Malmo & Moss Renovation Diary: Our Loft Conversion Plans

Somehow we have been in our new house for 4 months already and with Christmas just around the corner I have been working hard with our lovely architect Reah of Detail Architects to finalise our renovation plans for 2020 (and beyond!). Apologies to Reah for misspelling the name of her architecture practice in my last blog and accidentally directing people to a Siberian architect specialising in extremely well insulated wooden huts. A key part of those renovation plans is adding a loft conversion to increase the amount of upstairs space we have.  If you look at the floorplan of the new house against the old house you will see that whilst we have gained additional reception (and most importantly utility) space, the bedrooms are actually smaller than those we left behind meaning we have lost quite a bit of storage space! If there is a world record for the number of vacuum bags one household can fit under a bed I am fairly confident we would be going home with the trophy (or the £1000 Robert Dyas voucher).  Also whilst at the moment two of the boys happily (well most of the time) share a room but we can imagine a (teenage) day when this might not always be the case!

The ground floor of our new house. It has lots more width which was a key selling point

However when compared to the bedrooms in our old house (see floor plan to the right) we have marginally less space upstairs

The upstairs layout of our old house

So whilst there are changes we would like to make to the downstairs layout our priority for next year is going to be the loft.  It is, therefore, fortitious that I had actually previously written, in paid collaboration with VELUX, a blogpost all about the secrets of designing a successful loft conversion not realising at the time that I would actually get the opportunity to put them into practice.  Whilst there may be seven deadly sins (and flavours of Magnum Icecream) there are, for me, five secrets to successful loft design and here is how I will be using them in our new house.

Perfecting My Floorplan

We inherited the loft in our old house (in the sense of the conversion having been done before we moved in rather than it having been passed down in my great Auntie Pat’s will).  That meant whilst we could change the décor we couldn’t change the layout.  There were aspects that worked really well like having generous eaves storage, 6 huge VELUX roof windows that flooded the space with natural daylight and a spacious bathroom separated out from the sleeping space. 

The loft in our old house with natural daylight flooding in through the VELUX windows

 However it was a long room and the design meant that the bed had to be positioned under the eaves rather than closer to the dormer window meaning we didn’t get to take advantage of the views out of the garden. We also had limited options for built in storage.  This time around I am eager to achieve a layout with more separation of spaces, better connection to the view from the dormer and much more built in storage (so that I don’t have to find the hoover every time I want to locate my winter jumpers!)

The loft room in our old house was spacious but quite long which broke the connection between the bed and the view

 The floor plan that I think will best achieve this is set out below.  What do you think?  The sleeping space is smaller but better connected to the view and there is a much more generous “dressing room” space.  Our plan is to build some seating into the space to the right of the VELUX windows to make the most of the daylight coming into the room and make this feel like a multi purpose relaxing space. But would you sacrifice the seating and have a dressing table instead? I am more of a do my make up on the train and dry my hair wherever there is a plug kind of gal but maybe I could be won round to being a bit more sophisticated!

Option 1: my preferred layout for the loft is broken, created by Detail Architects, is broken plan rather than open plan with three distinct areas to dress, sleep and bathe

This is Option 2 which I had discarded on the basis it would mean we had to have a skinny bed and allows for very little bedside table space. But I am now wondering whether having the bed facing the view would be better and there might be a way to make this work?? Any bright ideas?!

In trying to decide on my perfect floorplan I have found it really useful to visit  Building Inspiration, a sister site from VELUX.  There are lots of case studies of real-life loft conversion projects featured which gave me some fresh ideas about how to design the space. There are also handy how to guides to walk you through the loft design and conversion process

Letting the light in

 One of the most successful aspects of our previous loft was definitely the bank of roof windows on one side.  I didn’t know this at the time but VELUX roof windows actually let in twice as much daylight as vertical windows of the same size. And doubling the amount of daylight means boosting your metabolic processes (without wishing to sound too #StraightOuttaTomorrowsWorld) improving your mood, reducing your risk of obesity and helping you get a better night’s sleep. The windows we had were top hung meaning we could open them to get a full, open view and maximise the amount of natural daylight that can be allowed in.

Positioning your bed under VELUX windows can actually help you sleep better

So we will definitely be incorporating VELUX roof windows again in our new space.  We have some planned  in for the dressing room space but I would also love to see if we can incorporate one into the bathroom space so that we can see the stars whilst brushing our teeth or at least as much of the stars as you can see when everyone has their lights on in North London! Has anyone done this in their loft conversion?  Does the reality live up to my Pinterest dream??

