Although the word "loft" in English means "attic", the interiors in this style are more reminiscent of not attic rooms, but industrial factories. The Americans began to convert abandoned factories into offices and apartments back in the 40s of the XX century. The old buildings of the factories won over not only by their low cost, but also by their excellent characteristics: high ceilings and large windows created ideal conditions for work, they were especially loved by creative people.
This design direction involves a combination of old finishes and the latest achievements. - this is a harmonious neighborhood of raw brick walls with furniture made of modern materials, wooden beams under the ceiling with fashionable lamps, defiantly open pipes and wires with technical innovations.
The characteristic features of the loft are:
Initially, the color scheme meant the use of mostly cold, “dusty” tones, today there are no restrictions as such when designing an interior. Most often there are white, gray, blue, brown and terracotta colors, organically complemented by corporate shades.
Industrial design is great for firms that value uniqueness, freedom and creativity. Advertising agencies, architectural studios, IT companies, clubs and even restaurants decorate their interiors in this style. An office with an industrial design demonstrates to visitors the unconventional thinking of the company's management.
Loft allows you to embody the most incredible ideas in the interior. So, in a limited area, two-level offices are often designed, placing in them everything necessary for the productive work of the company.
Another important advantage of the style is the minimum time and money spent on decorating the premises. You don’t have to worry about the final finishing of the ceiling, walls and floor: the rough details and the unfinished interior of the loft-style office will only add a special charm to the design.
A loft-style room can be arranged in any building with high ceilings and large windows. The main thing is to dismantle the internal partitions, remove panels or sheets that hide the texture of the walls and internal communications.
The floor is usually left concrete or made of plank. Wood in the decoration and plants will bring a touch of warmth to the interior without destroying the overall brutal concept. A characteristic feature of the style are open ceilings with a ostentatious demonstration of beams, supports, wires and fixtures for lighting fixtures. For wall decoration, decorative plaster is often used, creating the effect of raw concrete or brickwork.
Curtains and curtains are absolutely uncharacteristic of industrial design. Windows are either not closed at all, or blinds and internal wooden shutters are used when the sun is too bright. The role of lamps is performed by massive lamps hanging from the ceiling on thick wires. Also, lighting fixtures can imitate kerosene lanterns, spotlights, brass Edison lamps, it is possible to use high-tech products.
Loft-style office interior design involves zoning spacious rooms with furniture or color schemes. So, one of the walls is often covered with paint that contrasts with the main tone. It is possible to highlight the desired zone using a powerful lamp or backlight.
Office decor is usually minimal and original. For decoration, forged sculptures, abstract paintings, graffiti, old technology, production plates, etc. are suitable.
Tables, chairs, armchairs and sofas should be comfortable, practical and functional. Lovers of antiquity can safely purchase retro options or artificially aged furniture. You can give sofas and cabinets a noble rubbing on your own, using sandpaper and paint.
In many offices, ordinary furniture made of wood, metal and leather or its substitutes is installed. Niches and ledges of the premises can be used as workplaces for creative employees. The color scheme is chosen to match the finish, bright details in corporate colors are possible.
Industrial design can be found both in large companies with a worldwide reputation, and in small firms. We present you a photo review of the original ideas, the creation of which was inspired by the loft.
Google's European headquarters in Dublin is a prime example of creative loft-style decor. Simple materials and bright corporate colors, a harmonious combination of open communications and modern technology - all this creates a democratic and creative environment.
The photo of this London office impresses visitors with its originality. Bright elements and graffiti on the walls enliven industrial interiors, while wooden tables and original lighting design create a unique flavor and set the mood for work.
The South African coworking office resembles an Internet cafe where representatives of different professions meet and work on projects. Proper zoning of the premises allows you to comfortably accommodate everyone, without causing discomfort to colleagues.
The office of the Belarusian company resembles the entourage of Soviet establishments. The mosaic floor, painted metal on the walls and ceiling, and the absence of bright colors amaze visitors with their harsh aesthetics.
One of the Moscow centers of contemporary art is located in the office of a former winery. Wooden floors and ancient historical masonry peacefully coexist with the latest technology and comfortable furniture, and the main staff of the organization works in an open space format room with workplaces separated from each other by glass partitions.
In the "Portfolio" section of our website you can see other examples of office design in the loft style, developed by the designers of the "Office Interiors" studio. Also, our experts are always ready to advise you on style features and other issues.
