Four walls, lots of light: the loft

Living in a loft - a dream for many. But hardly anyone knows how much work and costs are involved with this type of luxury property. The reason for this is a historical one.

Large rooms, often high ceilings, rough walls. Almost all lofts have an industrial touch. The relics of the early industrial revolution are now among the most sought-after residential properties. That's not surprising: When living space was created here, the building was an industrial derelict. The original workshops had long since moved out and the site was abandoned. Often due to a lack of living space, young enthusiasts moved in and developed the style of living that is so typical for lofts today: wide open spaces, including homely islands and work space.

Transforming a gutted factory floor into a dream residence

Converting a loft requires a little imagination. The building was not designed as living space and therefore followed a different set of requirements. In addition to the unique flair, the high load capacity is a plus. In the past, its architecture withstood heavy machinery. Now that a sizeable area has been gutted, something new can move in. Initially you might experience the typical echo of empty rooms, but this will diminish once furniture is added. If you want to make specific adjustments to the room acoustics, consult a room acoustician, who will accurately measure the room and can recommend appropriate acoustic elements.

A playground for individualists

Exposed pipework and cables are typical. The walls may or may not be plastered. Often this depends on the thermal insulation. But the height of the loft gives you a degree of furnishing flexibility that other residential buildings rarely have and makes living in the loft so unique. When it comes to heating, however, the room height may pose somewhat of a challenge, so it's just as well that there are heating pipes to complement the interior. This is more or less what you can expect when viewing a renovated loft. The property prices are accordingly high.

Living in the city with lots of green

What people appreciate about lofts is their impressive spaciousness, individual design and the abundance of light. In the past, the many large windows saved lamps on the factory floor. Where they were lacking, the first loft owners installed new windows and replaced old ones. Plants also thrive here like in a greenhouse. The lush green provides an exciting contrast to the urban environment, out of which the loft was born: It was Andy Warhol's "The Factory" that first created a demand for loft living. Accordingly, you can generally expect to achieve a good price when you sell a property like this.