Before you complete your log cabin plans, give some thought to adding a loft. It makes a practical addition to any style or size cabin because it is a flexible space. Lofts used as bedrooms have been around for a long time, but they have other applications, such as:
- Home Office ● Child’s Play Area ● Exercise Room ● Home Theater
- Lounge Area ● Home Library ● Bathroom ● Storage Space
Once you decide on the loft’s purpose, you should select the type of loft that best suits your needs. They can be as simple as you want to as luxurious as you desire. Support the loft adequately and put tongue and groove decking under it for extra appeal.
Types of Log Cabin Lofts
Lofts come in many styles and shapes to meet the layout and decor of your log cabin. Lofts keep evolving while others maintain traditional appearances and functions, including:
- End lofts run from side to side and are placed at the end of a cabin.
- Freestanding lofts have only one wall attached to the cabin’s structure that leaves three sides of the loft open to the rest of the cabin.
- Suspended lofts are anchored to two walls with two open walls.
- Cantilevered lofts have their floors extending beyond the supporting structure and juts out into space over the great room.
- Double Lofts consist of any two of the above lofts instead of one.
Learn more about these lofts and their associated features and construction.
A Log Cabin Loft Adds an Extra Bedroom
The traditional use for a cabin loft is a sleeping area for either adults or children. This room can be used full-time by family members or part-time for friends and family. Having an extra sleeping area prevents others from sleeping on couches, daybeds, or on the floor.
A bedroom that seems to hang in the air is eye-catching and inviting. You can put any size bed, dresser, and chest of drawers in it. When not in use, it can be a temporary storage area. Children especially like to sleep in a loft – just make sure the rails are high and safe enough. The placement of a loft can determine if its temperature will be comfortable enough.
A Loft Overlooks the Greatroom
Looking out over the great room adds another dimension to cabin living by adding a unique feel. You are higher up than the great room but not exactly on the second floor. With windows, you can view the outdoors from a higher vantage point. You never know what you might see from wild animals to a gorgeous sunset.
Looking out over an open floor plan can let your mind open up to more creative ideas for the cabin’s décor. You may want to add different lighting, a ceiling fan, a chandelier, antiques, or some artwork.
The Space Is Versatile
We have already mentioned several practical uses for a loft. It can add extra square footage without adding a second-floor structure that can block some of the ceiling or window views. If you tire of arranging your loft the same way, it can be easy to change it around.
If your children use it for a bedroom or a playroom, it can evolve into some other space when they grow out of it. Think about the uses we have already covered to see if one or more of them appeals to you for future use. Adding a loft will increase the value of your cabin because any new owners will see it as a flexible plus.
Here Is How a Loft Can Pay for Itself
The secret to saving money on a log cabin is by building with real wood log siding instead of full logs. You can save enough to pay for the additional cost of a loft. Both pine and cedar log siding make durable, sturdy, and attractive log walls. Add your choice of corner system and log trim and you have a cabin you can be proud of! Other rustic additions can include:
- Tongue and groove pine or cedar paneling for ceilings, walls, and decking
- Knotty pine floors, baseboards, and interior trims
- Pine and cedar interior doors, stairways, and log mantels
- Log posts, beams, trusses, cabinetry, stains, and finishes
We hope these ideas will be helpful for selecting a purpose and type of loft for your part-time or full-time cabin.