From this article you will learn:
Who in Moscow will suit a loft-style office? Creative studios and companies. It will appeal to young, ambitious employees who are free and liberated. The original atmosphere of the loft office will serve as a source of inspiration for them. In such an atmosphere, it is easier for employees to come together to work together. This is because this interior is not only unusual, but also comfortable and practical. The loft style looks fashionable not only in the office, but also when decorating an apartment, shop or restaurant. Surprisingly, such industrial interior design has remained relevant for more than a hundred years.
Perhaps you have heard of Andy Warhol's famous "Factory"? It was the first loft created at the beginning of the last century in New York. At that time, many businesses moved from the Soho area to the suburbs. The old buildings were empty for a long time, and then artists chose this space. They created a gallery, a workshop, and a place to live in one room at the same time. So "Factory" became the creative center of New York and the venue for public events.
Industrial buildings soon became fashionable in Europe. Wealthy citizens and local tycoons, thirsting for originality and novelty, liked such an unusual and strict style. And only at the end of the 90s did the loft style become popular in Russia.
The loft style is widely used both in the design of offices, cafes and restaurants, as well as residential buildings and apartments. A characteristic feature of the style is the creation of a specific industrial atmosphere.
Even a small loft-style office should be as light and spacious as possible. Although table lamps on work tables will not be superfluous.
Another important touch is the combination of old elements with new ones.
Really old parts or artificially aged parts are equally suitable. For example, if a layer of plaster has crumbled in the office or an old pipeline is visible, such elements should be left. Loft style is a harmony in a combination of sparkling modern materials and old elements. Therefore, chrome or glass details, modern technology are added to a room with concrete or brick walls. Such an environment is perfectly complemented by ordinary plank floors.
Considering who the room is designed for, you can create a suitable atmosphere: expensive and solid, warm and friendly or strict and restrained. With this in mind, individual details of the situation are selected: pieces of furniture, color scheme, etc. Therefore, the loft style can look completely different.
In a loft-style room, the ceilings are always high, and the windows are large so that it is light. The windows are suitable for frames made of plastic or metal in characteristic colors: brown, black, etc. The space should be made open. All barriers must be removed. However, if wiring or pipes are visible in the room, these are details characteristic of the style that must be preserved.
To give integrity to the created picture, it is important that specific elements look old. For example, surfaces: ceiling, walls, floor. The amount of furniture in the interior is kept to a minimum. So, even the most ordinary office can be decorated in a loft style without any special industrial sites.
The office can be decorated with a wall clock of a suitable design. For example, with chrome arrows and numbers. A creative solution would be to hang up posters and signs with slogans, best of all from Soviet times.
At the same time, the loft style is quite complex. And in order for the office environment to be not only unusual, but also attractive, you should contact professional designers.
To design an office in a loft style, you first need to get rid of partitions and walls that are not load-bearing. Such an office is always distinguished by its spaciousness. It is allowed to put small partitions between desktops. Thus, you get a spacious room, and also save employees from having to run around the offices.
Brickwork and concrete surfaces look flawless.
Terracotta bricks can be painted white or gray, or artificially aged. An office looks interesting with a combination of walls of different coatings (concrete and bricks).
Design options for a concrete wall in the loft style:
The walls of the office are covered with concrete or brickwork is created on their surface (using imitation tiles). Provided that the room initially has concrete and brick walls, they are only cleaned and covered with a protective varnish. Old pipes and batteries undergo restoration, after which they can be used for their intended purpose.
A creative solution would be to cover one of the walls with wood-like panels.
One of the traditional elements of loft style is a high ceiling. What to do if the ceiling in your office is low? In this case, it is decorated with a grill that imitates an air intake. Lighting is built into it. Any beams, wooden or metal, perfectly complement the interior of a loft-style office. Often, plasterboard structures combined with lighting equipment are also used in the design.
Floor options:
One of the practical solutions of the loft style when designing an office is the visual division of space into zones: work, guest and rest. This is done by combining different flooring materials.
An example of a loft-style office design (photo):
To create the interior of a loft office, the type of design in the form of a single large and open room is best suited. The organization of the workspace is carried out by combining modern elements in such an unusual setting.
Such design solutions can be divided into the following groups:
The division into different zones is carried out thanks to:
Differences in the level of the floor surface in different areas of activity;
Various types of areas, the decoration of which uses materials characteristic of the loft style, such as brick, plaster, wood, etc.;
Decorating with pieces of furniture inherent in a particular work area;
Small partitions, columns, transparent separating screens, etc.
Furniture items should be of high quality, practical and comfortable, as well as creating suitable conditions for office staff. It does not matter a certain delirium or appearance. The owner of the office or the designer can choose absolutely any items to their taste. When arranging different zones, there are also no rules. The space for relaxation can be located both next to the work tables and near the bar counter.
