Image Source: mochatini.org

To create an ambiance that oozes with warmth, strategically place scented candles around the room and group tea lights to add soft light. A modern collection of paintings, posters or drawings may appeal to your artistic side but might look disorganized to a potential buyer. Thoughtfully placed shelves are a fashionable way of exhibiting photos, vases, candles and pieces of artwork. Check out also your child’s bedroom. Since not all house buyers have children, it is essential to make the child’s room “adult-friendly”. It can easily be turned into a guestroom or an office. So, it would be great if you could paint the bedroom a nice neutral color.

Now you can divide the room into different areas using furniture pieces like a book case or tables that will double as dividers. Other choices would be screens or room dividers. You could try putting your bed on a raised platform to separate it from the other rooms. You can also hang fabric screens from your high ceilings which doubles also as makeshift dividers. Choose a decorating style you want. What is the color motif of your loft? It is up to you how to successfully mix neutral and bold colors and still create a pleasant effect. Most lofts go for a contemporary decorating style. You can use natural materials like wood and stone blended with stainless steel furniture. Throw in a plant or two to soften the look of say, your living area. Furnitures and Accessories. The best kind of furniture you can use in lofts are those that have a functional as well as aesthetic value like a platform bed which has lots of storage area underneath it. Tall dressers are also good for storage and as dividers. Furniture pieces with wheels can also come handy in your loft for easy maneuvering in case you need to move furniture from one area to another.

Make a commitment to live clutter-free. If you haven’t used it, or even missed it in a year, then you don’t need it. If you don’t need it, sell it, give it to charity or throw it out. And if you don’t know where to put it, don’t buy it. Remember, less mess, less work!

Maximize your space by installing built-in closets and shelves. Make every inch count! Buy those plastic boxes which come in all sizes, they can go under the bed, in place of a coffee table, etc. Invest in drawer organizers and closet savers.

Choose furniture that can do double duty. There are a lot of cool, new furniture in the market today that are designed to have multiple uses. Such as an ottoman that can be a coffee table, extra seating and has room for storage. Or sofa beds that can transform into a comfy bed at night, with storage space for beddings. Or dining tables that can expand to accommodate extra guests.

For many Americans, moving to an urban apartment is about tapping into the excitement and cultural opportunities of the big city and can also mean a shorter commute to work. But finding a place in the city can mean sacrificing the larger living spaces found in the suburbs or country. Increasingly, urban dwellers are finding that loft apartments offer the location and opportunities of city life with far more space than average condos or apartment homes. he term loft began in New York and Chicago when renters and owners began turning old industrial buildings into living spaces. The original tenants were artists who craved the high ceilings, large windows and open floor plans typical of converted warehouses and factories. The primary benefit of loft living is the large open spaces that allow you to live and move how you want, rather than having your movement defined by a permanent floor plan of walls, doorways and rooms.

I know the feeling of part excitement and part anxiety when finally moving out of the ‘rents’ house. For once, you know you’ll have all the freedom you’ve been craving since you’ve hit the teen mark, but at the same time there is that twinge of worry about the responsibilities that comes with independent living you’ll have to face.

Don’t worry. We’re here to help you with exactly that. But let’s take it one step at a time.
Let’s start with the furniture basics. If you’ve just graduated from high school or college with very little money of your own to buy from Ikea, then it wouldn’t exactly hurt if you

a) Borrow from family and friends
b) Buy from flea markets and thrift shops
c) Recycle your old stuff

These are some of the stuff that you might want to start with:

* sofa bed/ a sofa and a bed
* one comfortable upholstered chair
* two stackable chair, just in case you’ve got company coming over
* book case or mounted shelves
* a multi-purpose table ( i.e. coffee/study/dining)

Don’t pout yet, the next posts will focus on adding life to old furniture.

Before, loft spaces are inhabited by artists but nowadays, young and old, artist or not are in search of loft living for many reasons. Lofts are not just former industrial spaces converted into a dwelling place that only exists in New York and Los Angeles or any other cities in US. What comprises loft spaces is something that many housing experts are disagreeing about. But whatever the concern is, it is a known fact that whether you are a fresh out of college graduate who is relocating to the city or a middle aged couple in search for something other than the tedious, serene feel in the suburbs, a lot of people are being drawn to the glamorous lifestyle of loft living.

Lofts can serve as a great home for families but you should be aware that nature of a loft’s position when it is above a store or other industrial structures is that it usually has stairs. See if it would be too hard or risky for your children or pets for daily use. If you have a pet, you also have to consider the fact that pets need to do their “business” quite often and using the stairs can be an inconvenience. But nowadays, many cities provide parks and green spaces where people can take and walk their dog. To be more sure, ask around the neighborhood about this concern regarding your pets.

One of the first things you have to consider about living in a downtown loft is the security and privacy it can provide you. If it is too important for you, then lofts are very sensible choice for you since you can make noise without fearing for neighbors to complain about it and you can have much freedom in making decorative alterations. Your friends and acquaintances can come by any time with lots of space to move around and party. Concerning parking spaces check the options available for you and ask about the payment for such amenity. Cities do have a limited street parking policies.

A loft apartment design is straightforward, it has an open space and you can delineate your own area. You can move around freely and can place your belongings, furniture, appliances anywhere you like. You can put furniture in one area today and van transfer it to another spot the next day. Lofts also have an eclectic style wherein you can combine the old and new world together. It’s like living the loft history and at the same time, designing your loft with New York urban style. And with loft apartments you can save more because it is easier to construct and maintain that’s why landlords do not charge much for lofts. To live in a big city has meant to dwell in a tiny apartment without enough room to breathe, but loft living proves that wrong.