Anyone own an industrial loft condo? How did you decorate?

[kcoursolle]

Hi everyone,
I love the look of loft condos that were converted from old warehouses with exposed brick and tall ceilings, but I''m wondering how the heck people actually decorate these big open spaces. DH and I aren''t quite ready to buy yet, but we are thinking in the next 1-2 years and we both love these types of buildings.


Anyone have some pics of their decor they would like to share?

 

[Miscka]

I live in one! Someone else owns it, but I rent it.

I love it. We have a lot of earth tones going on. My office furniture is Ikea''s black/brown and it looks good with the exposed brick.

I have curtains that make the bedroom, and they are cream and blue and gold. I lurve them. With very neutral bedding.

Anyway, I love the look of these kinds of places. Mine was an old tobacco warehouse. So fun

good luck! Let me know if I can help any more.

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 3/28/2009 1:12:22 AM
Author: Miscka
I live in one! Someone else owns it, but I rent it.

I love it. We have a lot of earth tones going on. My office furniture is Ikea''s black/brown and it looks good with the exposed brick.

I have curtains that make the bedroom, and they are cream and blue and gold. I lurve them. With very neutral bedding.

Anyway, I love the look of these kinds of places. Mine was an old tobacco warehouse. So fun

good luck! Let me know if I can help any more.

Thanks for chiming in!! Your building sounds incredible, I really adore exposed brick and "real" old lofts rather than new condos made to look like lofts.

I think you are on to something with the simple modern dark wood furniture. I bet a bunch of dark wood bookcases would look great in a loft and your earth tones sound lovely. I''d love to see a pic, but I understand if you''d prefer not to.

 

[Skippy123]

Kcoursolle, I noticed you are so close to 10k, wooo hooo!!!

i can't wait

sorry for the mini thread jack.

 

[Rhea]

I don''t see us living in this type of thing because of where we are, but I love the look of them! They seem really hard to decorate.

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 4/13/2009 5:35:44 PM
Author: Skippy123
Kcoursolle, I noticed you are so close to 10k, wooo hooo!!!

i can''t wait

sorry for the mini thread jack.

I realized this the other day as well when I say the second 9 in the digits and it kind of took me by surprise. It''s been a very fun ride, I love it here!!

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 4/13/2009 5:53:22 PM
Author: Addy
I don''t see us living in this type of thing because of where we are, but I love the look of them! They seem really hard to decorate.

I love love the look of them as well. I actually got turned on to them from my parents when I was house hunting with them. I thought it was so cool that they were looking at them. They are very fun almost retirees looking for an urban walking neighborhood.

I suppose the less is more approach works well with these properties. If they have great bones like brick and windows, you don''t have to do much expect invest in a great piece of art on an accent wall I suppose. I''d love to see some pictures though of some nicely decorated ones to see how people do it.

 

[Miscka]

kcoursolle I would love to post some pics for you, but unfortunately:

a) my place never seems clean enough for pictures
b) I still dont know how to resize pics on my mac
and
c) I decorate on a poor just-graduated budget, and it would be a lot cooler if the condo was mine!

I just didn''t want you to think I had forgotten or was uncomfortable

. I am moving really soon, so I may take a few for posterity, and then I will put them up!

I think you are right though, it really depends on the space. I tend to like the ones with exposed brick, and not to get too modern in the furnishings, but that is just my taste. I like a little contrast/element of surprise.

Can you say any more about the ones you have seen? Are they SUPER loft-y, as in no walls, or what kind of layout are we talking? My mom is a super fun 50something and has also looked at a bunch. Unfortunately most seem lacking in storage. Our kitchen is particularly cramped in that department, which calls for creativity.

Congrats on getting close to 10k!!

 

[BeachRunner]

FI''s parents have a loft that they designed/decorated themselves. They are in their 60''s so it may not be as modern as I would have decorated, but it is still beautiful!(not saying that generation has bad taste, they just have a more classic taste) I''ll see if I can find some photos.

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 4/14/2009 2:07:45 PM
Author: Miscka
kcoursolle I would love to post some pics for you, but unfortunately:

a) my place never seems clean enough for pictures
b) I still dont know how to resize pics on my mac
and
c) I decorate on a poor just-graduated budget, and it would be a lot cooler if the condo was mine!

I just didn''t want you to think I had forgotten or was uncomfortable

. I am moving really soon, so I may take a few for posterity, and then I will put them up!

I think you are right though, it really depends on the space. I tend to like the ones with exposed brick, and not to get too modern in the furnishings, but that is just my taste. I like a little contrast/element of surprise.