When decorating an office, rough materials are necessarily used. However, this does not mean that they can be of poor quality. On the contrary, the processing and finishing of any materials must be first-class. Following the tradition of the loft style, some interior details need to be aged. Therefore, if the room initially has an old finish, radiators, pipes or ventilation, this is considered a huge plus. In this case, they are cleaned well enough and can be used for their intended purpose.
Designers are not always able to freely manipulate interior elements. Some changes may require special permission. But the original elements of the building included in the composition, such as steel stairs or freight elevators, give the room a unique look and become an ideal backdrop for details made of glass, metal or raw concrete.
Good designers quite manage to stylize rooms in modern buildings. It is possible to arrange even a small loft-style office. The main thing is not to forget that industrial design is incompatible with small separate rooms. Therefore, you should get rid of all sorts of partitions and additional walls. Then, with the help of details, give the interior an industrial character. Open, deliberately exposed cables, pipes, details of ventilation or wooden floors will allow you to plunge into the loft atmosphere.
Visually enlarge the office will help the correct use of color tricks. The combination of light walls and dark floors creates the appearance of a high ceiling. Loft interior involves the use of neutral shades - light brown or gray. At the same time, red brick walls will look great in such an environment.
With the help of bright colors, accents are placed and liveliness is given to the workspace. To do this, in the industrial loft style, colors are used that are usually painted on safety signs at enterprises: yellow, red, green, orange. Turquoise or cobalt blue will also look good.
With the help of the right lighting in the office, a working mood is created. The best options would be: technical top and side light, metal lampshades (lattice or solid), as well as cable lamps. Both modern and retro models are equally well suited.
Surprisingly, the loft style does not tolerate decorations. The room should contain a minimum of things and objects, including furniture. It may seem to you that the interior will become too empty. However, it is not. Photos of a big city or large graphics will create a lively creative atmosphere. Think about what masterpieces of contemporary art inspire you? Maybe it's the works of Mark Rothko or Jackson Pollock?
Look at a sample of the loft style in the interior of the office (photo).
The loft-style office is furnished with practical furniture. At the same time, you need to remember about comfort.
As a rule, when loft-decorating, items such as:
An office with a loft interior is a personal area, often with elements of chic. Usually the owner wants to install expensive furniture and objects made of natural wood. This can cause some difficulty, since such a luxury is permissible, provided that it looks unintentional. At the same time, there will be much more opportunities when choosing interior elements. 
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Would you like any visitor to your office to have a great desire to return? Then a loft-style office design is exactly what you need. Believe it or not, more than one successful entrepreneur or office space owner has been convinced of the extraordinary attractive power of this interior style. It would seem that the increased interest of customers and other visitors to the loft style is not justified, but this is not so. They are attracted by the extraordinary color of the loft-style office. What is so special about this interior style? What should office spaces look like in this style? And most importantly, how to create such a design yourself, having a very modest budget? We will answer all these questions in this article. But if you decide to thoroughly and responsibly approach the design of your office, then you cannot do without!
A popular trend in our time: to create simulated brutality wherever possible. Untidy clothes, a wrinkled and straightened shirt, a three-day stubble and a mess on his head are the perfect description of a person who follows modern trends. All this fashion did not disregard the styles of the interior. Moreover, not only residential premises, but also offices. If the reception of clients in your office plays an important role in your work, then believe me, it is the loft-style office design that will suit you best. How did it all start and how did it happen that this particular style occupies one of the leading positions in our time? Do not be surprised, but although this style began to emerge more than a hundred years ago, it is considered modern.
But about how exactly it appeared, it happened in the most natural way. This happened due to the fact that unused factory buildings, warehouses or even prisons were converted and used as living quarters or offices. But these days, you don't have to bother buying an old factory just for the sake of a loft office. You can create this style artificially, removing all possible walls and partitions, deliberately aging the surface of furniture or walls, giving them a shabby look. But it is a mistake to assume that this is just a style when everything is anyhow! You need to work hard on the design of a loft-style office. But the result of such efforts will please the appearance of not only today's youth, who understands such things more than others, but any other visitor to the office will not remain indifferent.
It’s worth starting with the fact that a loft is, first of all, a lot of free space. Secondly, any things that are usually hidden, such as: a sewer, a brick wall, a concrete floor or an electrical wire - all this is not hidden, but, on the contrary, is exposed. It is worth combining the details of the past and the present in the design of a loft-style office. Let's say you can use modern appliances and electrical appliances, but place them on old, shabby retro-style furniture. If your office does not have a brick wall that could be used in this interior, then you can easily create an imitation of brick using fairly cheap materials and watching a few tutorials on the Internet.
