Loft bedroom ideas: how to create a cosy bedroom in your loft
A loft conversion can be used for many things, but the space you've made by converting your loft is a fantastic opportunity to create a cosy bedroom. From the added privacy to some of the best views in the house, there are many benefits to converting your loft into a bedroom — and some challenges to take into account too. Page Jump
Loft Bedroom Design
A converted loft is ideal for a master bedroom or guest bedroom, partially due to the amount of floor space that’s available here when compared to other rooms. They also tend to have the best views in the house, plus a whole range of other unique features that set lofts apart from other rooms in your home.
However, loft bedroom design is usually approached slightly differently to other bedrooms because of the unique shape of most lofts. Here are a few considerations you’ll need to take into account when coming up with loft conversion bedroom design ideas.
Walls
There only tends to be one feature wall in a converted loft. On either side are usually two short walls a couple of feet high, and long sloped ceilings. When painting, it’s common to decorate the largest wall with your favourite colour or even a patterned wallpaper, leaving the ceiling and two short walls a light colour to help open up the space.
Windows
Perhaps the best thing about converting your loft is the opportunity to add roof windows. These can provide some spectacular views as well as increase the amount of natural light you generally receive. Due to their angle and position at the top of the house, roof windows and skylights let in more light, so your bedroom can become a sunshine sanctuary during the day. And, as access to sunlight is said to boost your activity and productivity levels, you may find you sleep better at night too! with the addition of electric blinds for skylights.
There are a few different kinds of roof window to consider, but one of the best for a loft bedroom may be balcony windows. These provide a great place to stand and have your morning coffee, or to let a gentle breeze in during summer. Having said that, most roof windows open upwards so you can still enjoy a coffee looking out over your surroundings on pleasant days.
Flooring
It’s quite rare you’d find a wood floor in a loft conversion bedroom. Not only are they noisy for the floors below, but in bedrooms, they can be uncomfortably cool on your feet when you first get out of bed. A carpet will not only feel soft and warm, but it can help muffle noise and create a calmer environment for sleeping. If your loft conversion does have wood flooring, a few soft, plush rugs can provide comfort and absorb noise.
Other considerations
There are a few different add-ons you can consider when mapping out your loft bedroom. For example, do you want to provide a loft conversion bedroom and ensuite, or even a small kitchen area? Due to the added privacy, this is a popular choice for guest bedrooms, particularly if you intend to rent out a room in your home. However, any occupant will enjoy having their own private bathroom or kitchen attached to their bedroom, separate from the rest of the house.
Decorating a Loft Bedroom
It could be said that decorating your loft bedroom is the fun part, but there are a few things to bear in mind when choosing a colour scheme.
Loft bedroom colour ideas
It’s quite common for loft-style bedrooms to be painted a light, bright colour such as white, pastel shades, or very light beiges and greys. This is to give the illusion of a bigger, more open space, as the sloped ceilings of a loft conversion can sometimes cause the room to look smaller and narrower than it is.
For the same reason, it’s not usually recommended that you paint your lower walls a different colour to the ceiling — keeping them the same can blend the seam and avoid shortening the perceived height of your loft bedroom.
As for the larger far wall, this is your opportunity to add colour, patterns, artwork, and whatever else you have planned. Popular loft bedroom colours include midnight blue, perfect for mimicking the night sky and encouraging rest, or sunset colours such as yellows, oranges, and deep pinks. Again, these colours can help you relax as they encourage you to unwind and get ready for sleep.
If you know what kind of mood you want to create, you can look to colour psychology for inspiration — or simply pick your favourite!
Loft Bedroom Lighting
Lighting is an important element to consider when decorating your home. Not only can access to natural light boost your mood and even your physical health, but adequate artificial lighting on an evening and during the night can help prevent accidents. To properly plan your landscape, we’ve put together a guide to brightening up a dark room.
