What is important to know about attic interior design?
In terms of design, an attic is a complex space. If you are going to design it yourself, consider the following features:
- Irregular ceiling... A gable or gable roof is the highlight of the attic floor. But it is not so easy to harmoniously implement it. Often, floor beams must also be included in the design project.
- Poor illumination... Large skylights provide more light than ordinary skylights, but standard private homes have few or no skylights. Consider the issue of natural lighting during the construction phase, or artificial before starting repairs.
- Lack of communication... Another question that should be resolved in advance. Are you planning to place a bedroom with a bathroom or a kitchen here? Organize piping.
- The need for insulation... During construction, this floor is usually bypassed, therefore, before finishing the attic in the finished house, it will first have to be insulated.
If you are going to increase the usable space of the house at the expense of the attic floor, evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this solution in advance:
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You may like rooms with sloping roofs or not - it's a matter of taste. But the attic interior is definitely not to be occupied with originality.
Bedroom
The design of the attic room most often requires the arrangement of the bedroom. The placement of this space does not require a supply of communications (except for electricity), and when using it, you do not have to constantly go upstairs - just go up before bed and go down in the morning.
Another advantage of the attic bedroom is the ease of installing the bed, which will not be hampered by the sloping ceiling. On the attic floor, it will be equally good to place the master or guest bedroom. Being far from the common rooms, you can have quality rest and rejuvenation.
What to consider in the attic bedroom interior:
- high-quality wall insulation;
- safe ascent and descent;
- decoration of roof windows (so that the sun does not wake up in the early hours).
Read about other features of the attic bedroom arrangement in our article.
Children's room
A popular use of the attic floor is the arrangement of a nursery.There are at least two main positive points:
- no need to pull communications (except for electrical wiring);
- on a large area all the necessary areas will fit: for sleep, study, games, storage.
The only nuance that requires attention: the staircase. If the child is not yet 5-6 years old, it is undesirable for him to go up and down independently several times a day. Therefore, parents will either have to constantly be near the child, or postpone the transfer of the nursery to a later time.
Growing up children, on the contrary, will appreciate the personal space away from their parents: therefore, if there are teenagers in the family, invite them to take the space under the roof and develop their own design.
Find out more about decorating your attic room from our article.
Living room
Living room in the attic is not such a rare phenomenon. If you like to invite guests and spend your evenings in a warm company, organize a comfortable meeting place in the attic of your private home.
The design of the attic living room is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. Before rebuilding, consider the following points:
- Remoteness of the kitchen... Usually, gathering guests is not complete without treats - will it be convenient for you to carry snacks or drinks from the kitchen to the living room and back?
- Remoteness of the toilet... Long evenings are not complete without a visit to the restroom - how far is it and how safe is it to descend the stairs?
- Illumination... Is there enough sunlight through the small skylights? Should they be covered with dark curtains?
- Ceiling height... Would you and your friends or family bang your head off the couch?
- Arrangement of furniture... Will the low sloping walls prevent you from installing everything you need: from the sofa to the storage system and the TV.
Kitchen
It is rarely placed on the attic floor. Firstly, you will definitely have to pull plumbing, sewerage, electricity and (possibly) gas to the kitchen. Secondly, the kitchen is one of the most visited in the house, and walking back and forth is simply inconvenient. Thirdly, two walls at an angle create a lot of problems with the placement of the kitchen unit.
The last point usually becomes the most serious limitation in attic design. When planning the installation of a headset, heed the advice of professionals:
- Bunk furniture is placed exclusively on straight walls; only the bottom row of cabinets can be located along the sloped roof of houses or apartments. In this case, it is better that the slope does not start from the floor itself.
- For right-handed owners, the kitchen is installed to the left of the sloping wall, for left-handers - to the right.
When 2 walls and the ceiling are at an angle, it will not work even on flat sides to place ordinary top cabinets. To take all the free space and the corners are not empty, the furniture will have to be made to order. But there is a simpler and more profitable option - replace the upper tier with shelves in whole or in part (in the center of the cabinet, in the corners of the shelves). You can also hang shelves or rails on the sloped walls - they will partially solve the problem of storing the most frequently used utensils.
It is advisable to place the dining table or bar counter under the windows, so it will be more comfortable to eat. Zoning in a small area is not necessary - it is enough to arrange the dining area further from the working area.
A sofa in the kitchen is an optional item, but for spaces like the attic, designers insist on its presence. You need to organize not just a workspace, but also a recreation area: this is especially convenient for families with children. While the mother is busy with masterful cooking, the child can relax or play on the couch.
