Imagine closing the door on the washing up or your kids’ messy bedrooms and heading upstairs to your cosy chill out zone. Best of all, you don’t need a huge amount of space to create a relaxing retreat under the eaves...

Natural light is key

Bringing in the light is essential for any loft space - not only is great for warmth and illumination during the day, but it makes the room feel larger. If you’re at the planning stages of a loft conversion think about the light right from the start of the design process. Consider making the roof windows nice and wide to fill the room with loads of gorgeous natural light. You can add blinds to the windows from the extensive VELUX range to keep the room warm and toasty at night.

Choose the right colours

In a small space it’s better to favour light colours and soft hues to not "crush" the room. The marriage of light shades and natural light gives the impression of more space. Try a pure white, off-white, taupe, light grey or a pastel colour. But this doesn’t mean boring - bring in your favourite bright colours with accessories and furniture for loads of personality and fun.

Use the low parts for seating

A living room can make the most of those lower points under the slopes. You could create a relaxation area with a cosy armchair and cushions, or it could also be the perfect spot to place the sofa. Position it perpendicular to your roof, opposite a low piece of furniture for the TV, or facing a coffee table. You’ll be able to get up from the couch without bumping your head.

Storage under the slopes

The lower sub-slopes are great storage and decoration spaces. Half-height furniture can accommodate both storage areas and shelves to show off your favourite knick knacks, books or DVD collection. The gable wall is also a handy space for storage and decoration without encroaching on the space of the room, by installing floor to ceiling library shelves.

Choose multi-tasking furniture

When adding furniture, make sure you allow enough space for people to comfortably move around the room. An easy way to add more storage without clutter is to choose furniture with built-in storage. Try a treasure-chest style coffee table, or a sofa or footstool with storage.

In the same spirit, if the height under the slope of your loft allows, consider installing a platform for a small reading corner or home office. Not only does this add structure to the space, you can create more storage by incorporating drawers into the platform.