I absolutely love loft spaces, but they can be a challenge to get right.

If you have a loft apartment, the first thing I would do is ensure that the floor surface is the same throughout the loft. A nice hard wood / semi hard wood floor would work fantastically well. If you can afford to really splash the cash, you might also consider going for a marble floor. They are high maintenance so be prepared for a lot of polishing, but the result is gorgeous! If you are on a more limited budget, I would recommend laminate wood flooring as it is very affordable and the choice available now is of an outstanding standard.  With the best laminates, it can be hard to tell if it’s real wood or not.  Laminate wood has the added advantage of being able to withstand the wear and tear of a much used area.  You may choose to carpet your bedroom as some people like the coziness and comfort beneath their feet when they step out of bed in the morning!

You need consider how you can break and distinguish the different living spaces while maintaining a nice flow to the whole area. A modern kitchen area in white or cream is a great place to start. Cream is a fantastic shade in an open plan space as it is a neutral palette to work from. A fantastic colour that will work well with cream is Azure in the Crown Paints Kitchen & Bathroom Emulsion range. Azure is a warm light blue tone and will look beautifully fresh and contemporary against the cream. Lunch Date is a soft green shade from the same kitchen and bathroom range and will also look fantastic against the cream. There are many more beautiful colours to choose from in the Crown Colour Card. If you have not chosen a backsplash I would also suggest rectangular cream tiles, if you tile them horizontally it looks incredibly modern and chic.

The easiest way to define a zone is through the use of colour. Once you have chosen the colour for your kitchen area, consider what shade will work well with those tones. Lightest Beige and Antique Cream are two gorgeous warm cream shades that will help define the living area while continuing a nice flow to the space.  Try Antique Cream in Matt Emulsion in the bedroom zone, and the Lightest Beige in Easyclean Emulsion in the living area, it is just slightly warmer.

The next area that you need to consider is lighting. Again you need to think of lighting suitability for different areas. Look at each space and decide what activities will be taking place in that area and therefore how it should be lit. One of easiest ways to use lighting is to install dimmer switches so that each area can be lit differently and according to your needs. A small kitchen will need 6 / 8 50 watt downlighters. You can really go wild with your choice of lights as you have such a large space.

When creating the zones in each space remember the layout of the furniture is essential. Try to not have any furniture touching the walls, create a frame of furniture around each identifiable space, this will help define rooms from one another. For example when creating your living room, have the TV against the wall and put the side tables, chairs and couches around the TV.  

It is important to add accessories and finishes touches such as rugs and cushions to add warmth, individuality and a homely feel to the space. Add framed family photographs and artwork to the open wall spaces. These personal touches are essential to turning your loft into your home sweet home.

I hope these tips have helped create your perfect loft and happy decorating!