Natural light
The best thing about loft conversion bedrooms has to be the increased access to natural light. Most loft conversions have sloped ceilings with roof windows, and the angle of these plus their position at the top of the house means that any windows you choose will allow in the most amount of sunlight at all hours of the day — right up to sunset.
To prevent light from coming into your room during early morning or on long summer evenings, which could disrupt your sleep, it’s important to have blackout blinds that don’t have any gaps when fitted to your windows. But don’t worry — most roof window blinds can be fully opened and rolled up completely to let in as much sunlight as possible when you choose to receive it.
Artificial light
Most loft conversions will have spotlights to illuminate your bedroom, but on an evening you should consider having bedside lamps and other more gentle light sources to get you ready for sleep. According to research, lower light levels on an evening can help you nod off easier and even sleep longer too, so use lamps to create a soft, glowy space in your bedroom perfect for curling up with a book or whatever it is you like to do before bed.
Loft Bedroom Furniture
Once you’ve completed the design of your loft and have decorated it to your liking, you can begin to think about what furniture you need to bring your bedroom to life.
Bed
When choosing furniture for your loft bedroom, you should start with your bed first. By choosing your bed first you can get a better idea of how much space you have remaining for storage units, vanities and desks, and other items of furniture. Because loft bedrooms tend to have more floorspace than other rooms, you can even spring for a bigger bed than you might be used to — particularly if you save even more space with bespoke storage solutions.
Beds tend to be the focal point of a bedroom, so don’t be afraid to have fun with your bedcovers, especially if you’ve gone for plain walls. Choosing bold colours, patterns, and textures for your duvet and pillows is a great way to inject some personality into your interior design.
Vanities and desks
Depending on who will be using the room, your bedroom may need a vanity or desk to sit at and get ready for the day, or even work from home. If you’re leaning towards the latter, our guide to turning your loft into an office is full of useful tips for creating a productivity-boosting yet comfortable space for remote working.
A vanity can be any unit or surface of your choosing, but it’s important to measure your furniture carefully. The unit may fit under your sloping loft roof, but if you’re adding your own mirror then you’ll need to take into account the space above it. Similarly, the accompanying chair needs to fit underneath your desk neatly so you can tuck it away when you’re not using it. This will maximise the amount of space you have in your loft and ensure you have a wider, more open space to relax and sleep in.
Storage
Storage space may seem like a cause for concern in a loft bedroom, as there isn’t always room for free-standing wardrobes, chests of drawers, and cabinets. However, the amount of unused or ‘dead space’ in the average loft conversion means that there is actually plenty of potential for bedroom storage, including fitted wardrobes. You can find out more in our guide to loft storage solutions.
Attic Bedroom Ideas for Kids
If you’re thinking of using your loft conversion as a children’s bedroom, you’ll be pleased to hear there are many benefits. There is plenty of floor space to play on, and the lower sloped ceilings won’t be as much of an issue for the smaller members of your family. What’s more, studies have shown that increased access to natural light may have benefits for your little ones’ health and wellbeing too (Parenting Science). If you decide to fit an ensuite toilet, they’ll find that useful too.
As lofts are separate from the rest of the house, you can also be a little bit more adventurous with your décor. Think themed rooms: whether it’s circuses, jungles, pirates, or princesses your little ones are into, they’ll love having a decorated bedroom, on their own floor just for them, with lots of space to play and sleep in.
These are just a few loft bedroom ideas to help you create a cosy bedroom in your loft conversion. Whether you’re looking to create your dream master bedroom or a playroom for your little ones, you’re sure to fall in love with the sleepy night-time space you put together. At RW4Y, we have plenty of home renovation tips and design ideas covering a wide range of topics, so check out the rest of our blog to discover more advice.
We can help you find the right roof windows to create a cosy bedroom in your loft. From skylights to lantern roofs and even accessories such as venetian grey blinds and loft ladders, we have a wide range of high-quality products for you to browse. If you’re looking for something in particular, why not have our friendly team find it for you? Get in touch or call us on 0333 600 9090 today.