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      Ten loft conversions by architects that add extra space to homes

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      Our latest lookbook shines a light on residential loft conversions from Dezeen’s archive, including rooftop extensions on existing dwellings and apartments built in underused attics.

      Opening up the volume beneath the roof is a popular way of squeezing more space out of a dwelling or building. The new spaces often feature unusual geometries, which a skilled architect can exploit to create dramatic and characterful new rooms.
      This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbooks series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous articles in the series feature plant-filled interiors, colourful kitchens and stylish home-working spaces.

      West Heath Drive, UK, Alexander Martin
      London architect Alexander Martin converted the disused loft of an Arts and Crafts-style house in Hampstead to create this pared-back and light-filled guest room and study.
      It has a T-shaped plan and was therefore divided into three rooms – one of which is hidden behind a moving wall that is disguised as an integrated bookcase. The guest room is finished with white walls, a dark wooden floor and a vintage Greaves and Thomas teak sofabed.
      Find out more about West Heath Drive ›

      House for a Sea Dog, Italy, by Dodi Moss
      While renovating the loft of a 17th-century apartment block in Genoa, architecture and engineering studio Dodi Moss inserted a mezzanine floor that serves as a bed deck to maximise usable floor space under the eaves.
      It has a rustic finish, characterised by an exposed wooden roof structure, unvarnished wooden floors and a rough plaster wall, and is furnished with a simple IKEA stool for use as a bedside table.
      Find out more about House for a Sea Dog ›

      Dormore, UK, by Con Form Architects
      Dormore is a bright home office nestled within the small attic of a house in London, which was converted for a client who needed a space to work from home. A large slice was cut out of the original roof and filled with glazing and a large dormer window to bring light inside.
      It is accessed by a compact folded steel staircase and finished with oak joinery and a whitewashed floor, alongside exposed brick walls and a Hans Wegner Wishbone Chair.
      Find out more about Dormore ›

      Rounded Loft, Czech Republic, by A1 Architects
      Czech studio A1 Architects built a two-storey apartment within the attic of an apartment block in Prague. Its living room, which occupies the lower level, is lit by windows slotted within the attic’s sloping roof and finished with tactile wooden furnishings and grey plaster walls.
      The lower level also contains bedrooms and is linked to a guest suite on the small upper floor by a staircase lined with wooden bookshelves and a steel net that takes the place of a bannister.
      Find out more about Rounded Loft ›

      Maynard Road, UK, by Widger Architecture
      A pair of minimalist bedrooms lined with plywood occupy the old attic of this first-floor flat in Hackney, which was converted by London studio Widger Architecture.
      As the attic had a sloped roof with limited head height, the architect introduced a flat roof dormer that spans the entire width of the property. While maximising headroom, it also allowed the studio to introduce more windows to invite more light inside.
      Find out more about Maynard Road ›

      Alpine Apartment, Slovenia, by Architektura d.o.o.
      This loft space was converted into a two-bedroom apartment by Slovenian studio Architektura d.o.o. for the client to use as a family holiday home in the lakeside town of Bled.
      At the centre is a kitchen, flanked by two bedrooms, a living room and an entrance hall. As the kitchen has no exposure to natural light the living room entrance has no door, in order to help illuminate the space.
      The home is complete with white custom-built furniture that aligns with the irregularly shaped attic ceiling, while pale wooden floorboards nod to the home’s Alpine setting. These finishes are complemented by wooden Wishbone Chairs by Hans Wegner and white folding chairs from IKEA.
      Find out more about Alpine Apartment ›

      Gallery House, UK, by Studio Octopi
      London architect Studio Octopi renovated and extended the dead space below the pitched roof of this terraced Victorian house in Battersea to create a separate reading room and study.
      The two rooms are unified by a perforated black steel staircase and their matching spruce plywood walls and floors. Pared-back furnishings are dotted throughout, including a pair of About A Lounge Chairs by Hay in the reading room.
      Find out more about Gallery House ›

      Attic conversion in Antwerp, Belgium, by Van Staeyen Interieur Architecten
      A dark attic that was used for storage was converted into this bright multi-functional room at a house in Antwerp. It contains a bed, seating area and bathroom defined by spruce-clad partitions with arched portals, curved seating and yellow detailing.
      It was designed by Van Staeyen Interieur Architecten for the clients to use as a guest room and a social space for their daughters to spend time with their friends as they get older.
      Find out more about Attic conversion in Antwerp ›