I am looking forward to actually being able to choose the design and size this time around and there are some exciting new products being introduced by VELUX in 2020 hopefully just in time for our conversions. For example, I love the sound of the top hung INTEGRA windows being introduced which have tech built in that allow you to operate the roof windows at the touch of a button. I would also like to add some inbuilt blackout blinds which again can be remotely controlled.

Sadly I don’t think we will be able to go for a VELUX CABRIO pop out balcony window so I will have to keep this image on my Pinterest a while longer.

Creating Character and Zoning Like Beckham

In my last blog I spoke about the fact that lofts can easily feel a bit “Keanu” (likeable but bland) and need character injecting into them.  In our old loft I “De-Keanued” with the help of a small builders’ yard worth of reclaimed scaffold boards on the wall behind the bed.  I loved how it added texture and warmth to the space and it is very tempting to repeat the trick again. 

 However, this time I love the idea of using a crittall screen to create a focal point, acting as a divider between the bedroom and the dressing room and injecting a little bit of sophisticated industrial edge into the room.  Although I may be back down the builders’ yard if it turns out I have crittall dreams on a cardboard box budget.

Room designed by Anna Potanka

I also love the idea of having the ability to open up part of the bathroom to the bedroom with a pocket door and, with some clever layout (and waste pipe location) planning am hoping I can fit a freestanding bath into the bathroom for a bit of added wow. This is my inspo for the idea although obviously on a slightly less dramatic scale than this!

I adore these sliding doors and the bath concealed by them. Image via @viral.archi

 By having three distinct spaces divided in this way I am hoping to banish the bland and create a multifunctional space that we can sleep, bathe and relax in! If you need more ideas about how to design your space for maximum wow (and non-Keanu) factor then VELUX has a brilliant EBook available that has lots of great tips about things to bear in mind when you are designing your space.  Definitely worth looking at when you consider that 70% of people have regrets about their loft conversion and that 19% of people wish they had spent more time planning their space before starting to build.

Glaze to Amaze

 One of the key attractions of our new house is that is has a lovely mature garden with some seriously attractive trees   Because it is so mature you cannot really see the houses behind so it feels very secluded and connected to nature.

Could be New England in the fall but is actually Enfield

Concentrate on the view not the chunky UpVc windows that are definitely on my hit list to replace

One of my key design aims with the loft is to ensure that there are clear uninterrupted views to take advantage of the setting.  In my last loft blog I detailed how we removed a set of white UpVC doors to de-dentist surgery the old space and open up the view.  At the time we had a limited budget so had to install, in their place, a large fixed picture window and a small opening side window.  Whilst that definitely gave us uninterrupted views it would have been nice to have had the ability to open the window to enjoy more fresh air in the summer months.

The picture window in our old loft which created stunning uninterrupted views

This time around I am therefore hoping that we can stretch the budget enough to go for either folding or sliding doors in the dormer like this amazing loft conversion I have saved on my Pinterest boards (source unknown).  Has anyone done this in their loft?  I also love the idea of having the bath positioned in front of a big pane of glass like in this inspo picture .

I am hoping god (and the Halifax) willing that we be able to finalise the design, put it in for planning and get started in the first half of 2020. If you are planning a loft conversion and need more practical information on the timings and process then click here to read bags of useful information on just those topics complied by VELUX or contact VELUX for support. Using the VELUX Project support tools has really helped me so far and it is a great way to get to know more about the whole range of different types of windows that they offer. Did you know for example that you can open and close their INTEGRA windows with just one touch of a wall switch?

I look forward to sharing our final choices and our loft conversion journey with you over the coming months. I would love to hear from anyone else also embarking on a similar journey in 2020!

This blog post was sponsored by VELUX as part of my paid brand ambassador partnership with them

Secrets of a Successful Loft Conversion

When we first bought our house nine years ago one of the main attractions was the fact that it already had the loft converted saving us the expense and hassle of doing so. Thanks to six big VELUX windows it was flooded with light and had beautiful views out over the blossom trees on our street. However, after living in the space for a couple of years, we came to realise that whilst it was light, bright and spacious, it had about as much character as Keanu Reeves. Sorry Keanu but I have seen beige carpets with more dramatic impact that your performance in The Lake House.

