Attic Living Room - 3 Attic Design Inspirations You'll Want to Try
Attic rooms have not only a very interesting atmosphere but also a huge potential in terms of design. In most cases, you can arrange them freely - depending on your needs. A living room in the attic is a very good idea, especially if it has few slopes. It will serve not only the whole family, but also guests. Check a few interesting ideas for designing an attic living room.
How to prepare the attic for a living room design?
If you are in the process of building a house or purchasing a new apartment where everything has to be done from scratch, you’re in luck. Designing an attic in this case is not a problem at all - especially if you hire specialists to do everything for you. You just have to present your vision and expectations to them.
It’s a little bit different if you are renovating the space, as all that has to be done can be quite invasive. In fact, everything depends on the previous design.
Roof insulation is one of the most important issues in the attic. Why? A properly insulated roof protects the attic room from humidity which might occur along with rain and snowfalls. In winter, insulation also protects the interior against cold temperatures. It’s highly important, as this way you don’t have to invest in additional attic heating - which might generate additional costs.
An access to electricity is quite an important aspect. Without it, it would be impossible to use the interior normally. Of course, you can use an extension cord to plug in a TV or a lamp. But it’s not a long-term solution. It’s completely impractical, especially that you cannot plug in the main light source, and functioning without it in the evening might be difficult.
An attic living room - what about the windows?
Roof windows and their functionality is very important in an attic living room. While you cannot really do anything about it in an apartment, you have a full freedom of choice in a house. Don’t try to save money on this. Most importantly, roof windows have to be resistant against weather conditions - it’s an investment for 20-30 years.
Although wooden windows typically look better and are generally cheaper, they are also less durable than their vinyl counterparts. Plastic material has an additional advantage. It is easy to clean, and you don’t have to worry about protecting them.
Construction is as important as material. In this case, you have two options:
- double-pane windows,
- triple-pane windows.
The final issue to think about when picking roof windows is the way they open. In this case, you can choose from the following models:
- top or bottom hung,
- pivoting,
- top hung and pivot,
- raised axis pivot and top hung.
Roof balconies and electric roof windows are quite interesting premium choices. They provide maximum comfort, but keep in mind that both of those solutions might be quite expensive.
An attic living room - pick comfortable stairs
When you design an attic living room, pay attention to certain important elements like stairs. In the end, you are going to use them to get to the interior. As it turns out, it’s not that simple matter, especially in an apartment of a limited space. If such a case, some homeowners decide to install a ladder (so-called ship ladder stairs), which looks quite good, serves its purpose and takes little space. But can you imagine that you invite guests and ask them to climb up? Aside from the fact that it might be practically impossible for elderly people, it’s also quite risky for younger members of the family.
Proper stairs is a much better option - plus, you have a lot of possibilities in this case. You can freely pick from models with treads of different heights and widths, but also with various types and shapes of the whole construction. There are already constructed models available on the market, but many companies also offer custom stairs - fit to the house or the apartment and the owners’ needs.
Those who pay attention to aesthetics and functionality, commonly pick a modular staircase or spiral stairs. The former are perfect for homeowners who have unlimited space. The latter work in any case - even in small apartments.
An attic living room - design your loft style lounge!
The word “loft” is basically synonymous with “attic”. Loft style, often called industrial style (because of its origins) is perfect for this type of space. It’s a good design option, especially if there are pillars supporting the roof construction in the interior. In this case, you just have to seal them - and they can become an integral part of the design.
Loft style is so universal that you can use raw walls. So, if the building is well insulated, you can leave original bricks exposed on the wall. Wood is also a very characteristic material in such designs. If you’re wondering what kind of flooring to choose, natural wood is a great idea.
Vinyl planks are a cheaper alternative to wood. It doesn’t mean that if you pick them, the interior will be less aesthetic. Manufacturers offer a lot of designs, so you shouldn’t have any issues with finding a pattern indistinguishable from wood.