      Project Escape (to the Roof), UK, by A Small Studio
      Architecture practice A Small Studio created a reading room, bedroom, dressing room and bathroom for a family within the loft of their Victorian home in south-east London.
      Between the bathroom and reading room, there is also a new free-standing solid oak stair that helps bring light into the lower levels of the home. Three large dormer windows on one side of the loft frame views of the back garden.
      The conversion’s focal point is its reading room, which is complete with a Plastic Armchair RAR by Charles and Ray Eames and a black DLM side table by Hay.
      Find out more about Project Escape (to the Roof) ›

      Attic conversion, France, by F+F Architects
      This spacious light-filled apartment was built by Parisian studio f+f architects by converting the attic of an art nouveau building in Strasbourg. Over two levels, it comprises bedrooms, bathrooms and an office, alongside an open-plan living space with a kitchen, dining area and terrace.
      The attic’s original pine flooring was preserved and treated with lye, an alkali used to lighten wood, while existing trusses have been painted white and left exposed throughout.
      Find out more about this attic conversion ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing colourful interiors, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.

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      REDO Architects creates theatre-inspired interior for Puppeteers House in Sintra

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      REDO Architects had stage sets in mind when redesigning the interiors for a pair of houses in the former Puppeteers’ Quarter in Sintra, Portugal.

      The two homes, now known as Puppeteers House, are part of a series of buildings that were originally built for a local puppeteer’s family, but had more recently been used as storage for farming tools.
      A curved wooden bench creates a window seat on the first-floor landingWith its renovation, Lisbon-based REDO Architects has brought the buildings back into residential use as homes for two of the puppeteer’s great grandchildren.
      The revamped buildings are designed to capture the spirit of their heritage, with lightweight wooden joinery constructions that evoke theatrical scenography and circular details that suggest a playful character.
      Bathrooms are concealed within the wooden joinery
      An all-new interior layout was needed, so this was designed to reinforce the theatrical feel.
      Elements like the staircase and first-floor window seat have a stage-like quality, while secondary spaces like bathrooms are concealed within the walls.
      The larger house contains a dedicated kitchen and dining space”The relation between the existing external walls and the new interior walls – two different skins – was explored and dramatised throughout the project on different scales,” explained studio founder Diogo Figueiredo.
      “This friction generated misalignments, which are expressed in the windows as opaque panels,” he told Dezeen, “and it also created in-between spaces for built-in furniture and bathrooms, like a back-of-stage area.”
      The homes sit on opposite sides of a garden courtyardOne of the houses is single-storey, the other is double-storey, and they are located either side of a private courtyard.
      The buildings are designed to function as self-contained properties, but they are also very open to one another, with large windows fronting the shared courtyard garden.
      The smaller property contains one bedroom on the ground floorThe smaller of the two homes contains a living space with a kitchenette, a separate bedroom and a bathroom.
      The other home has a similar layout, with a living room and a separate kitchen and dining space on the ground floor, and two en-suite bedrooms upstairs.
      Living spaces feature lioz stone flooringA consistent materials palette features throughout. An ivory-toned regional stone known as lioz was used flooring in the main living spaces and surfaces for the kitchen and bathrooms.
      Flooring in the bedrooms is wood, matching the doors, furniture and shelving that feature throughout the two homes.

      Fala Atelier renovates house in Porto with candy-coloured accents

      Circular details feature throughout the interiors, at a range of scales. Some are full circles, like the porthole window and cabinet handles, while others are large curves, like the window seat or the rounded wall partitions.
      “We used a precise quarter of a circle as a tool – like a compass – in different radii, orientations, combinations and materialities,” explained Figueiredo.
      The main first-floor bedroom features a corner window”It was explored in different moments of the project: to differentiate and disconnect the new internal layer from the existing walls, to connect different rooms, and to create smooth circulation routes,” he said.
      Many of these curves are mirrored in ceiling details directly overhead, which contrast with the linearity of the exposed roof beams.
      The second first-floor bedroom features a porthole windowOther recent examples of house renovations in Portugal include House in Fontaínhas, a home with candy-coloured details, and Rural House in Portugal, a house created in an old granite community oven.
      Photography is by Do Mal o Menos.
      Project credits
      Architect: REDO ArchitectsProject team: Diogo Figueiredo, Pedro França Jorge

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      Schissel Montgomery Architects renovates Brooklyn flat for art gallerist

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      New York City-based architecture office Schissel Montgomery has completed a minimalist renovation of a three-bedroom apartment in the Park Slope neighbourhood.

