Some cool things to decorate your Loft with

I am always searching for things that I think will be really cool for lofts. I always post them on Twitter (twitter.com/loftsinatlanta), but thought it would be fun to list them here too.

Here is something that is called "Digital Wallpaper." Although it is not wallpaper in the truest sense, it is rather interesting and different. I can only imagine what the musicans can do with it knowing they can figure out a way to coordinate their music with movement of the digital colors. Wouldn't that be fun?

http://www.homedit.com/digital-wallpaper-by-strukt/


Another thing is the use of concrete. For those of you familiar with lofts, concrete plays an important role in a lot of them in floors, ceilings, countertops and sinks. Well, here is another use for concrete in "Concrete Shelving." I only imagine that it would be expensive to ship, but it could give you ideas on making your own molds:

http://www.homedit.com/low-cost-design-concrete-bookshelves/


Last, but not least, is an idea of "Glass Curtains." Actually, these are pretty cool and can be used not only as curtains, but as room dividers.

http://www.homedit.com/modern-glass-curtains-design/

So, keep checking back, as I will continue to post some great finds. Again, you can also follow me on Twitter.

Think you can't paint vinyl floors? Think Again!

If you are like me, you probably think you cannot paint vinyl floors I always thought that to be the case. However, one day ....

I was sitting in my apartment looking at some really old vinyl floors in my kitchen. I was glad my then landlord gave me free rein on doing whatever I wanted. I knew I wanted those floors changed, but I also knew that I did not want to put any money out on new flooring considering I did not own the place.

Out of desperate measures on not wanting to look at this golden brown floor any more, I figured anything would be better than nothing. Since it was one of those older style vinyl flooring that had raised areas, I figured they were going to be my biggest problem as far as wearing down first. I decided to take some light sand paper and gently sand down the floor. No major work or elbow grease as I did not want to wear it off. Once that was done, I took a clean rag and wiped off all of the dust from the sanding, making sure it was all removed.

I then painted two coats of white primer paint. This primer paint was not made for floors, but for walls, doors, etc. I figured I had nothing left to lose but my time and a few dollars. I edged out the floors with a hand brush and applied the remainder with a roller. I was absolutely amazed how much just the white paint alone brighted up the entire kitchen!

I then looked at this white canvas and decided what kind of a design I wanted. Since I enjoyed seeing some white, I decided to paint my own black and white squares. Actually, what I did was just mark off where the black would be, using the white primer as my white portion. To add a little flair to the floor, I put in sporadic shapes as in circles, diamonds, rectangles, etc., all being a different color.

Once everything was totally dried, I applied 5 coats of clear polyurethane. I then held my breath not knowing if it would peel off from walking on it once it was dried. Guess what? It didn't! Yahoo!

The floor looked great and I was so pleased. Every time I washed the floor with a mild detergent, I just finished it off with another coat of polyurethane. It lasted for years!

So, if you have vinyl flooring and want to change it with just a minimal amount of money and more time ... go for it!

It works! Check the photo out.

Copyright - Pat Mistretta
2009

Lofty Ideas - Create the Loft Look you want

Not every loft has to be funky with bold colors. It’s all a matter of personal taste and style. I have seen many lofts that have a traditional feel that look absolutely wonderful. People that decorate their lofts in a traditional style like the appeal of the high ceilings and brick walls but want the earthy, warm tones with large leather sofas, lots of bookcases, oriental rugs and great antiques. It can look as appealing as every other style.

The best thing to do is show off your style in a way that pleases you. Make the loft your own. Let it show off your personality, your interests, and yes, your colors! There are no rules to how it should be decorated. There are many helpful hints and suggestions, but you need to incorporate YOU into your unique space. In being an artist, I consider everything my canvas – especially my home. Make your loft your canvas – your work of art.

There are many lofts out there that are soft lofts, or defined lofts. They already have walls and separations up. That delineation can help many people work on the defined spaces. However, if you are in a loft with no walls and separations, you have the ability to create whatever sections you want – if you even want sections. Most people though, will want to pick areas that will be best for the living room, the bedroom, den/work area, and other areas of appeal. So, if you have an open space, I would walk through it and look at the windows, the views, the floor layout and figure out where you would like your living room to be, the bedrooms, and such. Do a mental picture of how you would like to plan out your space. If it helps, take a pad and draw a rough sketch of the room. This will help you visualize better when you are not physically in the loft. Better than that, take photos. Photos will pick up the details you forgot.

If you do not know your “style” so to speak, then pick one or two of your favorite things that are in your possession or that you plan on purchasing. Decorate around those items. That will start the tone and trend for what you are going to create. It’s a good starting point for those who feel overwhelmed on where to begin. These favorite pieces can be anything from a piece of furniture to a family possession. They can be from a favorite hobby such as a guitar or a handmade ceramic vase. Whatever it is that you have joy and pride in – incorporate that into your loft. Use that as your starting point.

Whatever you do, have fun. Enjoy your loft. Enjoy its uniqueness and add your own special uniqueness to it!

Pat Mistretta

Copyright 2009

LoftsInAtlanta.com