The bright, bright loft conversion was one of the factors that sold our house to us

Over the last few years we have made a series of changes to the space to de-Keanu it and it is now one of my favourite rooms in the house. So I was delighted when VELUX asked me if I would like to team up with them to share my top five tips for designing a successful and stylish loft conversion. VELUX started out by installing their first roof window in a Danish school house 75 years ago and now sell their products in over 40 countries so working with them is a Scandi dream come true for me!

We have made a series of changes to add character, warmth and texture to it

My favourite of which has to be the addition of a scaffold plank wall

I hope my tips will help anyone planning a loft conversion or struggling to inject some character into their existing space to #BeLessKeanu. I have included in my tips advice shared with me by my Instagram followers who have some pretty stunning loft conversions of their own and have some cautionary tales of misplaced internal walls, incorrectly spaced skylights and awful attics!

Tip One: Perfect Your Floorplan

There are essentially three main types of loft conversion: a simple VELUX loft conversion where the roof slope is not altered; a dormer loft conversion which allows for vertical windows and doors; or a mansard loft conversion which is less boxy in appearance than a dormer (although there are multiple possible variations on each design and VELUX windows can easily be combined with mansard and dormer style conversions as well).

Our conversion is a dormer which is a popular choice as it is often the design which best maximises available space and does not, typically, need planning permission. Although click here for more detailed Government Guidance about when planning permission might be required (my inner lawyer is still strong!). If I was to tackle another renovation and convert a loft from scratch I would be tempted to go for a Mansard conversion (budget allowing) as they are less boxy in appearance than a dormer.

Seen here from the outside our loft extension is a dormer conversion

Once you have decided on the best option for your space start work early on your floor plan and how you will actually use the space. Loft conversions are often full of awkward spaces and getting the most out of them often relies upon embracing and finding clever uses for them. Think, in particular, about how you will use any space under the eaves. Ours was predominantly dedicated to storage but there was a large space tucked around a corner that was left empty in which I originally had my dressing table .

Once I realised that post children I had about as much chance of sitting on Brad Pitt’s lap as I did sitting at a dressing table we converted that corner into a walk in wardrobe which has made much better use of the space. It also allowed us to get rid of a large bulky wardrobe that sat in front of one of the windows blocking the view through to the outside.

Don’t be afraid to change your mind as you go along either. @Sodia _ Haddassi _ Amma shared with me that she would regularly go up and check on her loft as it was being built even if it meant balancing on scaffold boards and as she saw how the space actually looked made several decisions to change internal walls that infuriated her builders at the time but left her much happier with the end result!

Tip Two: Let the Light In

Did you know that according to the World Health Organisation we spend a whopping 70% of our lives indoors? When you have small children and 70% of that 70% is also spent in the company of Mr Tumble that can feel like a long long time! Sunlight is actually a natural anti-depressant so in the absence of it (and in the near constant company of Mr Tumble) it is easy to become glum! It turns out that people need daylight to help control the most basic metabolic processes, just as they need food and water. So getting the design of your loft right in terms of the number, size and position of windows can actually improve your mood, reduce your risk of obesity (although not if you , like me, keep an emergency packet of wotsits by the bed) help you get more restful sleep and boost your immunity to diseases and infections! 

Our bed is position underneath our Velux windows to take advantage of the natural daylight and fresh air

We have six large VELUX roof windows in the front sloping side of our loft and as a general rule you should aim for glazing to take up to 15-20% of your room’s floorspace to maximise the amount of natural light. We have top-hung VELUX roof windows because they open at the bottom making them a within arms reach and gives us a great view out of the windows to the blossom trees beyond.

@KBro1979 asked what VELUX options are available if your windows are out of reach? Because of your roof height rather than you being the size of a Borrower. Fear not the answer does not involve a trapeze. VELUX has an INTEGRA® range of electric and solar powered windows that open remotely with the touch of a button. They have blinds that can be controlled this way too!

Our windows are within easy reach but it is possible to automated opening systems if yours are a little further up

The position of your roof windows will likely be dictated by the shape of the roof; for example, a long, shallow room will benefit from windows spaced evenly along its length, whereas a narrow, deeper room might benefit better from fewer larger windows.  However in terms of reaping those sleep enhancing benefits consider positioning your bed close to your windows to soak up as much daylight as possible and speed up your metabolism when you have raided that emergency packet of Wotsits.

