This text presents examples of residential lofts in London, New York, Paris, Chicago, Berlin, Los Angeles and Milan. Whether in former warehouses, converted schoolhouses, suites of offices, or one-time woodworking shops, the lofts all represent contemporary design and living. Confronted by the challenge of dealing with hundreds or often thousands of feet of raw space, loft dwellers have responded by devising some interesting design solutions. Here are lofts with open, free-flowing spaces, loft divided into rooms or arranged on different levels, artist's lofts, and lofts that function as home offices.

Decorating a loft has never been easier with this comprehensive guide. The Big Book of Lofts features more than 600 different design ideas covering every part of the loft...and then some. The Big Book of Lofts is divided by square footage, with sections titled "small", "medium", "large", and "extra large". Each section opens with text describing the decorating challenges unique to loft design, followed by full–color design ideas showcasing hundreds of different solutions to outfit every size space with a range of current interior style methods. The styles featured focus on the most popular used by today's best interior designers, including New Rococo, Minimalism, New Rustic, Retro and Contemporary. Photographs are accompanied by captions explaining the different approaches from each designer and architect. Whether it's one part of the loft or the entire space, The Big Book of Lofts is the ultimate reference for every homeowner ready to redecorate.

A visual feast--the most stunning and creative residential lofts, from the cozily traditional to the rigorously avant-garde, from New York to Milan, L.A. to Berlin. More than 370 full-color photographs; 15 architectural drawings.

The approach of the millennium has heralded a renaissance in urban living that has seen the widespread conversion of former schools, factories, hospitals, warehouses, and commercial spaces to provide stylish accommodation in our increasingly overcrowded cities. Formerly a marginal residential option, favored mostly by artists whose oversized artworks required the big, open spaces offered by industrial or commercial buildings, lofts have now become the fashionable choice for those who want to break free from the restrictions of conventional apartments. Designed along the lines of classic New York lofts, these vast spaces offer urban dwellers inspirational space. With stunning photographs of some of the world's most innovative conversions-- including the work of leading international architects and designers-- "Lofts" is the ultimate sourcebook for stylish, urban living. Combining the aspirational with the practical, it provides design solutions on a vast scale, whether you choose to commission an architect or interior designer or take on the work yourself. With creative ideas and key information for everything from space-planning and maximizing design characteristics to decorative schemes, fabrics, and furniture," Lofts "illustrates how to create the definitive living space that complements your lifestyle and combines aesthetics with comfort.

In recent years it has become increasingly common to use very small uni-spatial apartments as living or working spaces. This kind of abode-also called the studio apartment-constitutes a great challenge for architects, designers and decorators in order to adapt and maximize the limited space to the user's requirements. Studio Apartments provides the reader with an ample guided tour of different types of studio apartments, all of recent construction. Focusing on the visual impression of the apartments, the book is an ample source of ideas and inspiration that readers can easily put into practice. The book shows to what limits imagination and creativity can be used to make the most of a limited amount of space in terms of functionality, comfort and attractiveness. All of the architectural projects included are less than 550 sq. feet.

The loft is increasingly the residential image most identified with New York. Originally popularized by artists and designers, the enormous raw spaces, most often in old industrial buildings in lower Manhattan, have been laboratories for the creativity of architects. Some of the most striking and important residential design of the latter part of the twentieth century has been created for lofts. Celebrated design arbiter Mayer Rus has had unparalleled access to the most exceptional new projects. He has gathered a great variety of architects and designers -- all widely published in popular and trade magazines -- for the book: Henry Smith-Miller and Laurie Hawkinson, Peter Stamberg and Paul Aferiat, Architecture Research Office, and Deborah Berke. Paul Warchol's exquisite photographs, most taken especially for this volume, capture not only the design and details but the qualities of light, context, and history that make each loft unique. The engaging text highlights the designers, owners, and their residences, in addition to evoking the dramatic qualities of loft living.

Travels from San Francisco and Seattle to Chicago, Boston, and New York to show how industrial spaces, particularly in the inner city, and being converted into fashionable living lofts that suit individual lifestyles