      Named Wendy’s, the studio decluttered the 1,300-square-foot (120-square-metres) apartment’s living spaces to create “a quiet, generous background for art and life”.
      Schissel Montgomery Architects also converted one of the bedrooms facing the street into a study.
      The kitchen uses only lower cabinets to create a sense of openness
      The renovation centres around a new kitchen, which is partially open to the living and dining space. Previously, these two areas were separate.”The intervention focuses on creating connections between the shared spaces of the apartment and selectively removing materials accreted over time,” said the studio.
      A key move was to declutter the apartment’s living roomA new banquette along the wall integrates storage beneath the seat while consolidating the previously separate spaces.
      At the end of a corridor, the studio repurposed an existing bedroom to create a study for the owner. Furniture selections here include a table by midcentury designer Eileen Gray and a Barcelona Daybed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

      BC—OA hides storage behind metal panels in renovated Soho loft

      Since the apartment is at street level, Schissel Montgomery designed sheer fabric curtains to cover the bottom portion of the windows.
      This gives residents more privacy, while still admitting light into the space.
      The new study occupies a former bedroom at the far end of the apartmentThe project has a restrained palette with light wooden floors, white painted walls and selectively curated furnishings and artwork.
      “The intervention focuses on creating connections between the shared spaces of the apartment and selectively removing materials accreted over time,” Schissel Montgomery explained.
      The entrance includes a full-height mirror and built-in storageCustom details include a handmade concrete enclosure to protect the building’s steam pipe.
      It is made of stacked, textured cylinders that resemble a classical column’s fluting motif.
      Custom details include a concrete sleeve to cover the building’s steam pipeAnother additional at the apartment’s entrance is a floor-to-ceiling mirror that was to expand the space and brings more light to a darker area of the apartment.
      “The intervention uses painted surfaces, whitewashed floors and window sheers to maximise bounced light in the space,” explained Schissel Montgomery.
      The pipe enclosure nods to similar classical columns visible from within the apartmentThese pipes are left exposed in many New York City apartments and can become so hot that they are hazardous to residents, in addition to being unsightly.
      Schissel Montgomery was established in 2019 and is led by two graduates of Columbia University’s architecture school, Michael Schissel and Talene Montgomery.
      Other apartment renovations in the Brooklyn area include a townhouse by GRT Architects that is filled with eclectic art objects and a monochrome interior renovation by local firm Arnold Studio.
      Photography is by Daniel Terna.
      Project credits:
      Architect: Schissel Montgomery ArchitectsConstruction: WK Renovation

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      Studio Four opens up “dark and compartmentalised” 1970s residence in Melbourne

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      A series of portal openings improve connections between rooms and bring extra light into this 1970s residence in Melbourne renovated by Australian practice Studio Four.

      Studio Four aimed to renovate the home, which was designed by Australian architect Wayne Gillespie in 1972, to improve the internal plan and bring it up to date for contemporary living.
      A series of portal openings provide views of the garden beyond (top and above)”While the existing house was of solid build, the interiors felt lightweight by comparison and did not flow or function as desired,” said Studio Four.
      “Some spaces, in particular the existing kitchen, were dark and compartmentalised and did not fully harness the possible connections with the garden.”
      Solid wood furnishings create a sense of warmth in the otherwise monochrome kitchen
      Located in the city’s South Yarra neighbourhood, the Cunningham Street Residence was designed by Gillespie as his first independent project and his first home.
      The architect, who died in 2001, was known for his use of pure, clean lines, and combining classical design features with modern technology.
      A planter is integrated between the dining table and kitchen island”The client’s brief was to provide a holistic solution,” explained Studio Four.
      “Their brief was to strengthen Gillespie’s original vision, as opposed to creating an alternate vision that would directly contrast it.”
      The kitchen was relocatedStudio Four replanned the rooms to enable the occupants to spend time both together and separately.
      For example, the existing kitchen was relocated to the centre and rear of the home so it could be used as a central space for the family to gather in.

      Ruxton Rise Residence in Melbourne is arranged around a planted courtyard

      To make the spaces appear larger and more connected with each other and the outside space, the architects inserted a series of portal openings between the spaces.
      It decorated the spaces with a palette of light and neutral colours.
      One of the portals features an integrated reading nook”The design response reflects the integrity of the existing built fabric. The focus is on the experience rather than the form, and all emphasis is placed on the quality of the experience rather than a visual statement,” concluded the studio.
      “The result is a house where the architectural form and its interiors act as one, and the transition between built form and landscape is blurred.”
      The bedroom features panoramic views of the trees outsideStudio Four, which is led by directors Annabelle Berryman and Sarah Henry, has a track record of creating homes that blur indoor and outdoor space.
      Previous residential projects include an all-white family home with a garden at its centre, and a grey-brick home with a central olive tree-dotted courtyard.
      Photography is by Shannon McGrath.

