is |
| heaters where the heat just goes up the wall. I | | | | something you think you'd enjoy, there are a lot |
| recently saw an innovative and arty way to keep | | | | to choose from in any city in the world. |
| warm if the form of stone sculptures that fit a | | | | |