WHY LOFTS FIT PH HOMES: If You Want Yours to Have One, Call Me

Early this morning while I was idling in bed, I thought about how lofts are perfect for my small dream house (I hate mansions on earth). I've always been crazy about attics, mezzanines and lofts, not because they're seen in the US, but because they're practical space savers. In fact, ancient Pinoy architecture often included them as storages or extra quarters.

Why don't home builders always incorporate them in their projects and promote them to their clients? They're comfy, aesthetic, smart, and add room.

When I get the chance to build my own house, I'd put lofts on the living room, bedrooms, and my study. And then also put a small attic on the loft of my master bedroom. You'd have to adjust your ceiling height a bit to accommodate them, plus the cost, but that's okay because you get extra rooms.

Lofts, attics and mezzanines not just give you extra room--they're also excellent heat insulation. If you want your house to be green-relevant, employ these semi-floor levels. Especially when climate change have worsened temperatures in the country, you can cool down your house a bit with them. And they're cute and fun to have, especially if you have kids. Kids simply love them.

Lofts, for instance, are both multi-functional and have multi-tasking benefits. It can serve as an extra room for your library and study (especially if you want them to be in the same room--the lower level as your mini library and the upper level your study, or vice versa) extra room for your bedroom, living room ,kitchen, or dining room. A small dining nook will be cute on a loft.

There's my lil pal peeping
from the loft.

Besides, having different levels in your house is healthy for you. You get to climb up and down different levels and that works you up aerobically. That's why I love to have staircases placed in my future house, even to 4 levels--a second floor with a rooftop and attic. I'd love to run up and down them early in the morning, especially if it's raining and running outdoors is not an option.

Are these semi-floor levels safe for small kids? Sure. It all depends on how you design it. Just use your common sense. And anyway, small kids are not designed to be left alone. :D

Here's more on lofts and functional small homes.