For many people, the most common question about tiny living is, “Do I want a loft or not?” This always follows with a steady stream of, “Do I want one? Do I need to have one? Do I want to be climbing up a ladder or steep staircase every night of the week? What if I need to get up in the middle of the night? How much space am I going to save by having one?” Here is the breakdown of the pros and cons of Tiny House Lofts.
Tiny House Lofts: They're not just for bedrooms anymore
Sure, one of the most common places to put a bed in a tiny house is in the loft. After all, you are spending the eight hours in bed laying down, so do you really need to be able to stand up? With a maximum height of 13'6" for a tiny home, it is kind of a waste if you don't go vertical. You can heartily increase your living area by putting in a storage and bedroom loft. Everyday there are new designs for multi use staircases and ladders for access. But there are some downsides to having a bed in the loft. First of all, you are going to have to get up and down every time you need to get out of bed. For the elderly, handicapped, or even the insomniacs of the world, this may not be the best choice. Then there is the headroom deficiency that you have deal with. Most lofts are pretty spacious for sitting up, but if you are one of those people who needs to have a little more headroom, downstairs your bed must go.
Even if you do decide to move your bed to the main level, don't necessarily rule out having a loft. There are plenty of examples of people using lofts for office work spaces, children's play rooms, guest bedrooms and most importantly storage. If going up and down often is a worry, use it as an attic. And to be honest, most people need as much storage space as they can get their hands on when they go tiny.
On the Level: the first level, that is
If you decide to stick with one-level for your house, you will definitely lose storage space and if you decide to compensate for that loss by lengthening your home, remember that there will be that much more home to tow. The advantages are pretty straightforward: you can get out of bed more easily, don't have to travel down a ladder or staircase to use the bathroom, and you can lower the overall height clearance of your home.
If you are physically unable to have a loft, don't give up on your tiny house dreams yet, as there are still options that can help you optimize your space. Murphy beds and slide under beds are popular in many tiny houses, but keep in mind that you are going to have to clear the space each and every time you want to have access to your bed. Still, if you are getting home from a night out with the wife and a little tipsy, would you rather move furniture or climb a staircase to crash into bed? Whether you are Team Loft or Team Flat, paring down your physical items is definitely a mandatory part of tiny living. There are always choices. This is one of the biggest reasons for the tiny home movement: customization. You have the ability to go in unlimited number of directions! All you have to do is figure out the priority of your want list is, and the world is your oyster. What is your opinion on lofts? Which team are you on? Let us know in the comments below.