Loft Design

Thursday, July 7, 2011 - Posted by Bos Tattoo at 7:23 PM

The idea of loft living has become appealing and desirable to increasing numbers of young people, worldwide. To begin with, what really is a loft? The standard English dictionary defines it as “a large, usually un-partitioned floor over a factory, warehouse, or other industrial space.” It is indeed like a large studio, with no separation between rooms. Sometimes, there is an extra floor or sleeping area on top of the room, in order to maximize space, rather than an extra room on the side. The lack of walls and other types of dividers makes it trickier to create separate spaces, such as the kitchen area, dining area, living area, etc. within a large room. In this post we round up a few helpful tips for designing the various areas within a loft and also provide inspirational images of a few lofts from Paris, Milan, Berlin and London.

A good way to separate areas in your loft space is to use furniture as dividers. For instance, you can separate an open kitchen and living area by using a high kitchen table or “bar” and stools. This London loft studio space below resourcefully makes use of naturally colored wooden bookshelves and green plants to separate the “bedroom” from the living area…
Carpeting or different floor finishes can also help distinguish different areas. The entertainment area can have a different floor finish or carpet than the kitchen area. Rugs can be strategically placed to designate certain areas. For example, a rectangular rug can be placed to mark the hallway entrance. Or a rug can be placed diagonally to lead from one room into another, or it can simply be placed in the middle of an area, with furniture surrounding it to designate it as the living room.
Painting one side of the walls of a room one color, and the other side a different, can also help differentiate between the two. For example, in one space, the left wall can be painted a pale yellow to mark it as the kitchen, whereas the entertainment area can be painted cream or whatever color one wishes.
The type of furniture you use is just as important as how you arrange it all inside a loft. For instance, ottomans and longer, winding couches with extended chaise loungers not only maximize space, but can help corner off an area. Potted plants can also be strategically placed to fill in little gaps or areas that need a bit of separating. Bookshelves and even beds can be pulled out of the walls and can be tucked away during the day, so that the area can be used for something else.
It is also wise to think about what the focal point of such a large space should be . Ideally, it should be the most social area of a home–the living or entertainment room. Logically, this also makes more sense, since the bedroom area cannot be in the middle or very beginning of the space, unless it can be pulled back into the wall. The red and black details of a Milan loft below, incorporates pops of color into the sofa and ottomans to draw attention to the living area. Colorful paintings are also mostly positioned on the walls of the living area, to really bring into focus. Lastly, installing a large, unusual, and dramatic piece in the center of the living area or large loft space, can really serve as the focal point of the entire space, and can ultimately help to balance out the space as a whole.

Paris Loft

: This Parisian loft brings drama into the space with quirky additions.

: Berlin Loft

: The ceiling hides a bed which drops down when you need it.

: Milan Loft

: London Loft

: The design also has a bit of a theme to it, since the bookshelves and floor are light, natural colored wood and real, green plants are also used as “natural” dividers.

: Sometimes making use of the architecture the actual space has to offer really helps. Columns and doors can help you visualize where you can cut a room off.

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Open, Modern Kitchens with Few Pops of Color

Posted by Bos Tattoo at 7:16 PM

The open kitchen has been a modern design staple for some time now. The pros of such an open and airy space, are many. They allow people to freely flow in and out of the adjoining rooms, and are usually closely located near a dining room or breakfast nook, which encourages togetherness, closeness and an all-around more social, and more interactive environment. These open kitchen designs are all designed by Italian designer, Armando Ferriani . All of the kitchens featured here are modern, open, and mostly white, except for the few pops of color in each and every one.

: This kitchen is simply an island and cabinetry, mostly composed of white steel, but with touches of pretty purples and blues in the decor and kitchen utensils.

: This kitchen is the least open out of them all, but it does lead into the breakfast nook

: This design is perhaps my favorite out of the bunch, because I feel it melds the traditional, antique, rustic elements with the modern ones. The white cabinetry is reminiscent of a country farm, as is the dark wood flooring, yet the planks in the ceiling help to streamline the room and the simple furniture offers the modern vibe.

: Ferriani likes to play subtley with color. Here, the kitchen is a simple grey and white that trails off into a yellow and white living area.

: The cabinetry here is interesting, jumping from white to grey to blue.

: This kitchen is very attached, or is just an extension of the living area space.

: This funky kitchen employs mostly white in its cabinetry, but offers pops of unexpected mustard yellow and eggshell blue here and there.

: This beige and white kitchen is very open and connected to the rooms adjoining it. It only seems to be separated by the deep blue (a nice color choice) large cupboard area.

: This brown and white kitchen is nicely understated. Instead of additional shelves or cabinetry, the design is further simplified by attaching a single rack that lines the wall above the sink, and open “storage” space underneath part of the counter area.

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Charming Apartment with Surprising Design Elements

Tuesday, July 5, 2011 - Posted by Bos Tattoo at 2:17 PM

Have a look at this fascinating apartment in case you are curious how 64 square meters can be turned into a spacious, chic living space. The hall that welcomes you is wide, featuring high ceilings and light walls, introducing you to the typical 20′s style with tight stucco and decorative parquet. The living room is large enough to accommodate a large sofa, a coffee table, a reading corner and a few lockers for storage. The open floor plan allows the light to flow freely in the apartment. We are certain your attention was caught by the highly original wall drawing, which gives the room a dynamic, yet stylish touch. To the right of the hall there is a roomy lovely bedroom inspiring comfort and also a bit of energy due to splashes of color here and there. Enjoy the photos and tell us which room you like best.