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      Ten L-shaped kitchens with plenty of countertop space

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      The latest lookbook in our series exploring kitchen layouts highlights L-shaped kitchens with two work surfaces that meet at 90 degrees.

      L-shaped kitchens are organised in the shape of the letter L, often fitting into a corner but sometimes with one of the surfaces projecting as a peninsula.
      In larger spaces, islands can be incorporated into the design between the L-shaped counters to provide additional space.
      The L-shape is of the most common kitchen layouts along with U-shaped kitchens, one-wall kitchens, island kitchens, galley kitchens and peninsula kitchens.
      This is the latest roundup in our Dezeen Lookbooks series providing visual inspiration for the home. Previous kitchen-related posts feature breakfast bars, compact kitchens and kitchens with skylights.

      Farmhouse, Switzerland by Baumhauer
      Fitted in a vaulted space within a traditional farmhouse, this L-shaped kitchen uses clean lines to contrast with the historic nature of the building.
      The kitchen consists of two stainless steel counters with stainless cabinetry with drawers, cupboards and appliances fitted below.
      One arm of the L contains a cooker positioned directly in front of a framed window to give the residents views across a Swiss valley while they are cooking. The other counter has a sink embedded opposite a serving hatch that punctures the thick stone wall between the dining and kitchen space.
      Find out more about Farmhouse ›

      Cabin at Rones, Norway by Sanden+Hodnekvam Arkitekter
      Fitted against a wrap-around corner window, this birch plywood kitchen designed by Sanden+Hodnekvam Arkitekter includes an L-shaped row of base cabinetry.
      A steel sink that incorporates a large drainer was placed at the centre of the row of units, while an electric cooker was placed on the other.
      The cabinetry and drawers below have a minimalist look with units aligned flush with the kitchen’s wooden countertops and featuring cut out handles.
      Find out more about Cabin at Rones ›

      London flat, UK by Hayhurst and Co
      This kitchen at the rear of a London flat was built beneath a part-sloping wood-lined ceiling that follows the topography of the garden.
      A row of white floor units topped with a marble countertop with an embedded sink was placed below a large full-width window that looks out to the sloping garden. The counter extends along the kitchen’s wall to form an L that contains an electric hob.
      Find out more about London flat ›

      Oneroa House, New Zealand by Vaughn McQuarrie
      This timber New Zealand home overlooking the Hauraki Gulf uses materials chosen for their texture and robustness.
      The open-plan kitchen-diner sits beneath a mono-pitched roof with north-facing clerestory windows.
      Plywood kitchen units line two of the walls with the sink positioned next to a large window with views across a bay.
      Find out more about Oneroa House ›

      Stine Goya headquarters, Copenhagen by Reform
      This communal kitchen at fashion brand Stine Goya’s headquarters runs along two walls of a room that has butter-yellow walls and light timber floors.
      Danish brand Reform updated IKEA cabinets with brass doors and handles to create a metallic look. The counters are topped with a contrasting black laminate countertop that matches the black appliances.
      Find out more about Stine Goya headquarters ›

      Belgian apartment, Belgium by Carmine Van Der Linden and Thomas Geldof
      Carmine Van Der Linden and Thomas Geldof stained the birch cabinetry in this L-shaped kitchen a seaweed green to connect the space with its coastal surroundings.
      Alga Marina marble was used for the kitchens countertops to add a neutral contrast to the deep green.
      Find out more about Belgian apartment ›

      Föhr apartment, Germany by Francesco Di Gregorio and Karin Matz
      Francesco Di Gregorio and Karin Matzhay converted the hayloft of a thatched roof farmhouse on the island of Föhr in Germany into this apartment.
      Its L-shaped kitchen is tucked away against the sloping roof, between a bathroom and bedroom. The architect duo lined the walls with thousands of ceramic tiles, each drilled with a singular hole to reveal a blue dot to form a sea of polka dots.
      Wooden base cabinetry blends with the apartments wood flooring and houses the kitchen’s appliances and storage. Because of its small footprint, a circular sink, electric stove and oven were organised beside each other within the longer countertop against the tiled wall.
      Find out more about Föhr apartment ›

      Workhome-Playhome, The Netherlands by Lagado Architects
      Ashwood cabinetry, burnt-orange niches, blue terrazzo floors and teal hued cupboards fill this L-shaped kitchen in Rotterdam.
      A wall of squared white tiles frames teal coloured overhead cabinetry that is suspended over a sink, stovetop and granite worktops.
      Teal cabinetry complements the kitchen’s blue terrazzo floors, which marks the area from the light wood floors in the living space. A breakfast bar in front of a window becomes an extension of the work area and can be used as additional prep space.
      Find out more about Workhome-Playhome ›

