Best House Design

150 Best Loft Ideas highlights the myriad ways a loft can work, and will help you create the loft you love

Loft life isn't just for artists anymore. What began as an affordable alternative to the high-cost of living in Manhattan in the 1950s has become one of the most expensive and inventive ways of living today.

From New York to Johannesburg, Buenos Aires to Barcelona, the lofts included in this book are variations on a simple open plan theme begun decades ago. Find lofts that double as both home and art gallery, where an artist's bedroom invades his exhibition space and the sleeping artist becomes a part of his own permanent collection. See family-inspired lofts with ample space for kids, complete with tire swings hanging from the living room ceiling. From former industrial factories, warehouses, garages, and schools, each loft featured here—whether it is a family home or bachelor pad, an office or an art gallery—offers a unique spin on the traditional concept of the loft.