Open lofts are space gained by raising the roof line of the home to a steeper pitch and covering part of the first floor with an upper level. Lofts are unique spaces but what uses can they serve within a home?

The first use that comes to mind was a home office. Including a sky light and dormers in the loft make the space more useful. Offices often do not need to be as private as a bedroom, so the loft is a good location.

Loft of Post and Beam Home

One log home we lived in was a rather small cabin with a loft. The first floor of the plan only offered two bedroom, so the open loft in the great room was transformed into a bedroom for our boys. At first I wasn’t sure how they would like staying upstairs. With Mommy on the first floor and them up there by themselves seemed like a potential problem. The boys loved their large space up stairs. Complete with dressers, toy boxes, and log buck beds, the boys thought that the loft was their pirate den. They could sit up on the top of the stairs can play while still watching TV in the living room.

Another use for an open loft was a recreation room. If the loft is built with a substantial loft system of timbers supporting it, a pool table may even be able to be located in this upper area.

Chalet Plan Loft

The last use for a loft is a master suite. In our smaller cabins, like the Mica Creek plan, the homeowners added a shed dormer to each side of the cabin and also an upper balcony. Then a full bathroom, walk in closet, and bedroom were completed for the upper level. The homeowners did wall off the very top of the steps to create a separate master suite for privacy.

So if log cabins with a loft appeal to you, don’t hesitate to explore ways to use that space. It is just like any other living space and having a half loft in a cabin is what adds to the feel of a ‘cabin’.

Cowboy Log Homes