Can you say any more about the ones you have seen? Are they SUPER loft-y, as in no walls, or what kind of layout are we talking? My mom is a super fun 50something and has also looked at a bunch. Unfortunately most seem lacking in storage. Our kitchen is particularly cramped in that department, which calls for creativity.

Congrats on getting close to 10k!!

No problem, I totally understand if you prefer not to show pics. I think I agree with you in not going too-too-modern on the furniture. I saw one in a magazine once with very old furniture and it looked great. It had an old antique beat-up trunk used as a coffee table and a big distressed leather sofa as a couch. It was charming, and quite masculine. I think my husband would have liked it.

The one''s I''ve seen have quite a bit of variety. We''ve seen some that have concrete floors and exposed duct work in the ceiling. Some of the others are basically old brick factories with windows that have arches and exposed brick on the inside. This style is actually my favorite and I hope to end up with one of these.

I think you are right about storage for the most part. One my parents looked at had 5 large closets in a 2 bedroom and a 10 X 10 storage comparment in the basement, but for the most part it does look like a challenge. A wall of built-ins would be a good investment in some of the places with long hallways, but if would definitely cost a bunch of $$.

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 4/14/2009 2:13:33 PM
Author: BeachRunner
FI''s parents have a loft that they designed/decorated themselves. They are in their 60''s so it may not be as modern as I would have decorated, but it is still beautiful!(not saying that generation has bad taste, they just have a more classic taste) I''ll see if I can find some photos.

I''d love to see if you find the pictures! It would be interesting to see what more traditional furniture looks like in the space.

 

[Miscka]

Mine has exposed brick wall on one two sides, and exposed duct work and a wooden ceiling.

I have to say I love the idea of antique furniture in one of these. I have an old wooden trunk and a big wooden sleigh bed. OH!! And a really really old gorgeous antique dresser that is my favorite piece in here. The contrast between that and the old/newness of the condo is really striking. And I have a really old gilt (I think? Gold frame?) mirror that is so old the mirror isnt in great shape but it looks cool near the brick too.

If I had the money, I would totally go for a distressed leather couch like you mentioned. That would be gorgeous!! Depending on the color of the wood in the floor, you could pick a gorgeous leather shade.

 

[LaraOnline]

I'm loving this thread and looking forward to it developing.
The whole 'industrial loft' thing seems to urban US, which is light years from where I am IRL!
The aesthetic is soooo great, though.

I'm loving the idea of flesh tones, neutrals, particularly of the beige / chocolate / charcoal varieties (don't like the steel grey combos, I feel the 'landscape' is already chilled enough!

Natural fibres, including leather, of course. And the 'recycled' element (all varieties from antiques through to high-quality, even fifties-style second-hand discoveries!) for furnishings

One thing that has always interested me in relation to those super-high ceilings and hard surfaces though... heating. Are lofts hard to keep warm?

 

[movie zombie]

http://loftlifemag.com/mu/?tag=loft-tour


i would love to live in a loft....so would hubby. he sent this to me about two weeks ago......heavy sign.

mz

 

[LaraOnline]

Oh mz, that loft on the link is like a super-modern Nordic-style loft or something!
I''m not sure I can see second hand furniture in that white space!

 

[movie zombie]

the joy of a loft is that you can make it anything you want it to be ..... and i''m a 2nd hand furniture buyer. i''ve seen some european movies in which the loft space utilized "older" furniture. like anything, it is what you make it.

mz

ps the open floor plan allows one to create spaces that reflect each person''s personality in a way that i think a "house" does not.

 

[LaraOnline]

so tell me... is it cold in a loft in winter??

 

[lliang_chi]

I used to live in one. I didn''t really find any challenge to decorating the place any more than decorating a normal place. Only thing any vertical decor (i.e. curtains, wall decor) looked better LOOOONG rather than just standard length.

Lara, the answer to your question is: depends. My place was an old warehouse and had drafty windows, so it was cold in the winter. because of the high ceilings, and most of these places are converted they install the ducting above, along the ceiling. So my heating bill was VERY high, considering.

 

[Miscka]

Lara-mine isn''t cold...but to keep it that way gets really really $$$$. We don''t have a lot of windows at all, but the high ceilings get us.

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 4/14/2009 10:32:08 PM
Author: Miscka
Mine has exposed brick wall on one two sides, and exposed duct work and a wooden ceiling.

