Asked on Mar 01, 2016

Strange loft above our bed, what can I do with it?

MD
by MD
The 80's happened to this poor house before we purchased it, and I have this bizarre loft that goes back about 6ft. I don't want to block it off as I like the light, but its just empty space. Since you need a ladder to get up there, plants are out of the question, as are books or anything else you would need to clean. And I think curtains or window treatments may look silly hanging from a 20ft vaulted ceiling. Any idea on how I can spruce it up or make it interesting without breaking the bank?
  23 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Mar 01, 2016
    I know this is probably going to sound a bit crazy but ,can the wall be removed?
    • See 3 previous
    • Leslie Leslie on Mar 11, 2016
      I wish we could see the whole room Mrs Driscoll. If you have other windows in the room and the room is big enough for your needs and it is not going to mar the look of the house on the outside, get rid of the small windows or board them over and then cover the outside with with what ever kind of siding you have to match. Inside make the wall look solid. Unless you actually want to climb up there on occasion then make it a reading nook. If you have other windows then you will not be losing light. If you don't have other windows and you have a wall that is an outside wall just add windows there. Hope this makes sense. Good Luck
  • KatAych KatAych on Mar 01, 2016
    Is knocking that wall down and just extending your bedroom 6 feet out of the question? Pretty much anything you put up there would have to be at least dusted occasionally...I'm with you, though - I don't even go to the second story of our home if I can avoid it! Hate climbing stuff, even stairs! If you really don't want to put anything up there, you could get some vintage windows and hang them from chains in the opening to let the light come through at least.
    • See 2 previous
    • MD MD on Mar 01, 2016
      :) Gotta love the 80's just what were they thinking?
  • Patty Jabben Roy Patty Jabben Roy on Mar 01, 2016
    This is just my lack of space speaking but I would FIND A WAY to use it for storage! But that's me...What would it look like if the floor of that "odd" loft actuallu were at a 90° or so angle from the windows to the ledge? Still could incorporate storage underneath. Blend in the trim on the windows & edge of the loft to make it more seamless? I am no designer obviously, just thinking outside the loft! Also what are the chances of putting in BIGGER OR MORE WINDOWS?? More light may change your whole outlook on your top bunk... (I picture the kids dying to throw a mattress up there for a fort/sleep"over"/drive our parents out of their own bed party!
  • MD MD on Mar 01, 2016
    Thats the one thing we are not lacking in this house is storage, and I did think of that, but getting a 9ft ladder every time you wanted to take something down would get real old real fast. The loft was built over the roof line so the windows cant be moved and the wall cant be taken out, that's why it is a 6ft or more ledge. We have been told by structural and Architectural Engineers that to make any changes like that to the 2nd floor would require ripping it all off and starting over, I wish I had pockets deep enough for that:) Funny when we looked at the house I thought this room might have been a kids room and not the Master because it just screams a kids climbing fantasy.
  • Dfm Dfm on Mar 01, 2016
    big artsy sculptures. decorative gate panels, found fretwork collection , old funky windows
  • Moxie Moxie on Mar 01, 2016
    If it were mine...i think i would build "booksheves on either side of the bed that are such they could be used as ladders if desired. Then i would use plexi glass panels in an odd number and mount them to pipe with hardware so they could rotate (to allow access in between post whe they are turned to "open the space") and i would put some of the water applied type window film that looks like stained glass or color of your liking (translucent). This would allow storage of items off to the sides that you dont use often like holiday stuff but would also allow lite to com through abd close off the space...framing the plexi would prob keep it from warping over time. Just an idea : )
    • See 1 previous
    • Moxie Moxie on Mar 02, 2016
      Yeah! Cant wait to see it!
  • Liana Liana on Mar 02, 2016
    You can give your Windows a faux tiffany glass design by using glue and Colors that you like. You can hang curtains from the ceiling to install a scarf valance in front of the loft and create the idea of a headboard/canopy bed
  • Donna Donna on Mar 02, 2016
    Put some plants (real or fake) in some pretty pots up there! It will add some fun color and nature to the room.
  • Jane prey Jane prey on Mar 02, 2016
    Not knowing what the rest of the room looks like, can you remove the walls (leaving the structural supports ) and gain a sitting area/office/craft space? Such a shame to waste both the upper and lower spaces.
  • Gina Gina on Mar 02, 2016
