Characteristic features of a loft
To implement the loft style, you first need to understand what it is. To do this, let’s delve a little into history: the industrial style originated in the United States during the Great Depression (1930s). Many factories went bankrupt, the buildings were empty, and rental prices collapsed. Renting an industrial building turned out to be cheaper than a residential apartment: at the same time, for pennies, tenants received high ceilings, huge windows, and spacious open spaces.
It is easy to guess that this housing was rented by poor but creative creative intelligentsia: the lack of money for classic decoration combined with a designer approach led to the emergence of a new style. Knowledge of history justifies all the characteristic features of a loft:
- Open space. Since the premises were factory-built, the “rooms” in them were impressive in size. And today industrial looks better in large houses or apartments.
- “Bare” walls. Brickwork, concrete, cinder blocks were not puttied, painted or covered with wallpaper. Back then it was economical, but today it is stylish.
- Metal elements. Beams, window frames, partitions are an integral part of factory spaces.
- Original furniture. In loft-style kitchen-living rooms, 2 types of furniture are used: homemade or “from a flea market”. Everything that could not be bought for pennies or found in the trash was made by hand. Today, it is not necessary to dig through dumps, but it is necessary to stylize the details.
Since the kitchen-living room is still the main living room of the house, in which all family members spend most of their time, its design in the loft style should be thought out to the smallest detail.
Color
Most people have the mistaken opinion that kitchen-living rooms in an industrial style are necessarily dark. No, no and again – no!
If you look closely at the photographs of completed projects, you can notice that in most cases the walls will be light (often white). Black and gray are used only as small additions — furniture, appliances, decor.
A white kitchen-living room in a loft style is also a classic option.
The photo shows a kitchen-living room with white walls and a gray concrete ceiling
Finishing materials
Are the walls in your kitchen-living room made of brick? Great! Feel free to remove the plaster and leave the surfaces without a decorative coating (in the cooking area, you can varnish them to make cleaning easier).
Residents of concrete houses should not be upset: brick can be imitated, or another technique can be used — exposed concrete. Rough walls in gray tones are gaining popularity. If the house is wooden, leave the floors and beams visible.
The photo shows a small kitchen-living room
Zoning examples
The most popular way to divide the room into 2 halves and not make the kitchen-living room visually smaller is a bar counter. The main advantage is the minimal impact on the visual perception of space. The second plus is that you can do without a dining table at all or move it outside the kitchen.
Modern counters are also called “peninsulas” – a tabletop flush with the rest of the set is more practical than a high one. You can not only eat at it, but also prepare food: cut and serve.
The second, no less popular option in combined rooms is a sofa with its back to the kitchen area. The classic approach can be complemented by a console, an island or the same bar counter, standing strictly behind the sofa.
In the photo below you can see a glass partition: black metal, transparent glass and brick walls go well together, creating the right atmosphere.
The last design tip is to leave everything as is! The “natural” beauty of an open kitchen-living room will do its job: you get a stylish space with minimal costs.
Arrangement options
A kitchen-living room in any style (and loft is no exception) has 2 main accents:
Kitchen headset
The industrial style does not put forward strict requirements for the appearance of cabinets: facades can be made of burnt natural wood, painted or film-coated chipboard, glass in metal frames.
Choose the upper modules to your taste: classic single-row drawers, ceiling-high cabinets, open shelves, or no shelves at all.
There are no restrictions on the countertop: wood, stone, metal – preferably dark neutral shades.
In the kitchen-living room, it is permissible to use even non-kitchen furniture for storage: for example, the black metal shelves in the photo below support the loft style and look appropriate.
Important! Don’t forget about the appliances — SMEG refrigerators (or their analogues) and steel dome hoods have become a kind of calling card of industrial kitchen-living rooms.
The photo shows brickwork in the interior
Sofa
Since loft has eclectic roots and furniture came into the interior from wherever, there are no restrictions on shape, size or even color. Any model will do: from classics, like Chester, to ultra-fashionable modular frameless designs.
In a small kitchen-living room, the sofa can be replaced with a couple of armchairs or comfortable loungers.
Deserves special attention:
- Lighting. Much attention is paid to light in loft interiors: firstly, the wiring itself is usually done outside. Secondly, lamps are designed not only to illuminate, but also to attract attention: therefore, choose something unusual – bright lampshades, stylish shapes, a web of wires. Mandatory light points: work area, bar counter or table, recreation area. In the latter, it is not necessary to use ceiling chandeliers: place lighting on the floor (floor lamps) or walls (sconces).
- Decor. Despite the fact that any detail of the industrial kitchen-living room can be called a work of art, additional decorations are not only possible here, but necessary. Abstract paintings, mirrors in beautiful frames, unusual furnishings, such as bicycles or surfboards hanging on the walls, are welcome.
Recommendations for small spaces
If we consider examples of loft kitchen-living room design, we can notice that in small They are practically not sold in these areas. However, if you want to, why not try? The main thing is to follow some recommendations.
First, give preference to minimalism: if you can afford to combine opposites on 60 sq.m., then it is better not to do this on 25. Choose 1-3 accents, and leave the rest of the elements basic.
The photo shows a turquoise sofa in the kitchen-living room
Second, play with the arrangement of furniture: in a small kitchen-living room there is simply not enough floor space to put the sofa with its back to the bar counter. Place the seating areas opposite each other, or, if the room is long, place the sofa sideways to the kitchen.
Thirdly, use all the free space. Open shelves can be made on an architectural ledge or in a niche, the countertop can be thrown on the windowsill, the TV can be placed between the windows.
Features of design in a private house
The staircase is the first thing to consider when arranging a cottage. In any other direction, you would have to figure out how to disguise it, but in a loft, everything is the opposite. The staircase can be made the main architectural accent, highlighting it with black railings up to the ceiling or installing a dining table opposite it.
You should also highlight the fireplace or stove, along with the chimney pipe – in fact, this element is considered classic for industrial, because in factory pavilions it was the main method of eco-heating.
And lastly – an exit to the street. The doors will not argue with the design of the room if you choose black frames and transparent glass for them. You can support the theme with glass partitions or other accessories (rail lights, black metal shelves).
Beautiful design examples
Still think that a loft cannot exist without brick? It happens: concrete walls that smoothly flow into the ceiling – isn’t that the embodiment of industrial design?
The photo shows concrete-like wall finishing
For those who don’t want to have a dark kitchen-living room and therefore refuse this style – examples of bright and light interiors. They look completely different, but both belong to the loft style.
And finally – white sets! The embodiment of glamorous industrial – white gloss, red brick and, of course, a leather sofa in capitonné screed.
There is no “right” or “wrong” in industrial style – have fun decorating a kitchen-living room in a loft style, then the main room of the house will definitely look impressive!