I have to say I love the idea of antique furniture in one of these. I have an old wooden trunk and a big wooden sleigh bed. OH!! And a really really old gorgeous antique dresser that is my favorite piece in here. The contrast between that and the old/newness of the condo is really striking. And I have a really old gilt (I think? Gold frame?) mirror that is so old the mirror isnt in great shape but it looks cool near the brick too.

If I had the money, I would totally go for a distressed leather couch like you mentioned. That would be gorgeous!! Depending on the color of the wood in the floor, you could pick a gorgeous leather shade.

Your loft and your style sounds beautiful Miscka!!

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 4/14/2009 11:18:56 PM
Author: LaraOnline
I''m loving this thread and looking forward to it developing.
The whole ''industrial loft'' thing seems to urban US, which is light years from where I am IRL!
The aesthetic is soooo great, though.

I''m loving the idea of flesh tones, neutrals, particularly of the beige / chocolate / charcoal varieties (don''t like the steel grey combos, I feel the ''landscape'' is already chilled enough!

Natural fibres, including leather, of course. And the ''recycled'' element (all varieties from antiques through to high-quality, even fifties-style second-hand discoveries!) for furnishings

One thing that has always interested me in relation to those super-high ceilings and hard surfaces though... heating. Are lofts hard to keep warm?

OOooh, your idea sound fab!!

I wonder this same thing myself especially because we''ll be looking in the Midwest when we move! Luckily many of the lofts I''ve looked into heat is included in the HOA...but I really do wonder how much it costs!!

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 4/15/2009 1:19:29 AM
Author: movie zombie
http://loftlifemag.com/mu/?tag=loft-tour


i would love to live in a loft....so would hubby. he sent this to me about two weeks ago......heavy sign.

mz

Wow, what a great link!! I should consider getting this book. Most of them are a bit too white for my taste, but I am totally diggin the interesting angles, bookshelves, and very funky windows.

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 4/15/2009 10:31:07 AM
Author: movie zombie
the joy of a loft is that you can make it anything you want it to be ..... and i''m a 2nd hand furniture buyer. i''ve seen some european movies in which the loft space utilized ''older'' furniture. like anything, it is what you make it.

mz

ps the open floor plan allows one to create spaces that reflect each person''s personality in a way that i think a ''house'' does not.

Oh, I definitely agree! This is what DH and I love so much about them. They are such great blank canvas, you just have t pick one with great bones.

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 4/15/2009 1:59:12 PM
Author: lliang_chi
I used to live in one. I didn''t really find any challenge to decorating the place any more than decorating a normal place. Only thing any vertical decor (i.e. curtains, wall decor) looked better LOOOONG rather than just standard length.

Lara, the answer to your question is: depends. My place was an old warehouse and had drafty windows, so it was cold in the winter. because of the high ceilings, and most of these places are converted they install the ducting above, along the ceiling. So my heating bill was VERY high, considering.

Did you end up ordering custom curtains, or did you make them yourself?

 

[BeachRunner]

Date: 4/14/2009 2:39:54 PM
Author: kcoursolle

Date: 4/14/2009 2:13:33 PM

Author: BeachRunner

FI''s parents have a loft that they designed/decorated themselves. They are in their 60''s so it may not be as modern as I would have decorated, but it is still beautiful!(not saying that generation has bad taste, they just have a more classic taste) I''ll see if I can find some photos.

I''d love to see if you find the pictures! It would be interesting to see what more traditional furniture looks like in the space.

I don''t know where these photos ran off to

. They might have been deleted.

 

[LaraOnline]

Date: 4/15/2009 7:19:02 PM
Author: kcoursolle

Date: 4/15/2009 1:59:12 PM

Author: lliang_chi

I used to live in one. I didn''t really find any challenge to decorating the place any more than decorating a normal place. Only thing any vertical decor (i.e. curtains, wall decor) looked better LOOOONG rather than just standard length.


Lara, the answer to your question is: depends. My place was an old warehouse and had drafty windows, so it was cold in the winter. because of the high ceilings, and most of these places are converted they install the ducting above, along the ceiling. So my heating bill was VERY high, considering.

Did you end up ordering custom curtains, or did you make them yourself?

the interesting thing about these marvelous spaces is that textures and fibres can really jump out at you, in that way lofts are really sensuous spaces. (surprising, considering their industrial roots!)
It would be really worth considering custom curtains in such a space, would it not? Actually, I personally think custom curtains are worth it in any space, haha.

Hey, you know who we need in this thread...? Whitby! She knows decorating, I would be interested to hear her musings on the subject!