It also plays into your hands that the space should be free, which will save on the amount of furniture by installing only the one necessary for the job, and excluding any decorative. There are a couple of things that are unlikely to be imitated or faked, but which are a very important part of the design of a loft-style office. These two things: a high ceiling and huge windows. If you are just looking for a room for a future office, then pay attention to these details, and if you already have a room that does not quite fit into this style in terms of its parameters, then read the next paragraph, where we will describe how to use the details to create loft office in any room.
Since the loft style refers to the industrial structure, original signs, posters, signs, road signs, graffiti and other decor details (in relation to the loft style) that could usually be found in a factory, workshop, abandoned building and etc. A couple of such signs, perhaps even checkers used in road repairs, posters calling for labor and defense of the homeland, Soviet times - all this will bring the same spirit of the industrial era to the loft-style office design and create the necessary atmosphere. And if you don’t like posters or you think it’s too simple, hackneyed or just a bad idea, then you can always decorate the interior with a couple of abstract paintings or even sculptures, if space allows you. But we must remember that everything is good in moderation, especially art and abstraction. If you want to save as much as possible by creating a loft-style office design, then instead of custom-made artificial aging of furniture or buying a ready-made one, you can do it manually by buying a couple of sheets of sandpaper, spray cans of paint and turning on your imagination.
If you are lucky and have old radiators, radiators, lamps or fans in the office, then you will not have to change almost anything. Put it all on display, underline and pay attention to these things. But always remember, no matter how brutal the loft style may seem, it’s still just the appearance of untidiness and slovenliness, when in fact, these are well-thought-out decisions that make a person think: “How can such a random and messy design look like so holistic and attractive? Well, among other things, this style of interior will not only attract customers to you, but will also have a great effect on your employees. Open space will allow everyone to easily communicate and do common work. The style itself pushes to creative work and gives the necessary inspiration and only increases the desire to work, to create. This is the magic of the loft, which many consider an accident, but now you know how it really is.
Appeared more than a hundred years ago, this interior industrial design is still relevant today. You can decorate an office, shop, restaurant or apartment in a loft style - and it will be fashionable. In addition, such an interior is comfortable, practical, looks original, it is easier to organize joint work of employees in such a room.
Who would like an office in an industrial loft style? Creative companies, studios, most of whose employees are young and ambitious, free and liberated. It is easy to create something new in a loft office, because employees are surrounded by a creative environment.
A loft-style office is the best fit for creative companies
How good is a loft? It allows you to combine seemingly unsuitable objects, uniting them into a single space. To create such an interior, you need to understand the features of this design direction:
Loft style is always room for creativity
Loft-style office (photo interesting design solutions and original finds are presented in the gallery) does not require capital investments if equipped in the right place:
Loft is the perfect style for former industrial buildings
In this case, minimal repairs are needed to creatively transform the existing space. In the new room, you will have to create stylish imitations.
Attention! Brickwork and concrete surfaces look perfect.
Brick walls - an essential attribute of the loft style
Terracotta bricks can be aged or painted white or gray. The combination on different walls of concrete and bricks looks great. Concrete wall loft design options:
It is good if the room already has brick and concrete walls. Then it remains only to clean them of dust, treat them with a colorless protective varnish. If the premises are new, then the walls are covered with a layer of concrete or brickwork is created by laying imitation tiles. Old communications (batteries, water and ventilation pipes) are restored and used for their intended purpose.
An interesting solution is to highlight one wall, decorating it with wood-like wall panels.
Exposed wiring and utilities on the ceiling are a classic in industrial design
Floors combined from various materials look interesting. Thus, the common space of the office is easily zoned into places for employees, a guest area and a place of rest.
Lamps are suspended from the ceiling and lowered down on bundles of wires, an elongated rod, rods or folding structures.
The main principle of selection of lighting fixtures is unusualness and technogenicity.
Graffiti is a great option for wall decoration in youth and creative companies
There is not much industrial-style interior decor, but it is defiantly bright.
Be sure to have all the technology. Computers, TVs, air conditioners - all this creates a special working atmosphere.
The loft style organically uses furniture from such design trends as modern, hi-tech, classic, Scandinavian style. Furniture items fit perfectly into the interior:
However, there are a few conditions that must be met:
Nuance! Loft furniture does not recognize decorative excesses in the form of bright enamel or mosaic inserts, wood carvings, or complex fittings. Simplicity and reliability are the main signs.