      Corsega Apartment, Spain by RAS Arquitectura
      This simple kitchen combines bright white cabinetry, steel appliances, grey-veined marble and exposed pipework.
      Overhead cabinetry surrounds a veined marble splashback and extends across the countertop, which extends into the room and doubles as a breakfast bar.
      A steel oven and microwave were fitted within the cabinetry at the end of the kitchen, tying together with the metallic handle and exposed extractor fan piping.
      Find out more about Corsega Apartment ›

      Extension One, UK by Denizen Works
      An oak countertop wraps around white cabinetry in this residential extension by Denizen Works. A white-tiled splashback wraps around the L-shaped countertops below a chunky oak shelf and rectangular window that overlooks the garden.
      The studio added a large L-shaped skylight supported by large oak beams above the counter containing the sink.
      Find out more about Extension One ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing colourful interiors, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.

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      Leckie Studio designs penthouse inside BIG's Vancouver skyscraper

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      A rainforest-style atrium with a cedar tree lies within a two-storey unit designed by Leckie Studio, located inside the new Vancouver House tower.

      The penthouse is found within the sculptural, 59-storey tower that rises up from a triangular site in downtown Vancouver, near Granville Bridge. The building was designed by architecture firm BIG and was completed last year.
      A rainforest-style atrium sits at the heart of the penthouseThe two-level apartment is on the northwest side of the skyscraper, where it is afforded views of English Bay and the North Shore Mountains.
      The unit’s owner desired an inviting atmosphere and spaces to accommodate natural artefacts and artwork from her travels. She turned to local firm Leckie Studio to oversee the design.
      The apartment has views far-reaching views of Vancouver and beyond
      The team set out to create a layered environment that looked both inward and outward, and was infused with organic elements.
      “Through an iterative design process, the studio and client arrived at a highly bespoke, biophilic design that is attuned to the passage of time,” the team said.
      A kitchen on the lower level features a giant islandThe unit is divided into public and private areas. On the bottom level, one finds a living room, dining area, kitchen and an office. A half-turn stair leads to the upper level, which holds two bedrooms.
      There also is a 167-square-metre roof deck that is accessed via a private elevator.

      Jürgen Vandewalle arranges Ghent penthouse around three blocks of furniture

      “The experience of the penthouse is quite varied, depending on the time of day and which space is being occupied,” said architect Michael Leckie.
      The unit’s focal point is a tall, glazed atrium filled with lush vegetation.
      The atrium runs alongside the stairwell leading to bedroomsActing as the “spine” for the penthouse, the atrium runs alongside the stairwell and extends from the unit’s bottom level all the way to its roof terrace. At the top, it is open to the sky.
      “Conceived as a microcosm of the Pacific Northwest rainforest, its centrepiece is a full-size, red cedar tree that lends a contemplative and grounding element to the onlooking interiors,” the team said.
      Finishes and fixtures are kept minimal in the bathroom”The ecosystem surrounding this tree will be sustained long term by a ‘nurse’ log, which replenishes the space with nutrients from decay.”
      Beyond the atrium, earthy elements are found throughout the dwelling and form a rich backdrop for the client’s belongings.
      Marble lines the walls of the powder roomAmerican black walnut makes up the woodwork in the living room, kitchen and bathing areas. The high-quality wood was also used for the stair treads.
      Travertine was used for flooring and custom-milled bathroom sinks. Smokey grey marble lines the walls in a powder room.
      Blackened-steel accents can be found throughout the apartmentBlackened-steel accents run throughout the unit and act as a counterpoint to the natural materials.
      The penthouse’s sparse furnishings include an oak-topped dining table with a cast-bronze base, and a low-lying, multidirectional sofa that support various postures and orientations.
      A lighting installation from Bocci illuminates the stairwellFloating in the stairwell is a lighting installation from Bocci that evokes a cluster of sparkling fireflies. The piece is made of copper and 122 glass luminaires.
      The rooftop terrace is meant to serve as an extension of the living space. It is fitted with a stainless-steel jacuzzi, an outdoor shower, a kitchenette and plenty of seating.
      The lighting installation is made from copper and glassFounded by Michael Leckie in 2015, Leckie Studio has designed a number of residential projects, including mirrored cabins that blend into the forest. The firm also designed Slack’s Vancouver office, located within a repurposed industrial building.
      Photography is by Conrad Brown.

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