For a while now there’s been an ongoing tussle in our house over whether to go for a loft conversion. With three kids (two of which are girls and already sharing a bedroom) and only one bathroom, we envisage some rough waters over the coming years. Greig is convinced a loft conversion is the savvy answer. However, weighing up the benefits over the cost and hassle factor (as a home-worker, I’m not sure my sanity can cope with the mess), I’ve always put off the idea. Now I’m starting to have second thoughts. As usual, Pinterest is helping.
MORE LIVING SPACE
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Okay it’s a no-brainer but an extension (in any direction) will give us all more living (and breathing) space as a family. I love the idea of turning the loft into a bit more of a private retreat for us or alternatively we could be generous and allow the kids to use the space as a den when they’re older (not likely!). But really, where else are we going to be able to achieve this kind of light, airy open-plan living style unless we move to New York and buy a loft apartment (also highly unlikely). While I love the high ceilings and period features of our house, it is quite dark and the use of roof windows such as Solstro would allow the space to be flooded with natural light. And then I could have something akin to that white, Scandinavian look (and no kids to mark the walls!). The interior decorating opportunities are very tempting I’ll be honest.
A HOME OFFICE
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image: dezeen
For some people, a loft conversion is a great way to make that home-working dream come true, especially when the business has out-grown the kitchen table. Or it could mean freeing up a downstairs bedroom/study that can be put to another use. Even if you don’t intend to work from this area, it could be an excuse to create your own little personal library as an extension of the living space or devote an area to a hobby by creating a craft room or similar. I think this is one of the most important benefits of a loft conversion; giving you space to relax, work, create and just have ‘a room of one’s own’.
AN EXTRA BEDROOM
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One of the key practical benefits of a loft conversion would be the additional bedroom and I imagine it’s also one of the main reasons most people go for it. We’re always being advised to improve rather than move and it’s a really compelling argument for me. For one, I love our house and we’ve put a lot of work into renovating it to create a family home that we always imagined our kids would grow up in until they flew the nest. I don’t want to move (having done it so many times in my twenties/thirties, the thought brings me out in hives) and our kids are settled at school (our eldest is about to start secondary school in September).
So moving isn’t really an option at this stage. However, the girls do share a bedroom and while there’s nothing wrong with that (my sister and I did when we were young) I do wonder what it will be like over the next ten years when they both need their own space. We also only have one bathroom (again, first world problems I know) but we don’t have the option of a downstairs cloak and sometimes there’s a queue for the loo. I can only imagine what mornings will be like one day. I know we’d cope but an alternative would be nice. Which brings me onto possibly the most exciting reason for a loft conversion.
AN EN SUITE BATHROOM
image: jillianharris
image: foamandbubbles
We’ve just been on holiday and the rental house we stayed in had an en suite attached to the master bedroom. Let’s just say I could really get used to that. I know it would be quite a compact and bijou space but it would still feel like a little bit of luxury every day and well, it’s an excuse to buy some really beautiful floor tiles such as these! I don’t know about you but I also quite like the challenge of making a small space work and could imagine myself getting quite excited about storage solutions not to mention the luxey hotel style toiletries I could buy (safe in the knowledge they wouldn’t get snaffled by the kiddos.).
ADD VALUE
And finally, the fifth reason (as Greig keeps telling me) is that I know it would add value to the property of the house. Now all I need to do is get my head around the idea of enduring a building site for a few months. If anyone has any words of wisdom and encouragement to offer on that please let me know!
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