We have been working hard to finalize the floorplan and interior design for our loft conversion in Berlin. As is often the case with these sorts of projects, there have been a few bumps along the way that have delayed our start date.
However, we can't afford to delay for much longer because the loft needs a new roof, and this aspect of the remodel needs to be completed before winter arrives. It gets bitterly cold in Berlin, with many days of snow and sleet, and it's not possible to build a roof in those conditions. So fingers crossed we'll be ready to start on the roof in the next couple of weeks! In the meantime, these are our plans for the loft...
There is a total buildable area of around 1600 sqft (148 sq mt) in the loft and we have decided to create a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment, with an open plan kitchen, living, and dining area. We hope to rent the loft for a few years, until we're ready to sell it and take on another project.
Being a loft conversion, we're having to work around areas of low head-height (where the roof slopes) and so we've had to be creative with the layout to really maximize the square footage and not have too much wasted space.
A secrtional drawing showing the stairs into the loft and the kitchen space.
Open Plan Living
We've chosen to have wide plank hardwood flooring throughout, and dark grey/blue cabinetry. We'll be accentuating the peaked roof by keeping some of the original beams.
A view of the kitchen from the living room.
The dining room will be big enough to seat at least six people, along with more at the kitchen island. It should be a great space for entertaining!
Another view of the kitchen where you can see the large island.
In the living room area we're restoring the original chimney and building a fireplace with some of the loft's original exposed brick, and we've designed a glass-walled terrace which brings in lots of natural light and provides some outdoor space.
The living area, fireplace and outdoor terrace.
The Master Bedroom Suite
It's difficult to predict who will end up renting or buying this loft from us, but we wanted to prioritize having a large and luxurious master suite.
This sectional drawing shows you where the master bedroom is in relation to the living spaces.
The master suite is spacious, at around 475 sq ft (45 sq mt), and includes a walk-in closet and ensuite bathroom with shower and freestanding tub.
This sectional shows the the flow between the master walk-in closet, bedroom and bathroom, and illustrates the scale of the ceiling height at the roof's peak.
We're keeping the original exposed brick wall on the upper portion of the master bedroom, and on one wall in the master bathroom. We're also adding 3 skylights to bring in more natural light. A lack of windows, and therefore natural light, is a common challenge you face designing within loft spaces, because these old buildings weren't created with the intention of converting the roof space into habitable space at the time they were built.
A sectional of the master bathroom. A skylight has been designed over the tub to allow create head-height.
We're planning on using a concrete style tile for the floor of the master bathroom, a glazed porcelain herringbone tile on wall behind the vanity, and a porcelain 'marble' tile for the shower. All hardware and framed glass will be matte black. We want the interior design to reflect the industrial vibe of the loft, while using high-end, high quality finishes.
Sliding doors into the walk-in closet.
To maximize the use of space, we decided to convert the area of lower head-height in the master bedroom into a walk-in closet. We made sure to put drawers along the back wall (the area of lowest head-height), while having hanging space on either side.
Inside the walk-in closet.
Bedroom 2
Bedroom 2 is more compact than the master, but highly functional. It has been designed to accommodate a European king sized bed, has ample built-in storage, and opens onto a private outdoor terrace.
A sectional drawing of bedroom 2.
We've positioned bedroom 2 on the opposite side of the apartment to the master, and next to the second bathroom, so if this space ends up being shared by roommates everyone has as much privacy as possible.
A sectional drawing showing the position of bedroom 2 in relation to the living room.
Bathroom 2
The second bathroom in the apartment will have a shower and single vanity. We're planning on laying black and white geometric tiles on the floor, and a pale green glazed tile on the walls. I'm hoping to have a solid wood vanity custom made that we can suspend from the wall.
A sectional drawing of bathroom 2.
Bedroom 3
The third bedroom in the apartment is the most compact. We've designed it as a space that could be used as a study, guest bedroom, or kids room. Depending on how close we stay to our budget, we have designed a built-in trundle bed and storage for this room, to fit in the area of low head-height.
Our built-in trundle bed and storage design for bedroom 3 - bedget permitting!
Laundry Area + Storage
Most apartments in Berlin aren't equipped with built-in laundry cupboards and storage. We really want this loft to stand out from the crowd, and offer its future residents as much convenience as possible. After all, everyone loves built-in storage. So we've created this laundry area as thoughtfully as possible, in the corridor that leads from the living area to bedroom 2.
We have been working on this project with Arkana Architects (the same team who is designing our home in Bali) and they have been absolutely incredible at every stage. All illustrations in this post are credited to them.
If you'd like to see the before photos of the loft (as it is currently unrenovated) check out this post.