Displaying posts labeled "Loft"

I freaking LOVE this loft apartment in Moscow I found on The Village. From what I can make out thanks to Google translate, the owners (who might be architects) needed a live/work space and the loft underwent a massive renovation to make it liveable. There are so many fun features – the hilarious bear rug, a hammock, a tree growing out of the wall, the moody blue bedroom nook, the plant boxes and bicycle art in the kitchen…it’s simply a really quirky and playful place to hang out. My one issue is the few inches of rock on the outer edges of the walls – that’s sort of odd and wouldn’t be very fun to keep clean. And you best get along with your partner. 🙂

I love homes with texture, particularly as part of the structure (concrete, brick etc.) and this central London loft apartment designed by Inside Out Architecture is a dream. The existing building has an intriguingly tactile industrial structure, with exposed concrete beams and columns throughout its interior. Work began by stripping the old apartment back to its basic shell and exposing the dramatic geometry of the concrete beams.  A number of spaces – including a TV room, 2 bedrooms, separate family and guest bathrooms, a utility room and an adaptable guest bedroom – were then “inserted” into this hollow shell. These inserts came in the form of numerous bespoke joinery pieces, designed with a light touch and simple smooth finishes  to contrast with, and hence emphasize, the strength of the textured concrete structure. Despite their simple expression, the joinery pieces house a wealth of concealed functions including fold out beds, integrated radiators, storage units, kitchen appliances, glazed screens, curtain recesses, sliding partitions and the entire family bathroom. In the living area a bespoke island kitchen was introduced to provide a focal point for activity within a large open plan space.  A suspended aluminium profile provided functional downlighting while simultaneously uplighting the concrete soffit to create a comfortable warm atmosphere. The lighting strips just mentioned are so brilliant in the space. (Photos by one of our favourite photographers Jim Stephenson)

Ultimate urban chic. That’s how the designers Spring & Mercer describe this Covent Garden show apartment. A desaturated palette, custom furniture, a nod to the mid century and a distinct masculine vibe. Ultimate urban chic indeed.

My second loft space is in South Melbourne. In, wait for it, a former biscuit and cake factory. Who wouldn’t want to live in a cake factory? A little warmer with a bit more personality than the first loft. I could see myself moving in and just adding a few more of my tchotchkes and a splash of colour. It’s a tad brown for me at the moment. There’s a cellar too. Perhaps a dungeon man cave for my husband? Link here while it lasts.

I’m stalking two industrial style lofts today. The first, in a former produce store in Richmond, Melbourne is mind blowing. The open plan design over several levels, the concrete and timber, the steel and the brick are all classic industrial loft riffs. The design stars for me are the two fireplaces. Oh my! I’d be lighting fires in summer and cranking up the air conditioning to cope! OK so it  needs some personalising. It’s like a cross between a bachelor pad and a half empty furniture consignment store. But the bones! Oh the bones! For when I win the lottery. Link here while it lasts.