Lamps in loft style: space and light

The loft style arose relatively recently, in the 40s of the last century, in the USA. There, the price of land began to rise sharply, especially in the center of the city. Most of the factories and plants were moved outside the city limits, and huge production buildings were emptied. Artists and sculptors began to buy them for nothing and set up large workshop apartments there. A new style was gradually formed, called a loft – an attic, the last floor. One of the important features of the industrial interior are lamps in the loft style.

Characteristic features of the loft style

The basis of the loft is a large open space divided into zones by any objects or visually:

• light;
• different wall or floor finishes;
• ceiling beam;
• different furniture in style, color, size;
• movable screen;
• at different levels;
• rack on wheels;
• stairs to the second floor.

The loft style is characterized by:

• Large, preferably on the entire wall, windows. There should be no curtains on them, only if necessary, roll them up to the ceiling for the day.
• Very high, ideally up to 10 meters, ceilings, light, painted or paneled.
• Limited amount of furniture (only essentials). But at the same time, individual items can be very bulky: sofas, tables, beds, chairs. They should have a decorative element made of metal.

It is better if the furniture has wheels: it should easily change its place depending on the owner’s mood, for the same reason the furniture should not be attached to the wall.

• Ease of finishing: brickwork, whitewashed plaster, just a concrete wall. Pipes, columns, beams are not hidden, on the contrary, they are considered an important detail of the interior, they are combined with modern household appliances with shiny surfaces, of which there are many here, and she means it.
• Large free area.
• Functionality of every detail.
• Items that reflect the individuality of the owner: for example, books, photos on the wall (but without frames), collections of posters, road signs, model cars, CDs. A home cinema and two or three huge poufs nearby.
• There may be carpets on the floor, but only for sofas, armchairs, and beds. Plain or with a geometric pattern.

Loft room lighting requirements

Large spaces require a lot of light. And if huge windows cope with this task during the day, then a large number of lamps are needed in the evening.

For any type of interior, the optimal solution is to place the main lamp, for example, a chandelier, in the center on the ceiling. Placement of various less powerful lamps throughout the space, the task of which is to prevent the formation of dark corners and participate in the zoning of the room.

Since such rooms have very high ceilings, the chandelier should be large, one might say bulky, multi-horned, with bright lamps of white light. At the same time, it should go down on special fasteners or cables , but remain high enough, approximately at the level of three meters, so that the light covers almost all rooms. There can be several chandeliers if one cannot cope with the task of fully lighting the space due to the too large size of the room.

Directional light fixtures designed for zoning can be fixed on the ceiling.

Each of the zones of the open space should have its own lamps. For example, in the living room area, you can install floor lamps or table lamps near each piece of upholstered furniture . It is better not to hang sconces, since the furniture is constantly moving around the room. Wall sconces can be used in the bedroom area, as this is the most permanent corner of the room, often located on the second floor.

The light should be cold, white, reflected in metal, mirror and glossy surfaces.

Lamp models

Almost all existing modern models of lamps are used in the loft style:

• chandelier: often has a square or round frame made of metal, shades of different shapes, more often round, square;

• spotlights: allow a directed beam of light to highlight the desired area or a separate important object for the owner; complement the light of the chandelier;
• rotating ceiling lamps, which also complement the main light source, are often used in the kitchen area, hallway, they are mounted in the toilet and bathroom;
• table lamps of various shapes with metal and glass lampshades, they are placed throughout the room, especially often they illuminate the bedroom area, the workplace, the office area;
• theater soffits: they can be installed on the floor next to the wall, on the ceiling or be mobile on legs; their purpose is to illuminate a certain permanent place, or they can be moved throughout the space for various purposes, for example, to additionally illuminate the bar counter during the reception of guests, a collection, photos, a painting;

• floor lamps on long curved legs made of metal: such lamps of different sizes and with lampshades made of glass, plastic, metal are also placed throughout the house, they can be moved by installing them in the right places, they can create an intimate semi-darkness when the overhead lighting is turned off;
• wall lamps: most suitable with metal frames and transparent glass shades;
• in the industrial style, which is a loft, simple factory equipment, for example, bus lamps, will be appropriate;
• table lamps “Edison’s bulb” are produced especially for techno styles;
• built-in LED lights in the kitchen area for additional lighting of the furniture, even if it has open shelves.

Features of outdoor lighting

It is not difficult to arrange street lighting in a loft style in country houses. For this purpose, the following are used:

• different types of spotlights that are installed under the roof visor, on the ground, on the railings of the porch or veranda;
• street wall lamps of the “loft” type, which are produced by the industry and are an elongated lantern with thin edges without glass and with a long modern LED lamp;
• a lamp in the form of a kerosene lamp with well-polished sides can be installed on the railing.

Having decided to create such a loft interior, you must remember that it is not suitable for everyone, but only for lovers of freedom, order, and bright light. And not at all for those who like soft light, cozy corners, solitude. It is not suitable for a family with children.