    I can't see what's next to the bed, but can you center the bed to the windows. It looks off to one side which is tweaking my OCD. :) But then I love Liana's idea with the stained glass (faux or otherwise). For the shelf, I'd add some plants and maybe cherub angel statue that hangs over the edge.
  • None None on Mar 02, 2016
    That space just screams for 3 or 4 cats in baskets sunbathing :)
  • Leslie Leslie on Mar 02, 2016
    Gina, I am wondering what is behind the wall behind the bed. I am wondering if it encloses the space underneath the high ledge. Was it a bump out the former owners enclosed??? What does the outside of the house look like? I am wondering if you can get the original floor plans of the house from your town. I am also wondering if that may have been the sleeping area of a teen....like a loft bed, sounds big enough. If there is nothing behind that wall tear it down put in bigger windows and maybe use it as a sitting area. Your room may not be how it was originally :) I was also thinking the wall that encloses the loft area may not be original and may give you additional space. If there is no way of telling with your research, find some one who knows their stuff who can tell you if that is original construction to the house. If it isn't have fun with your sledge hammer :) Good luck.
    • See 1 previous
    • Leslie Leslie on Mar 11, 2016
      @Kaytedec I didn't see the previous posts on the stucture, Thank you for giving me a heads up. I would love to know what they were thinking about when they did that. WEIRD.
  • Colleen Colleen on Mar 02, 2016
    Make it a gallery and hang artwork and interesting architectural salvage, for instance. Make over the windows with a diy stained glass application. Anything you put up there would call for a once a year dusting....you would probably plan on getting up there for one annual dust removal even if you left it empty, wouldn't you? Ick. Gee, what a pain....what were they thinking??
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Mar 02, 2016
    I would really work on the convincing of your husband to take down the wall
    • Tammy Sea Tammy Sea on Mar 02, 2016
      @Janet Pizaro She said that they consulted an engineer and that it simply isn't in their budget.
  • Dmg3224724 Dmg3224724 on Mar 02, 2016
    Look in your favorite thrift stores for large vases, like two or three, and spray paint them to go with your room decor. Put them on the right side, then on the left put a thriftstore birdcage with a round dome and fill it with a round fake boxwood ball.
  • Mary Ann Mary Ann on Mar 02, 2016
    You can prop up a large picture and add a couple items to the side - like a vase w tall bamboo, artificial tree or a large basket. Use an uneven number of items and different heights for a pleasing scene.
  • Pat Pat on Mar 02, 2016
    When I looked at your picture and read that the space goes back about 6 ft my thought was why couldn't you take part of the wall out and put a stairway/sloping ladder on one side? Or just put a special made (cheaply) ladder going up to the loft. Do you know why the previous owners put that loft there? Did they have a twin bed mattress up there for sleep overs? Is there something inside the loft like chimneys or pipes or wiring? I like taking down the wall if possible....convince your husband. My second choice might be to put nothing up there. I would put short sheer curtains on the windows, however.
    • MD MD on Mar 02, 2016
      @Pat We cant, the prev owners built this right over the roof line, thats why we have the loft. Our Engineer said it is not a simple correction, we would need to rip off the whole second floor and rebuild and that would be $330-500K, thats more than the house cost:)
  • Cathy Cathy on Mar 02, 2016
    How tall is the ceiling up there in that space? Too bad it is in the Master Bedroom, it would be a wonderful space for a kids room. Some larger items up there would be best---but you would have to get up there at least once a year anyhow to dust/clean that space. According to your taste, a spinning wheel would look cool up there along with some vintage items, like an old treadle sewing machine. Another idea would be an old bike, a sled/tobagan, some other old toy item.
  • Kini Kini on Mar 02, 2016
    If it's tall enough to sit up in, I would make it a reading nook. A book case on each end and wonderful pillows to curl up in. A private retreat area.
  • MD MD on Mar 02, 2016
    I received some interesting jumping off points that gave me some good ideas and some not so nice responses, so its time to stick a fork in this. I have decided to block it off as if it where a large window above the bed, since I dont need the extra space.
  • MD MD on Mar 02, 2016
    I received some interesting jumping off points that gave me some good ideas and some not so nice responses, so its time to stick a fork in this. I have decided to block it off as if it where a large window above the bed, since I dont need the extra space.
  • Kaytedec Kaytedec on Mar 11, 2016
    I know you're done, but I think it would be totally cool to build a permanent stairway up and make it a reading nook. Looks tall enough
  • Patty Jabben Roy Patty Jabben Roy on Oct 02, 2018

    You wanted answers. Now you need to know how to get them to STOP! LOL