Lofty thoughts

Don’t treat a loft extension as an incidental add-on, but an organic evolution of your existing structure, says Juliet Pospielovsky

This award-winning loft extension has a lot going for it. Not only is the space interesting, but it has been interpreted well too. Of course not everyone has an oak-framed farm building to play with, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t make the most of your home’s natural assets. In this case, the owner didn’t view the sloping roof space as a negative feature, but as an opportunity to create something that’s distinctive, cosy and full of character.

As well as creating a loft design that’s sensitive to the era of the building, it’s crucial to consider carefully the space you’re gaining above and the space you’re losing below in order to gain access. Placing the staircase in a spot that won’t waste ‘good’ space is crucial, but so is choosing a sympathetic staircase design. In fact, the loft conversion shown above owed much of its success to the bespoke one created by specialists Bisca.
‘It was important to be sensitive to the building’s history,’ says Richard McLane, design director and co-founder of Bisca. In this spiral design, the staircase treads are made from reclaimed oak railway sleepers and the forged stainless steel has an organic feel. The elements of the staircase – the bars and uprights – are punched through and pinned rather than being welded or bolted thus making it in keeping with traditional barn construction.
‘So many people treat a staircase simply as furniture when it’s really part of the architecture…a great staircase can make your extra room flow and become a harmonious part of the whole.’

Although structural issues are of utmost importance, an attic space needs extra thought when it comes to furniture, fabrics and accessories. A common mistake is to treat the extra space as if it’s a conventional room and use over-large furniture. For beds and sofabeds, look for inexpensive compact pieces and save your budget for sumptuous fabrics and quality, eyecatching pieces of small furniture, perhaps introducing on-trend materials such as shagreen and silver resin. Finally, carpet provides a cosy, homely feel and acts as a sound barrier.