What Is The Best Way To Transform Your Loft Space?

In many homes, a loft is a dark, dusty space used to store the things that come out once a year, like campaign equipment or Christmas decorations. But with a loft conversion, there are many other ways in which you can use this space that may be far more productive. There are lots of possible ways in which a loft can become something other than that space behind a hatch that you seldom visit, with the various options including:

• Another bedroom
• A games room
• A mini library
• A home working space

These are just some of the possibilities that are on offer, each of which will enhance your home.

How Can A Loft Conversion Improve Your Home?

As Build It notes, a loft conversion can have huge benefits for any home:

• It adds 30 per cent extra space in a typical two-storey home
• It can increase the value by up to 20 per cent
• However, this does require good design and planning to make the most of the space.

A typical loft space now won’t just be full of dust and a few cobwebs, but is likely to be minimalist, with no carpet, nor any cover on the beams. However, that does mean you have what amounts to the most obvious blank canvas you could ever have in your home.

Why Do You Need Bespoke Furniture In A Loft Conversion?

Just as you can choose the whole décor from scratch, you can come up with ideas for the furniture to go with it. That is where bespoke furniture makers like us can help bring your dreams to life. This means we can design and make furnishings that not only match the colours, pattern or style you want, but can also be made to measure to fit in with all the different nooks and crannies that a loft is likely to have. Because of its location, the typical loft will have lots of angles, with sloping roofs and other features acting as a constraint on space for any normal furnishings. However, custom-designed furnishings like those we make can be made to measure to utilise every inch. These are important considerations. Build It’s article on loft conversions asks some very important and relevant questions, such as whether there is sufficient headspace (which may be remedied with a new roof) and whether there is sufficient floor space. Some projects might use a modular, dormer or mansard design, where part of the sloping roof is replaced by a box-shaped structure, creating a more standard square shape, more like what you would see in other rooms in the house. This would certainly alter the whole configuration of the loft and means that there is more space to play with. It also means that bespoke furniture can be designed to make the most of this extra room created as a result. However, that does not mean the whole of the sloping roof is removed, so although there is more space in such a situation, there is still a part of the room constrained by an angle and a decision needs to be made about how that is utilised.

Are There Legal Restrictions On Loft Conversions?

This choice will be determined by several factors. One of these is the budget; another is the potential gains that an architect can identify in replacing a sloping roof if that is what you choose to do. In most cases, there should be no restriction on you making structural changes to the roof, as this falls within permitted development rights law. There can be a few exceptions, which would require you to seek the appropriate planning permission:

• If your home is a listed building, you need listed building consent.
• You may face restrictions if you are in a conservation area, if the changes would impact on the character of the vicinity.
• If you live in a national park or designated area of outstanding natural beauty, you will need planning permission.

Even if the conversion does take place under permitted development rights, it is important to ensure it is compliant with building regulations and fire safety laws. You also need to check with your home insurance provider that it does not invalidate your policy. Once these matters have been dealt with, furnishings can be designed accordingly. This means we can make and build whatever you are looking for based on the dimensions that the space will have. Indeed, it is important to consider that the practical and (in some cases) legal aspects of a loft conversion can go hand-in-hand with the design of new furnishings, fixtures and fittings to make the most of the space.

How Can You Make The Most Of New Stairs To The Loft?

For example, the Which? guide to loft conversions raises the matter of stairs. Many a loft is accessible only via a hatch with a drop-down folding ladder and this is not useful for a room that you want to have continual access to. A key point is to ensure you have the space required to include a staircase to the loft. This may require some more changes below to create space, or it might be that you can use a more creative method, such as having a spiral staircase. At the same time, this may create another opportunity for bespoke furnishings or storage solutions. Our bespoke under-stairs storage offers a great way of maximising this particular space, turning a new staircase into extra usable space rather than using it up. You can speak to us as soon as you have some plans drawn up for your conversion and the stairs leading up to it.   The initial design will not usually be the final one in any case, so there can be some amendments, but this exercise can help you make the most of the space available. Whatever the final form your loft conversion takes and whatever you use it for, we can ensure you benefit from over 25 years of experience in designing and producing high-quality, British-made furnishings and storage facilities. With innovative features, custom design to deal with awkward and unconventional spaces and high-quality materials, we can help transform the loft into an extraordinary space that is both aesthetically pleasing and extremely efficient. That way, you will get maximum value from it with no compromise when it comes to looking fantastic.