Loft conversion - Designs and Ideas

Careful Planning and Good Ideas

Your loft is a blank canvas - giving you the chance to create a room which suits your purpose and, if properly planed and well executed, will provide an attractive addition to your home which will appeal to potential buyers, thereby increasing the saleability and price.

On other pages of this website we have advised on gaining planning permission and also what you have to do to conform to building regulations to make your new room safe. Please study those pages before you make any decisions.

You should employ the services of an architect and builder when undertaking loft conversion work, it is a big and important job - get it right and it is a winner - get it wrong and it could cost a fortune and devalue your home. So give it a great deal of thought - and get a lot of professional advice.

What do you need the extra space for? You have so many options - a quiet hide-away to pursue hobbies, or somewhere comfortable to curl up and read, an extra bedroom for guests or family, a playroom, an office for someone who works from home, bathroom… that extra space has so much potential.

It is a good idea before you start to make detailed plans to buy a few home-style magazines and visit the library to see what books they have to offer.

You will be surprised at how much can be achieved in what might be a relatively small space. Modern materials ca help make a room extremely attractive and functional.

Get good a good idea of the costs involved before you start and budget carefully. There is bound to be structural work involved which will eat into the budget. Don’t be tempted to skimp on this, it is vital - and any amount of luxurious fixtures and fittings won’t disguise an unsafe room from potential buyers or their surveyors.

Good Light

Plan to have a lot of light coming into the room, especially if it is to be used during the day - skylight and dormer windows will flood the rooms with natural light and what nicer thought can there be than watching the clouds slip by - very relaxing.

Heating

Some central heating systems may not have the capacity to heat a loft conversion. As the loft conversion will need to have a load-bearing floor constructed why not have underfloor heating installed at the same time? It has all the advantages of being hidden, thereby saving space, and is controllable by thermostats and timers.

That Extra Room…

Just what use will you put that extra room to? Here are some suggestions:

Bedrooms

Master bedroom

Converting a loft to a bedroom is probably one of the most usual uses.

But what a setting at the top of the house away from everyday life - why waste it on visitors could it become the master bedroom?

If you have the space you could also have an ensuite bath or shower room and leave the rest of the family to share the other facilities in the house.

A glance at a few magazines or design books will show what can be achieved - good lighting, attractive flooring and some carefully selected soft furnishings could make this loft conversion a rival for a glossy magazine feature.

What about investing in something like electrically operated blinds for the windows? You can lie in bed and look at the stars, and then close the blinds at the touch of a button when you want to sleep - sound tempting?

Bedroom and play area

If you want more space for younger members of the family a loft conversion could be a bedroom and play area all in one. Some good storage space could take care of the where to put the toys and games problems, a smart area for a computer, and still lots of space to store clothing and put in a bed - possibly two, especially if bunks are used.

Guest room

Having that special room which can be left ready for guests needn’t be a luxury. A loft conversion can provide it at relatively little cost.

Adding an ensuite would make it self-contained and give your visitor that added sense of well-being.

Living room

Most families could do with a little more living space. It might be for teenagers to have somewhere to entertain their friends, the rest of the family to have somewhere quiet away from the teenagers, or just an alternative room to sit and be quiet while others are watching the television.

As well as extra living space it could also provide room for hobbies, such as sewing, painting or displaying a favourite collection.

Depending on the design of the house - a room at the top could provide the best views of all! So why not create somewhere to sit and watch the world go by?

Office space

Working from home is not very unusual now-a-days. It could be that you have started your own business and need the extra space to operate from, or that you have the opportunity to bring work home and not face the journey in every day.

A loft conversion would supply a spacious working area, with so much attractive office furniture available ‘going to work’ could become a real pleasure.

Bathroom

When planning to turn the loft into a bathroom the best advice is find a good plumber. Water and drainage, like electrics, are best left in the hands of the experts.

A good plumber can give advice on saving space by removing the water storage tank and installing a combi-boiler which heats water as it is needed. Saving valuable space and perhaps running costs.

The position of a bathroom could well depend on where water supplies and waste pipes are already installed. Utilising existing systems help cut costs.

Ensure that any windows installed are going to be easily wiped clean - the amount of condensation created means wiping over surfaces with a soft cloth will save a great many problems such as mould.

Having an extractor fan fitted will also help to remove warm moist air - the investment is well worth it.

Showers

It often isn’t practical to have a walk-in-shower as they require a solid concrete base. Shower trays which are well fitted to ensure no leaks are often the most practical solution.

Power showers are very popular. They operate by taking water directly from the cold supply and heating it instantaneously. A plumber will ensure that a water supply can be provided to give the pressure needed to operate a power shower.

An electrician will also be needed to connect the power. The supply will need to have its own cable directly from a central fuse box with a switch to control the electricity supply - all good reasons to use a professional rather than dabble yourself.

Toilets

Again the positioning may be controlled by access to an existing waste pipe. Building regulations allow a span of up to two metres.

A toilet with an internal siphon overflow will mean there is no need for an external overflow pipe on an outside wall.

Like baths and washbasins - toilets come in a range of designs which can be modern or have a period look about them - Victoriana can have an appeal all of its own.

Washbasins

Like the toilets washbasins come in a rang of designs, with some of the modern ‘bowls’ giving a bathroom a very chic appearance.

Choosing a vanity unit has the added appeal of providing extra storage space to hide cleaning materials, towels, or the special shower gel you would like to keep for yourself!

Tiles

Tiles can provide an attractive finishing look to any bathroom. For such a practical item they come in a stunning range of materials, finishes and colours.

So while hunting out the perfect suite for the bath or shower room take your time selecting the tiles. There are so many suppliers now someone will stock exactly what you are looking for.