Tip Three: Create Character

Some of the loft conversions I love most on Instagram are actually the VELUX rooflight type where the shape of the roof has not been altered and cosy spaces have been created with original features such as exposed brick walls left in place.

The challenge with our dormer was that it felt very much like a new build in the worse sense of those two words. It was spacious and bright but had no distinguishing features and it often felt like we were echoing around in it. I had a couple of attempts at injecting a bit character in using “feature wallpaper” both in the dressing table nook and then also behind our bed to break up the space and create some drama. Whilst Lawrence Lwellyn Bowen may have been proud of my paste and paper efforts it wasn’t until we added the scaffold plank wall behind our bed that the space really started to come together for me. The rough sawn wood creates warmth, texture and character and I would really recommend thinking about how you can bring rougher less “perfect” finishes into your loft conversion. It might be be asking your builder to leave a wall unplastered, or by using brick slips to create the same effect or using lime wash or concrete effect paint but try and get some texture in if you can.

It cost about £250 in materials and labour but the reclaimed scaffold plank is worth every penny

I love how cosy it makes the loft space feel at night

Tip Four: Glaze to Amaze

When our dormer loft conversion was carried out over 10-15 years ago white uPVC doors in dormers were as ubiquitous as Noel Edmonds. Their popularity has since gone the same way as Noel’s TV career and thankfully a host of much more visually pleasing glazing options are now emerging. When we were renovating our loft ensuite we had a little bit of budget left over a decided to say sionara to our uPVC doors, the chunky frames of which obscured our view to the garden beyond. If money had been no object I would have loved to go with either crittall style doors like those in the loft of @FallowGrey or for a sleek sliding door system like in this conversion by Mulroy Architects. 

Replacing the white UpVC doors with a picture window has transformed our loft space

I love sitting in this corner looking out over the garden

However we came up with a compromise that overall I am pretty pleased with which was to replace the doors with one large fixed picture window.  The frame is still uPVC but because it is dark grey instead of white it is not as noticeable and to be honest the difference in price didn’t justify going for aluminium on basis probably only I would notice the thinner frames. We retained the smaller opening window to the left hand side so that we still had ventilation and through draft.  The cost of doing this was approximately £1000 including labour which I consider to have been money well spent.

Yes we did run out of floor paint ……

So when you are planning your loft conversion think really carefully about your glazing options and don’t just go with what builders and loft conversion companies fit as standard.  There lots of still cost effective options out there which offer much better wow factor.

VELUX, for example, have a really cool pop out balcony window product called CABRIO ® which I discovered through this collaboration that I would love to incorporate into any future renovation I take on! When shut it sits flush to the roof like a normal window and when open it pops out to create a mini balcony , have a watch of this little video to see what I mean, is so clever!

A window that can become a balcony!

Tip Five: Zone it Like Beckham

Sadly I do not have any pictures for this section of David Beckham reclining in my loft.  The tip I want to pass on here is about how to break up your loft space into mini sections.  Our loft has a fairly large footprint overall at 21sqm but because we are semi detached it is a long but relatively narrow space at 7m by 3m. The challenge is, therefore, how to stop it feeling like a big spacious corridor. We have always had our bed positioned underneath the Velux windows because I love going to bed able to see the stars, lying back listening to the rain falling on them in colder months (and the Summer months based on this June) and opening them up for a breeze on stuffier nights. However the second section of the room originally didn’t really work for us at all. We had a massive double wardrobe on one side and then a double set of chest of drawers on the other side both of which blocked the view out of the back windows and made it feel a bit being inside a storage locker at BIg Yellow Storage.

I added a monochrome gallery wall and armchair to this corner to create a separate sitting area within the room

Hopefully this picture gives you a feel for how the space fits together

I am one picture short of a full gallery wall!

Making the alcove into a walk in wardrobe meant we were able to get rid of the bulky wardrobe, move the radiator that had been under the window to that wall instead and then put the chest of drawers where the radiator had been (still with me?!) On the side of the room where the chest of drawers used to be I have now created a seating area with a vintage armchair and side table and made this area distinct from the sleeping area by painting it a different colour and adding a gallery wall. It makes it feel as if there are two rooms within a room so if you have a large loft space or large and awkward footprint think about the different ways in which you can use the space and how you can decorate to subtly create different zones.

So there you have it my five top tips for creating a truly instagrammable loft conversion in collaboration with VELUX as part of my paid partnership with them. Thanks to everyone who shared their loft conversion stories and questions with me to help me write this post.