A loft is an open room located on an upper level or second story of a home that often overlooks the room of the floor below it (like the foyer or great room). Their size and layout arrangement vary from house plan to house plan, which unlocks their potential and functionality.
While it doesn’t have the privacy or the standard four walls and a door of a typical bedroom, a loft can serve as an excellent additional sleeping space when you have added guests (especially children that like the “adventure” of open space) at your home. When not used for an overflow guest room, it can be used as an office, reading nook, art studio, or crafting space. The open space of a loft leaves it open to interpretation.
Anyone with a loft will likely agree that having a loft is a great idea! Small loft floor plans give you space for any of the above ideas that don’t need an entire room but require more than a single corner in one room.
The main difference between a loft and an attic is the walls. While a loft is typically an open space that looks out onto other rooms of the house, attics are closed spaces. Different definitions refer to the attic as an entire story that doesn’t have high enough walls to be considered another story but covers the entire floor plan. At the same time, loft house floor plans include the loft in the second story.
People are drawn to house plans with loft bedrooms because they love having an open concept bedroom that looks out on the rest of the home. Logistically, you can use a loft as a bedroom and sleep there comfortably if everyone is comfortable with the exposure. Suppose you want the loft to be counted as one of the bedrooms in the home. In that case, you will need to meet specific code regulations to meet the definition of a bedroom, which may include proper insulation, fire and safety compliance, and headroom.