Loft Makeover

The homeowner wanted the charm of a historical loft and the convenience of modern design. One reason the space works so well is that the living room furniture and industrial materials make a statement throughout. The upper-level location of the living room takes advantage of city views through the bank of windows. Plumbing pipes make simple, industrial-look drapery hangers, and slipcovers give a fresh look to a pair of wing chairs. Australian cypress floors were engineered to fit the space.

Metal cabinets the homeowner had in mind weren't tall enough to provide adequate storage. Instead, custom wood kitchen cabinets were spray-painted to achieve a retro-look metallic finish. The eco-friendly cork flooring is easy on the feet and a good noise insulator, too.

The new steel staircase was welded off-site as one piece and required a crane to set it in place through a hole cut in the roof. Sunflower-color rubber forms the treads. On the main level the homeowner decided she didn't need a full bathroom, so she turned the shower space into a kitchen pantry. Plenty of mudroom storage defines the space under the new staircase.

A mix of modern and high-back slip-covered chairs surrounds the rustic dining room table, and custom built-ins house collectibles. The space doubles as a meeting room for conferring with clients. The homeowner intentionally left the plumbing and heating pipes exposed, and the ductwork, painted dark gray, is visible throughout the space.

Tucked between the master bedroom and the living room, this cozy niche features practical and modern home office furniture—a refurbished desk and chair and a cloth-covered bulletin board.

Privacy and storage are hard to come by in loft spaces. The homeowner solved this problem by adding a big walk-in closet next to the master bathroom. She also installed custom glass-and-steel doors on barn tracks that slide open and shut as needed. Because they don't swing open like regular doors, they are also great space-savers. Minimal bedroom furniture keeps the space simple.

The homeowner created her own look by juxtaposing old and new materials and traditional and contemporary styles. Solid-surfacing countertops, such as this one, are practical and sleek, and the plumbing is exposed for an industrial feel. The bathtub is cast-iron in a contemporary wood base. Clear glass shower tile is a nice foil for gray porcelain flooring.

The Grand Rapids skyline is visible from the rooftop terrace, where comfortable deck chairs offer a place to sip a favorite beverage and watch the sunset. Rooftops make great living spaces, with views of the city and the river, and no yard to maintain.

A radical interior reworking turned a vacant industrial loft into a colorful, eclectic home overlooking Michigan's Grand River. Exposed beams and pipes in the ceiling create a chic warehouse-meets-real-house effect. A large, open kitchen was created on the lower level. A new steel staircase was constructed to lend drama to the front entry and provide access to the upper level, which became the main living space to make the most of a large bank of windows that captures views across the city and the river.