This brainchild of the industrial age - style loft. This loft style, which makes the non-residential premises in quite tolerable dwelling. Not only is tolerable, so now also fashionable. Probably, loft-style in the interior - it's just rage. However, the Russian interior design, this style has not presented in its pure form, but is widely used in the design of high-end housing.
In the West apartment loft became a familiar phenomenon for a long time, so predictably rapid occurrence of this style in our massive housing. This is especially true for big cities and major industrial cities, as the loft - a product exclusively urban. What lies behind this is still unusual for us the concept? What are its characteristics? Let's face it.
The appearance of loft
The value of the English word «loft» - attic room on the top floor, the very top floor. Denoted by the word a new interior style began recently, but the style was born in the first half of the twentieth century in New York, in the factory district of Manhattan. It was there, in the forties of the last century for the first time began to use cheaper premises of old industrial buildings for housing and offices.
How did it happen? Everything is very simple. The rapid rise in price of land in the center of the industrialists were forced to relocate to its outskirts, and vacated factory buildings began to take young and not rich representatives of creative professions. Artists and musicians have been very beneficial to equip for housing spacious rooms with high ceilings and good lighting not only because of the affordable price. It was still a convenient and cost-effective solution for light combining living and working space, apartment and art studio (studio). Moreover elements such as exposed brick walls, beams, pipes, and other signs of industrial purpose buildings were left intact, which did not prevent residents of the premises and gave some original interior.
It is this originality and began to develop as a stylistic direction of renowned architect and designer Andy Warhol, and for him and other masters of interior design in America and in Europe. After only some ten years the original loft-style housing was considered only an elite and was no longer affordable for affluent artists and musicians.
The concept of style loft
Despite the fact that the new style is called "loft" Loft creates a new concept for the organization of interior space. The loft interior isolated areas are virtually absent, all the separate "rooms" - is conditionally divided functional areas.
The concept of style loft and lies This feature open floor plans. Partitions are virtually absent (except in the bathroom, toilet and utility rooms), and the zoning of the premises by means of texture and color otelochnyh materials of walls, ceiling and floor. For example, the living area has brick walls, and behind her bedroom - Plastered in turn beamed ceilings or bar may represent the border cuisine. In addition to this method of zoning loft interiors also use the division "rooms" mobile partitions - screens and shelves, furniture.
Features loft style
Loft interior - is, above all, a lot of air and light. Therefore, the key spatial characteristics and decoration style loft volume and emphasize it, "immensity" of premises. The main features of forming the space of this style:
- open (no load-bearing walls);
- high ceilings (sometimes up to ten meters);
- a large area (hundreds to thousands of square meters);
- large windows (sometimes in the wall).
Disain features loft-style similar to the characteristics of minimalism: a minimum of furniture and decor at least at the maximum open space. In contrast to the minimalism that is committed to functional and comfortable simplicity, the loft is simple elegant and even refined. This not only contributes to a minimal amount of furniture, but the focus is on her. All interior space should be a modest background for furniture in the loft. For example, a sofa in a room (with its immense size) may be just a single. But he must draw attention to themselves at the expense of brightness or an unusual shape.
Windows, behind which the urban landscape - certainly to the floor. They are no curtains, preventing the penetration of light, and even the light and transparent curtains and tulle. Made out of the window in the loft-interior only blinds (vertical or horizontal).
Texture finish interior loft-style - a combination of cutting-edge materials (glass and steel) with emphasized outdated, and as it were, unfinished finish (bare brick, rough plaster, rough planks and beams). Plain or brick walls, wooden floors and ceiling beams will set the right tone modern sophisticated Union (or rarity) with unpretentious furniture and deliberately rude finish. After all, the comparison of old and new and a maximum sense of space - are the main features loft-style interior.
Furniture and accessories
Features furniture interior loft due to the basic stylistic concept (minimalist sophistication). So the furniture should emphasize the openness of the interior space and thus to be a focus of attention. Surprisingly, interior furniture loft simultaneously be noticeable and bright, and at the same time as it will dissolve in the space. How do designers achieve such a contradictory effect?
Firstly, furniture loft interior never adhered to the walls and thus does not emphasize the border areas. The exception in this case can be open shelves or racks near one of the walls. The rest of the furniture - it's transformers and easily move individual items. For example, a chair and coat rack on wheels, folding chairs and tables, long, bent in different directions, sofas. An indispensable element of fashion or antique furniture of this style - metal structural elements or finishing (and even the material). This chrome frames for racks, metal legs from the beds and sofas, cast iron bathtubs, metal hangers. At the same furniture for loft-apartments can combine incongruous at first sight materials - plastic and natural wood, stainless steel and furs, expensive fine fabrics and synthetics.
The color of furniture - always bright and eye-catching, but only one. Forms - unusual and varied, from the rigid to the cubic curved and flowing forms of the rococo. The unity of style of the furniture emphasizes the use of the same design elements. All of this leads to the loft-style interior unusual and stylistically unique.
Unique loft interior also contribute and original accessories
. There is no conventional wall panels, paintings, expensive or sentimental framed, family galleries
. Accessories loft interior is very peculiar
. They used as what usually surrounds any inhabitant of a large industrial city - billboards, road signs, graffiti, or plaque index
. Of course, you can use the usual decorations, but they should be as close as possible to the total urban concepts and not to violate the style of the room
. If this is the picture, the abstraction, if the photos, the black and white with urban or industrial landscape when floor vases, the massive
. The paintings, for example, can be placed directly on the floor, leaving only leaning against the wall
. Revive the interior in the loft and give it an appropriate atmosphere can also soft padded stools, unusual trinkets and other accessories that will highlight the profession or hobbies owner
.
Targeting loft
And now the most important thing: who fits this new urban style, and whom he just did contraindicated. It is clear that you always want to follow the fashion, including Mauger on the interior design. However, the loft style is not for everyone. To understand this we can agree with some statements, or, conversely, denying them. So, the loft-style is just perfect for those who:
- He prefers free layout of their homes;
- It adheres to the minimalist trends in interior design;
- welcomes in his house plenty of light, air and space;
- He loves furniture and appliances clear and concise manner;
- adores house in order and orderliness of living space;
- He lives in a modern house or apartment with a very large area, high ceilings and large windows.
Loft Strongly suited to those who:
- He wants to have its own, separate room in which to retreat and relax;
- I do not like too much space in the house;
- He prefers cozy and very "home" style of the interior;
- She loves to cook and spends much time in the kitchen;
- He wants to live in a shared apartment or a house;
- adores interior decoration, is prone to sentimentality;
- It has a large family, which lives in the same house.
It can be concluded that the loft interior that is spacious and the absence of nooks, suitable mainly for people creative and not burdened with household chores. Why is that? Because loft features give unlimited space for self-expression and creative experimentation. Today, the New York-style prefer wealthy individualists, artists, people public professions, and recently many young couples. Perhaps because the loft - is not only special housing, but rather a lifestyle.