An attic renovation is a smart way to increase the living space in your home! If you just have trunks of junk in your attic it is time to put some clever renovation principles to work in your upstairs real estate.
Attics don't have to big ugly, dark and poorly renovated. They can be modern, bright and beautifully designed. A well remodeled attic can make for a posh loft that might be the envy of the block.
Dark Wood Bookcases
One of the biggest problems that attics present is that the areas under low ceilings have limited usefulness. But, with some clever design principles and sound remodeling strategies you can harness these zones so that every square inch of your attic is working and looking good!
Things to Make the Most of Your Attic:
Built-n Storage
Having built-in storage, such as shelves, drawers, nooks or cupboards, installed along low walls is a key attic remodeling strategy. Here are some of the benefits:
*This kind of customization adds value to your home.
*The storage keeps the space organized and free of clutter.
*It keeps people from entering a low area where they might otherwise bump their head.
*It eliminates the need for free standing dressers or bookcases.
*It maximizes the area in dead zones.
Furniture Placement
Placing furniture under low ceilings is another design strategy that maximize that harnesses awkward zones along low attic walls. Here are some options:
*Place the head of bed under the low part of the ceiling.
*Position a coach or chair in low areas.
*Dressers, desks, bookcases and entertainment units can go along low walls.
Arranging the furniture this way physically blocks people from entering zones that don't have enough head clearance. As long as there is enough height to sit these solutions work.
Move the stairs
Sometimes, for ease of installation, stairs to the attic are built in such a way that they consume valuable floor space in the attic. While this project involves a little more work for a contractor the results of a better floor plan and increased space make it worth the investment.
Here are some stair strategies:
*Break the stairs up with two half flights and a landing.
*Work with the slope of the roof line by having stairs that descend to a landing before changing direction.
*Add a skylight to the stairwell.
Dormers
Attic dormers add more natural light and more usable space. Finding a way to let in more light is one of the top things that homeowners want to accomplish with a home renovation. Space and light are even more critical in an attic. Dormers can be used to:
*Give more height in a bathroom or kitchen.
*Seating areas.
*Nooks for desks.
Once you have taken advantage the extra room that a dormer affords you will be left with more square footage in the middle of the attic. Capitalizing on the perimeters and keeping rooms more open toward the middle will improve movement and circulation in the space.
Skylights
Skylights to a tremendous job of adding light into attics that might otherwise be dark. They are perfect additions for homes in cities where neighbors are close and the view might be an issue. They are also easier to have installed than a dormer. When such "windows" are installed on sloped roofs it gives the illusion of more vertical space in the room. Some great places for skylights and skylight wells are:
*In bathrooms above sinks.
*In built-in bathroom shower stalls.
*Above built-in nooks for beds or desks.
*In attic kitchens.
*In main living areas.
*In stairwells.
Windows
Make the most of your windows! Windows add natural light and give rooms the feeling of more space! If your windows need replacing consider the following:
*Make your windows wider.
*Some window can be made taller.
*Windows can also bigger and lower to increase the view.
You can employ all of these window strategies, but a careful consideration of what is actually needed in a room may only necessitate or or two of these possibilities. For example, it may not be possible to go wider, but raising the height of a window can have a huge impact on how deep light can penetrate in to the room.
Reflect Light
Light can either be absorbed or reflected by walls, ceilings, floors or objects in a room. Painting ceilings and walls adjacent to windows white or other light colors will help natural sunlight to keep on moving through your rooms. Reflective surfaces like hardwood floors and mirrors will also bounce light to other regions of the room. To summarize:
*Paint ceilings white.
*Paint walls across from and beside windows light reflecting colors.
*Use hardwood flooring or light carpets.
*Employ the clever use of mirrors and other reflective surfaces.
Add Sufficient Lighting
While natural light can work wonders in small spaces to open them up, you don't always have enough natural light. That is where electric light comes in to play. Think about the kinds of lighting you will need and have an electrician install:
*Overhead lighting such as pot lights.
*Enough plugs for lamps.
*Wall mounted lights and sconces.
*Task lighting.
Small Bathroom Renovation
Installing a small bathroom in your attic is a good use of the space. If you are making the attic into an apartment then a small bathroom addition will be needed. You just need to ensure that codes are met for minimum head clearance requirements. You can use the lower spaces under the sloped roof lines to tuck in a toilet, a shower or a sink. Here are some small bathroom strategies for the attic:
*Insert your toilet under a sloped ceiling.
*Place the vanity under against a low wall.
*Add a skylight above the sink for more light.
*Have a bench added along the low wall of shower.
*Install a skylight well above the shower for a little more head room.
Have your attic inspected by remodeling contractors to see if your attic is a good candidate for a renovation. Such contractors can give you a good idea of the scope of the project and the renovation costs that will be involved. Start planning for a better attic today!
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Oct 28, 2011 20:49:06
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Contemporary Home Office Cube Bookcase Display Shelves Overview
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