An extensive pros & cons list on loft apartments

Thinking of moving into a loft but not sure if loft apartments are the perfect choice for you? Here is an extensive pros & cons list you should consider before deciding to move into a loft!

If you’re not very familiar with the characteristics of a loft apartment, it’s hard to decide whether you want to own/rent one or not.

Loft apartments are not like regular apartments. They have their unique charms, but they also have special limitations.

So if you’re thinking of moving into a loft apartment, don’t do it without reading this pros & cons list!

Huge windows

You’ve probably know it already, but loft apartments boost with huge, floor-to ceiling windows. Even loft-style apartments have bigger windows than a regular apartment.

And this characteristic of theirs results in both advantages & disadvantages for the owner.

Advantages

The very positive side to having huge windows is the brightness they provide. It’s known that tons of natural light make one happier and healthier, as well as help align their biological clock to the day-night cycle.

That means waking up with the first ray of sunshine and going to bed when it start getting dark. But why is it important? Because this natural rhythm lets you be most productive and provides you with tons of energy for the day.

Another extremely beneficial thing provided by the windows is a great panoramic view. Who else has a more stunning view over the city than a loft apartment owner? Absolutely no one!

Owning a loft apartment comes with limitations, but the sight from your apartment makes up for everything! It’s such a feel-good factor.

To let the view shine, try developing a minimalistic loft apartment design! Here’s how to do it in 13 simple steps!

Disadvantages

And to mention some of the disadvantages of floor-to-ceiling windows as well:

Windows do not insulate. So when you have a full wall of these tall windows, it can really take a toll on both how you feel in your loft, and your utility bills.

Since glass lets through both cold and hot, you have to take into account the huge temperature fluctuations when moving in. So in the summer, it’s going to be much hotter than you would like it to be, and in the winter the opposite is true.

You energy bills are going to be high compared to a regular apartment: in the winter, heating your apartment will take a whole day and in the summer, cooling it down is also going to take great effort.

Want a super easy to follow guide on how to regulate temperature fluctuations with ease? Read Home Climates‘ 7 tips on balancing temperatures in your loft!

Open layout

Loft apartments are essentially huge & tall open spaces without many inner walls. Again, this has many desired & undesired consequences.

Advantages

One of the most obvious advantages to owning a loft apartment is the huge space at hand. Your space seems much bigger due to this excessive opennes of your apartment. And this is only accentuated by the huge amount of natural light coming in.

These two work together to create the illusion of a bigger space so well, where you’ll feel much better and at home.

Another thing that comes with the open layout, is that you’ll be able to decorate to your liking and make your design the most important part of your apartment.

Therefore, decor has an accentuated role in your loft apartment. If you’re into interior design, you’ll love the vast array of decor opportunities a loft has to offer.

You can really get creative with a loft apartment: setting up focal points, creating versatile lighting in each area, incorporating room dividers, choosing paint colors to match the inner architecture. These are only a few mentionable things you’ll be focused on.

Don’t know how to get started decorating your loft? Here’s a beginner-friendly guide on loft apartment decor.

If you want more ideas, here’s a different take on loft apartment decorating ideas from House Beautiful!

Disadvantages

Obviously, there are downsides as well to having such an open layout.

One is the lack of storage. Since every nook of your loft apartment is exposed due to openness and huge ceiling height, there aren’t many storage options. To avoid ruining your whole design by placing storage in inappropriate spaces, you’ll have to get super creative.

It’s best if you primarily consider hidden or built-in storage solutions, so that their highly functional nature doesn’t clash with your decor.

Want more discrete & aesthetic storage solutions? Read this post and learn 14 insanely good loft apartment organizing ideas!

The other one is that there are no obvious functions for each of the areas of your loft apartment. Without inner walls or room dividers to separate the areas of your loft apartment, they can lose their function.

Here’s an example. If you don’t have a separate room for your home office setup, but have it in your living area, the lack of a divider can cause you to perceive each area the same. Meaning you’ll perceive your office as a part of your living room, which is associated with relaxation. So you’ll not be able to get that much work done.

If you need obvious boundaries between your spaces, loft apartments are not for you!

Ceiling height

Although a huge ceiling height looks aesthetic and lets you play around regarding decor & design, you’ll feel its disadvantages early on.

The most pressing issue that comes with a large ceiling height is the difficulty of maintenance. It’s much harder to clean up there -which is an indispensable part of taking care of your home-, and it also lets odors and damp linger in your apartment longer.

Therefore, you’ll probably have to face molding problems once in a while. And that really can take a toll on your health first and foremost, but also on how you feel in your home.

But if you put just a bit more effort into cleaning & ventilating, you’ll be surprised how much lower your chances of mold are!

If you’re feeling lost regarding cleaning, here’s the ultimate loft apartment cleaning schedule with a FREE printable for an always spotless home!

Inner architecture

Loft apartments have a super sleek and clean inner architecture. The sharp edges, the overall linearity and the clean lines all create a simple, yet gorgeous look that has both up-and downsides.

Advantages

Starting with the positive consequences of a loft’s inner architecture, we must mention its uniqueness first. There’s no other apartment that can be compared to a loft. If you’re looking for something fun & unique, definitely go for a loft apartment!

Then, it can also be of great importance in your decision, that you’ll be able to create a harmonious & suitable design no matter what!

Because of the high sophistication of a loft’s inner architecture, you’ll be able to develop any interior style you want! The plain look serves as a great backdrop for your decor vision, making your design the center of attention.

Want to know which styles would suit your loft apartment most? Here are the top 8 most suitable interior design styles for a loft that you simply cannot go wrong with.

Disadvantages

But naturally, every advantage comes with a disadvantage.

Due to the open layout & simple nature of the inner architecture, you’ll find it hard to utilize all space at hand. There are many weirdly shaped spaces in your loft. And some of the usable ones have an unconvenient location.

The lack of inner walls also cause problems maintenance-wise. Since there are no natural room dividers to confine each space, odors & damp arising in one area travel freely to the others as well.

If you’re a complete beginner, read this post on how to maintain a loft apartment properly first for that headstart!