Loft Living: For Those Seeking Space, Comfort, Convenience & Creativity

The term loft originated in Paris during the 1800s when artists needed studios with high ceilings and large spaces for the oversized paintings that were popular at that time. In the 1940s, when struggling artists moved into abandoned warehouses in New York's SoHo area, lofts came to be known as a multi-use space that accommodated both work and living. Forty years later, the loft trend spread throughout urban areas around the country.

Today's lofts are fashionable residences-sometimes converted commercial space but more often newly-built living spaces with large open layouts. Lofts usually include other out-of-the-ordinary features such as: soaring windows, high-timbered ceilings, vertical columns, brick walls, skylights, unique tiles, exposed ductwork, floors of colored concrete or old wood planks and distinctive light fixtures. Today's lofts offer an affordable and attractive alternative to the boxy, small rooms found in regular condominiums or development housing -- picture the living spaces of TV's Frasier Crane or Friends.

While loft living appeals to all age groups, loft dwellers tend to be young at heart. They value home ownership but not necessarily the yard work and other maintenance chores that a home requires. They prefer cultural events--attending a concert, seeing a play or strolling through a sidewalk art fair. Loft owners generally enjoy their close proximity to an active nightlife and fine dining. And they appreciate conveniences such as nearby shopping or walking and biking paths.

It's no accident that many new loft developments are set in or near historic areas. People who live in lofts are the new pioneers and genuinely take pleasure in the sense of community that often surrounds such areas.

Finally, loft living is attractive because of the spaciousness and flexibility. While there's plenty of room to entertain, raise a family or set up a home office, you can also curl up in a cozy corner to read a good book or have a one-on-one conversation in front of a fireplace.

In a loft, the floor plan can be fluid and ever changing. Kitchens and bathrooms may be more fixed, but you can redefine sleeping and living areas as your life or tastes change with temporary partitions such as hanging curtains, entertainment centers or even changes in floor covering. In this sense, loft living has come full circle from a studio where artists created paintings and sculpture to a home where people create the life and lifestyle of their desire.

A loft's large, open floor plan lets you define your own areas rather than conform to someone else's notions. You can choose to live comfortably on one floor or two. And a loft's open spaces adopt equally well to all decorating tastes, from minimalist and modern to country, antique or contemporary. For example, a loft might feature soft, filmy curtains over reinforced factory windows, or a high-tech couch positioned on a 100-year-old, distressed hardwood floor. You can make the most of a loft's mixed-use nature --the ability to mix old with new and practicality with comfort -- for an eclectic style or as the backdrop for more traditional decorating.

In short, people who live in today's luxury lofts are those who value not only spaciousness, but also comfort, convenience and creativity.