Loft furniture is devoid of decorative details
Another important feature of loft-style furniture is that it is equipped with wheels. Not only work chairs or tables, but even wardrobes. This gives the furniture mobility, making it easy to move it around the entire office area.
Wheels are a convenient and practical element of office furniture.
Furniture in the office can be one-color, then it is better to use the following colors:
In small quantities, black, olive, blue are welcome. At the same time, an office filled with dissimilar furniture items, painted in different colors and artificially aged, looks interesting.
The loft style tends to minimize the number of furniture items. Therefore, you should not fill the office with a lot of tables, chairs, sofas. Only what is really needed is the principle of selecting furniture products.
Each employee must be provided with a minimum amount of furniture, providing him with a desk and a chair. When equipping an office, when buying furniture, you can use one of the options:
In the latter case, antique shops and flea markets, as well as advertisements for the sale of furniture from hand, will help.
Modular furniture designs are the easiest way to furnish an office
Important! In this case, it is required to carefully select objects that, despite their heterogeneity, must be in harmony with each other. This is what gives a stunning loft style effect.
A resting place for employees or a guest area can be equipped with a sofa, armchairs, a coffee table. For a loft-style interior, you will need a huge comfortable sofa, its upholstery is done:
The sofa should not look like a needle, in this case, small scuffs are welcome. There will be a lot of chairs so that everyone has enough space. As single seats are used:
A coffee table can be both large and tiny, as long as it is practical and comfortable. To store documents, working materials, you will need racks, cabinets, drawers, chests of drawers - wooden or metal. The administrative area is decorated with a counter made of glass, chrome-plated metal or polished granite.
Furniture in the office can not only be placed along the walls, but also experimented by placing it at different angles, achieving maximum convenience for all employees.
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The new office of the communication agency Eventum is located on the territory of a former granary. How the future workspace will look like, the employees decided together. In accordance with the company's ideology, it was decided to leave it as open as possible, and the aesthetics of the loft were emphasized by the contrast of load-bearing iron beams against the background of a light-colored floor and brickwork. Part of the masonry around the perimeter was still left in a natural brick color, and in the internal zoning, shelving and glass partitions were preferred.
For the design of its office, the digital agency Nectarin attracted designer Zoya Babushkina.
The 600 square meter floor was originally divided into five rooms. All the walls were demolished, and several new concrete ones were erected in their place. In developing the concept of the interior, they were based on the fact that robotization and creativity are combined in the company's activities. The aesthetics of the loft were taken as the basis, to which bright accents, paintings, posters and graffiti were added.
The young team from Britanka (Konstantin Brovkin, Mikhail Balko, Anna Rokachevskaya and Evgenia Blokhina) was tasked by the creative agency Hungry Boys to create a space that would be equally comfortable for both employees and guests, for whom the agency regularly arranges various events. Designers have created a bright loft, not overloaded with bright colors, with many free areas for relaxation, negotiations and parties. The architects insulated the roof, restored the brickwork and made vaulted ceilings. Almost all furniture, except for chairs, is made to order according to their sketches.
For more than ten years of operation of the development company KR Properties, lofts have already become something familiar to it, because its main profile is the reconstruction of former factories, including Krasnaya Roza and Danilovskaya Manufactory. The company attracted Maria Hellavi from the H2A bureau to create its own office on the territory of Danilovskaya Manufactory. The architect was required to create a modern representative office, but at the same time preserve the spirit of the building. Outside, the building has retained its historical appearance, but inside it has become modern, comfortable and representative.
When thinking about the project for a new office, the owner of the catering company Via Delle Rose was inspired by a trip to New York and the aesthetics of lofts. The project of a multifunctional workspace was prepared by Sergey Klinov. The project was conceived and implemented quickly - in just a couple of months, despite a modest budget. The basis of the interior are self-leveling floors and monochrome walls with white-painted brickwork, concrete elements and external wiring. The reception area and the kitchen were separated from the main working area by a glass partition, and the kitchen was made to order from stainless steel.
The office of the SNS group of companies designed by ABD Architects, of course, cannot be called a classic loft. Nevertheless, open spaces, transparent and reflective partitions, concrete elements, minimalism and monochrome gamma with bright accents in the form of works of modern art refer to this style.
The film production complex R Studios with a total area of more than 4,200 square meters appeared on the site of the former cultural center of the MoZAL plant, which fell into complete decline in the post-Soviet period. The new owners got the walls and dust, but after a year and a half of repairs, the building has completely changed. Updated not only the interior spaces, but also the facade. Post-production studios are located on the underground floor. The architects completely changed the layout and created a minimalist and comfortable interior for all participants in the film process.
