10 design ideas for your dream loft

Light wood and white walls make a beautiful combination in this Spanish home. The discreet, empty loft space behind a simple branch would be perfect for a small office or reading area.

A small, simple stairway to the upper level of this seaside family cottage provides a cozy, private attic space—in this case, a master bedroom.

Who needs to go for an apres-ski when you can make your home just as cozy as the nearest lodge? A stone fireplace, exposed logs, and a wrap-around second floor landing make for endless loft possibilities.

The idea of a traditional barn loft is revitalized and domesticated in this house, where barn doors can slide shut for privacy in the softly-lit loft above.

Climb a stilted staircase of mismatched logs to this dreamy, breezy loft with transparent white curtains and blue furnishings. Can you hear the ocean yet?

Now that is a loft! Beyond rustic beams, wood flooring, and exposed brick is the second level of this home—a glass-encased loft that provides tons of natural lights and an indoor garden area.

The stairway to heaven for a cottager might look an awful lot like this. Builders fashioned the staircase and loft railing from an old cherry tree on the property and kept the irregularities evident in the curvature of the wood and knobby handrails. The loft space is illuminated by a series of skylights and walls made of lighter oak.

This gorgeous rural Ontario treehouse features cozy elements, exposed beams and, most notably, a railing of intricately-carved wood patterns that are often seen in East Asian architecture. Made of reclaimed barn materials, the upper level extends to a full deck outside.

This cabin in Austin, Texas is cozy and comfortable above all else. Fur accents, various woods, dark furniture, and animal influences are seen everywhere in the design elements below. A loft area with curtained-off sections is thinly hidden behind a fence-inspired railing.