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