Style selection
As for the choice of style for the design of the attic, this is the most individual question. Depends on your preferences, the style of the rest of the rooms.
- Loft-style attic is the choice of modern young families.In the kitchen, you can abandon the upper cabinets, put structures made of metal and other rough materials, use high wooden beams as not only a design element, but also a suspension - for lamps or pans.
- A kitchen in warm country style or pastel Provence is relevant for a country house and creating a rustic atmosphere. The abundance of natural wood on the ceiling, walls and flooring, cozy decor in warm colors will give the attic a special charm.
- The modern Scandinavian style will fill the room with light thanks to the white color scheme, therefore it is suitable even for small spaces: for example, small summer cottages. Cute accents add character to the kitchen.
Bathroom
Are you sure you want to equip a bathroom in the attic? IN this article we have analyzed in detail all the moments that you have to face.
Cabinet
A good solution in the design of the attic floor is the location of the working area. It is convenient if one of the family members constantly has to work at home and needs personal space. The attic is removed from the main rooms in a private house, so peace and quiet are provided here. You can easily live with a laptop or work with papers, even if the whole family is at home.
A classic set of furniture: table, chair, wardrobes, shelves or shelves. We recommend adding a comfortable sofa, lounger or armchair to this so that you can take breaks and change the environment during work.
Be sure to take into account the high-quality lighting of the desktop: place it under the window, hang a lamp on top, install a swivel adjustable lamp on the table. If the location of the window is supposed to be on the side, it should be on the left for right-handers and on the right for left-handers.
Place shelves or racks along straight walls. You can also arrange niches. They keep books, working documents, souvenirs, frames with photographs. A sofa, lounger or rocking chair is placed near them. A fireplace or its imitation will help to complement the composition. This combination will look especially attractive in the chalet style.
The walls are upholstered with clapboard up to the level of 1-1.2 m, higher - wallpaper is glued or painted. Or decorate with a tree up to the ceiling.
Additional ideas for a spacious office:
- an exercise bike or treadmill to take sports breaks;
- a hammock instead of a sofa;
- mini-bar with a bar counter.
Library
A cozy rooftop space with shelves lined with books, a comfortable armchair, a warm blanket and a fireplace is the perfect place for a bibliophile. If you like to read and prefer the usual paper ones to electronic media - arranging an attic for a library is a great option!
You will need:
- Bookcases, shelves or shelves. They are installed along the flat sides. Shelves up to the ceiling, lined with books and decorated with souvenirs, look especially good. Substitute a staircase on wheels for them like in old movies to add a twist to the atmosphere.
- Comfortable seats. Let there be several of them: a sofa, an armchair, a bean bag, a lounger, a rocking chair, a hammock, a hanging chair, a sofa. There are a lot of options! Choose 1-2 that apply. You can also throw a mattress and some pillows on the floor.
- Decor. The reading process should be associated with something enjoyable. Install a fireplace, wine rack, warm blankets, and other textiles in the library.
- Shine. Our grandmothers also said that you can't read in the dark! And indeed it is. Take care of your eyesight, consider bright lighting around the seats.
Restroom
In an attic floor design, it is not always assumed that a specific function is limited, such as sleeping or working. There may be a lounge area where you can read, play games, watch movies, receive guests.
Execution options:
- Home theater. Hang the projector and screen, throw comfy pillows or a few bean bags on the floor.Do not forget about dense blackouts on the windows so that nothing interferes with watching movies or cartoons.
- Studio. For a family of musicians, this is a room with instruments and microphones. Artists - with canvases and paints. The studio hosts everything that is useful for your hobby: a sewing machine with fabrics, a potter's wheel, woodworking tools, etc.
- Playroom. Install a large TV with a console, a table with seats for board games, billiards, and vending machines. For children - an area with their toys. For boys - a railway, car parking, a pool with fish. For girls - a doll house, a toy kitchen, a beauty salon. Children will be delighted with various pools with balls, trampolines, wall bars, slides, hammocks, stylish huts.
- Winter Garden. Do you like plants? Arrange a green jungle in the attic! Between the flowerpots, you can put a sofa, hang a hammock or an armchair - the family will be pleased to lie here with a book, play a game console or just chat over a cup of tea. This room looks very fresh.
The room can be divided into several zones - by combining, for example, a cinema with a playroom.
Photo gallery
We have listed the best possible attic design options. You just have to choose the right one and start implementing it. For ideas for the attic, see the photo in our gallery.