Sun

Ever wonder what loft living is all about? The Vancitylofts Team believes it’s much more than an address; it’s a lifestyle choice. “Loft owners tend to express themselves through their surroundings,” says Katie Burkard, sales manager at vancitylofts.com. “Your loft is as individual as you are; it embodies your lifestyle, individuality and uniqueness.”

“Lofts accumulate a modern, stylish and metropolitan feel; conjuring up images, not only through design and style but how you live. When people walk into your loft, they should sense who you are and feel like they know you. We believe that loft living offers a certain air of mystery and even a sense of romance. Behind every loft door… you experience a new way of living.” Says Burkard.

Typically, urban lofts are converted from heritage structures such as factories, warehouses, banks, and churches. Due to the limited number of older buildings in Vancouver, and the growing demand of more unique lofty spaces, many developers are designing their new condo’s to have that trendy loft feeling.

So what makes a Loft? We’ve come up with a simple three step working definition to help categorize the true Urban Loft.

1. Open floor plan. No interior partitions except for the bathroom, if there are dividing walls, they do not reach the ceiling.

2. Over height ceilings and windows. Often double height ceilings will offer a second level mezzanine used as the sleeping area overlooking the main floor.

3. Exposed building materials. Exposed ductwork, plumbing, electrical and brickwork, original wood posts, beams and unfinished floors and ceilings. These features are used to complement the lofts décor.

The two most common lofts found in Vancouver are the “Hard Loft” and the “Soft Loft.” Hard Lofts are conversion buildings that maintain the integrity and features of the building’s original design. Soft Lofts are generally found in newly constructed buildings and incorporate many of the key loft elements: open floor plans, over height ceilings and windows. These lofts are often in smaller boutique style buildings and make up much of our current loft market.

Loft Living in Vancouver is limited to around 100 buildings. Even though there are limited lofts in this market, the impact of the urban loft on design trends has been significant. Lofts exude a modern and minimalist design and their open space concept grants owners a sense of freedom that’s missing in traditional condo design.

To the VanCity Loft Team, living the loft lifestyle is not about living in the most chic, stylish and trendiest pad in town. It’s about a lifestyle that offers a way of escaping the norm, and the generic “cookie cutter condo”.

A loft is defined by the owner; not by its 4 walls.

Living the loft lifestyle… is about living without walls and without limits!

Vancitylofts.com is a proud division of Blu Realty.

© The Vancouver Sun 2008

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