Introduction
According to Mark Roemer Oakland, lofts have been famous since the 60s since they allow people to maximize their space in small yet very expensive studio apartments in cities. If you’re a new home buyer, you may be confused by the choice of hard loft and soft loft. Let’s check out how they differ from each other.
The Details
- Hard loft – During the great depression, people may just squat in abandoned warehouses and make it their home. Eventually, housing authorities, landlords, and regulators caught on and realized that they had a new hot commodity that could be sold. That’s where the term “hard” loft emerged.
These kinds of structures were found in factories and warehouses. In a hard loft, most of the industrial elements and original architecture are retained. That means you’ll see a lot of beams, exposed bricks, ductwork, concrete floors, and tall windows. It‘s an industrial setting through and through that has been merely modified for dwelling people.
- Soft loft – On the other hand, soft lofts are built from the ground up to mimic loft-like features. Sometimes, soft lofts may include high ceilings, ductwork, or exposed concrete. These lofts aren’t considered “true” lofts by many since most loft-like features are added for aesthetics and not out of necessity. Soft lofts also have more modern amenities including modern utilities and built-in storage. With that out of the way, let’s check out how they differ from each other.
- Authenticity vs Modern architecture – If you’re a history nerd or an architecture junkie, you may prefer the original and unique features of old buildings with big open spaces. The authenticity is reflected in the architecture as well as the materials used. That means interior ceilings with tin, exteriors made of actual cast iron, brick walls without plaster, and oak hardwood floors are a common sight.
On the other hand, soft lofts are more suited for people who love that unique industrial look of hard lofts but don’t want to sacrifice modern amenities. In a soft loft, you’ll get the architecture of a modern building with modern amenities like rooftop barbeque, gyms, built-in storage, and more.
- More light vs Noise Suppression – Since hard lofts are modified from factories and warehouses, they have large windows to allow in as much light as possible. You can bask in ample natural sunshine all day and save a lot on your energy bill.
On the other hand, soft lofts mimic the look of the hard loft with tall ceilings, but can’t have giant windows. While soft lofts have large windows, they aren’t big enough to maximize natural light in your room. However, they make up for it with noise suppression that you get in modern buildings. In hard lofts, you’ll hear the outside environment quite clearly.
Conclusion
Mark Roemer Oakland suggests that you make your own assessments and use the above-mentioned points as a guideline while deciding between a hard loft and a soft loft. Both have their own advantages and cater to people with different needs.