When I say "bathroom" I mean what we call a "half-bath" in the U.S. It's a toilet and a small sink. Nothing more. It won't take up much space. Still, it's a mess to move so much furniture around, and to empty the long, low closet that runs the length of the room (11 meters, or 35 feet) under the eaves. The new plumbing will run through that closet, so the plumber will need to crawl around in there.
This is the corner where new walls for the bathroom will be built and then the new plumbing and fixtures put in. The constraints are the windows and the radiator, which will not be moved. Good news: the space looks pretty good, considering we've been living in it for nine years. We're doing a good "spring cleaning" as we move things around. The floors and walls, which we varnished and painted ourselves back in 2010, still look good.
It feels a little funny to post photos of the loft, because it's really a private space for us, the dog, and the cat. We never entertain guests up here. That's what the downstairs — the living/dining room, kitchen, bathroom, den, front "deck" or terrace, and guest bedroom — is for. The loft is our "family room" — where we watch TV and sleep. I also have a couple of computers up there. We had a similar arrangement in San Francisco, where our family room was a downstairs space that only the two of us and the dog ever spent time in or even saw.
The loft, which was the empty, unfinished attic of this approximately 50-year-old house, never was really a loft, of course, if you take the term to mean a hayloft. No hay or straw or grain was ever stored up there, to my knowledge. The French word for "attic" is grenier, meaning grainery, more or less. Maybe grain was "lofted" or lifted up there and stored, with the added benefit, I think, of insulating the house over the winter. In German, Luft means air, and the loft was the air space under the roof of a house.
I remember reading about the making this loft into a room. What a lot of work, but how worthwhile. And I think the idea of the half bath is very practical.
ReplyDeleteThis loft has wonderful light and bright walls and floor.
We painted the loft all in white to maximize the light. The knotty pine flooring was a good choice, too, I think. We are hoping the work of building the new little room and putting in the plumbing will start before June 1.
DeleteI can't believe that it's nine years since you did up the loft - it seems only a couple of years ago! How time flies.
ReplyDeleteHaving an upstairs loo is a godsend and will be worth all the effort.
Thanks to Nick and you for suggesting the pine-board flooring.
DeleteThe floors still look great-- I love this space!
ReplyDeleteI've been surprised at how fresh and clean the floor and the walls look. After some superficial cleaning, of course.
DeleteIsn't loo, as Jean says in her comment, the English pronunciation of the French word lieu usually in the plural with the same meaning?
ReplyDeleteI think it is. Les lieux = the loo.
DeleteWe are watching a PBS show about a couple that are renovating a mansion/castle/45-room "cottage" in France that hasn't been lived in for forty years. They are from England and haven't experienced French workmen. I think your "renovation" will go much smoother!
ReplyDelete45 rooms! Are they opening a hotel? One of our contractors is a English guy who has lived here for 15 years. The other one is a French guy. They work together, and they've done work for us before. Good work.
DeleteThe loft looks very comfy and spacious. Except for the kitchen, you could almost live up there. I'm assuming you added the nice floors and didn;t just redo what was there...
ReplyDeleteThere were no finished floors or walls in the loft before 2010. There was no insulation. We had all of that done. Then we painted the walls and varnished the floor and the stairway. We were younger then.
Delete"We were younger then." lol,lol. I know the feeling.
ReplyDeleteIt is a great space, and it'll be even more practical with a half bath. Thanks for showing us and explaining what the plan is.
ReplyDeleteYou come up with some great ideas. The loft is beautiful and I know you will enjoy a WC up there. I can't wait to see the half bath, especially since I can't imagine how it will fit into that space.
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