An attic room in loft style also means matching furniture, decorations and accessories. Using them, you can achieve the desired result and impress anyone who pays you a visit.
- When picking furniture, choose a combination of wood, metal and leather. Those materials are characteristic for industrial style. Furthermore, they look great in various combinations.
- If you decide to use decorations, you can enrich the interior with glass and copper elements. They will look distinct against a raw background, making they perfect eye-catchers.
How to enliven an attic living room design? If you like greenery, add some house plants. A potted palm or a fern perfectly complement this style.
Although an attic room has a limited access to light, loft style interiors often use dark colors - both on walls and in the furniture. Charcoal grey is the absolute hit - it has been highly popular for several years. You can also pick brown, a lighter shade of grey or ever dark blue. The latter looks great when combined with a brown leather or camel sofa.
Modern minimalism - a small living room in the attic
Minimalism, in other words minimalist style is a highly popular trend. Interiors designed in this manner lack unnecessary, unused elements that take space on shelves and catch dust. It’s a perfect option if you want to transform your attic into a small living room.
Although a minimalist attic living room doesn’t use any rich elements, make sure to take care of the following items:
- a sofa or armchairs,
- a TV table or bench,
- a case for books, films or games,
- a coffee table,
- lamps.
It’s just an exemplary list of necessary furniture. You can change it depending on your needs and space dimensions.
Minimalism doesn’t mean that you have to give up all the decorations. But they should be well thought-out to avoid clutter. It means you can hang some pictures and posters on the wall, put a vase with fresh flowers in the room or add ornamental cushions to the sofa. Just make sure the accessories don’t overwhelm the interior.
As for the color palette - minimalism typically uses delicate pastel colors. You can choose from the following list:
- beige,
- ecru,
- blue,
- canary yellow,
- dusty pink.
How about Boho? A cozy living room in the attic
Lightness, coziness and references to the past and country living - this is what Boho style is about. No wonder then that many homeowners dream of having it in their homes. It’s even more understandable considering the fact that characteristic designs for this style are perfect both for small and large interiors. Therefore, you can use them in houses and apartments.
How to design a Boho living room in the attic? It’s not as difficult as it seems. First of all, create a good base, and then add some accessories and decorations to it. An attic living room like this is supposed to be cozy, therefore, use wood. It looks great both on the floor and walls. We recommend using light-colored wood.
What about furniture in a Boho attic living room? Sofas and armchairs upholstered with fabric, full of cushions and blankets are the perfect basis. You can also add some decorations:
- wicker baskets,
- clay pots with houseplants,
- soft shag rugs,
- lanterns with candles,
- table runners with folk patterns,
- wooden plant holders.
Remember that plants are the basic elements of Boho - just like in urban jungle style. Make sure to enrich the interior with at least one, if you don’t have space for more.
📍 How to design an attic living room?
When designing an attic living room, make sure to have a good project - it will help you with space organization. Insulation, electricity and staircase are the essentials. Pay attention to roof windows, as they are the practical aspect of the interior. After taking care of these issues, you can pick a style for your attic living room design.
📍 How to arrange a living room in the attic?
Make sure the attic living room is functional - this space is supposed to provide relaxation. Think of which style you want, having the amount of available space in mind. If the interior has slopes, make sure not to waste space. Take care of good lighting.
📍 How to paint an attic living room?
You should be thoughtful about how to paint a room in the attic, as it is an unusual interior. If the space is small and the roof windows or skylights aren't large either, light colors are the best option. In case of a larger interior, you can use darker colors such as charcoal or brown - especially if you aim for industrial style. Because an attic living room should provide relaxation, give up very intense and bright colors.
📍 How to furnish a living room in the attic?
Furnishing a living room in the attic depends on many aspects such as the size of the interior and the style you pick. Remember about sofas and armchairs for rest and relaxation. It's recommended to add a coffee table - it'll come in handy when receiving guests. If you have books or a console games collection, make sure to add a bookcase.
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