Loft living ideal for flexible uses, eclectic style

"We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us." Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965), British prime minister, Time, Sept. 12, 1960

Q: We're moving into a new loft-style home here in Las Vegas and think we want to have modern, sleek furniture to match the style of the home. However, we've been looking in stores and believe some of the things we see would be hard to live with. How would you go about decorating a loft space to keep with the more modern look and still make the space comfortable and welcoming? We're beginning to get stressed! Thanks for your suggestions.

A: You nailed the loft space dilemma. Loft spaces are popping up all over town and since it's a new style for us, a lot of people are going through the same thing you are.

I understand your desire to keep with the style of loft living, but in my humble opinion, living in a loft gives you so much flexibility, and is the perfect setting for eclectic decorating. As with any other space, you do not have to stick with one style or look. While your home is most likely new, loft living in older renovated buildings usually combines old floors and windows with new shiny appliances and a mix of furnishings.

My suggestion would be to mix your furniture. Buy the contemporary pieces you like; add an antique server, an Asian screen or chest, and then mix it up with rugs.

Contemporary furniture is certainly an option for loft living. The normally clean, straight lines of modern furniture fit the openness and angular structure. And, I agree that while some contemporary furniture is appealing to look at, a lot of it looks more like torture devises that seating or storage. Designers of modern furniture have finally realized that while it's pretty, it also must work, and there are many lines available that offer both comfort and style.

The primary benefit of loft living versus traditional-built homes is the open space concept and the appearance of more space, even though the square footage may be the same.

The layout gives you many opportunities to decorate, but at the same time presents a different set of challenges. Chiefly, in a true loft space, you can see everything at one time. Consequently, when buying furniture and planning your space use, you have to keep in mind that it will all "run together" visually.

However, having said that, a loft space also provides the opportunity to change your floor plan at a whim. For those of us who want our furniture to be on rollers, this is a big bonus. You can set up your seating areas, sleeping areas and entertainment areas to fit your needs for a particular day. If you have house guests or if you need to switch your space use for whatever reason, you can do it easily with no walls to hinder your movement.

Temporary dividers are great in loft spaces, i.e., hanging curtains, large pieces of furniture or your area rugs will define a space. Again, they're all easy to move.

While loft living will have a few challenges, the benefits far outweigh them. Have fun with the space. The openness space gives you the freedom to mix it up and make the most of your living quarters.

Carolyn Muse Grant is the editor of Southern Nevada Home & Garden magazine. Her Inside Spaces column appears weekly in the Home section of the Review-Journal. Check out other decorating tips in Southern Nevada Home & Garden magazine, which is published the first Saturday of each month. Send questions to cgrant@reviewjournal.com.