LOFT CONVERSION
Location: Harpenden, Hertfordshire
Year: 2022
Type: loft conversion
Status: completed
This loft was already in use, but the existing layout didn’t function well and the en-suite felt cramped. My brief was to make the space more comfortable and flexible—without relocating the existing staircase or the plumbing connections.
Working within these constraints, I redesigned the en-suite by rotating its orientation. This small move allowed me to expand the bathroom without moving the drainage or pipework, making it significantly more comfortable without disrupting the lower floors. The revised layout also created enough space in the bedroom for a double bed, giving the loft the flexibility to be used as a children's room, guest space, or home office.
During construction, I stayed closely involved to fine-tune the placement of internal walls and adjust the detailing where needed. This helped ensure that every available square metre was used efficiently. These kinds of projects are all about small shifts that lead to big improvements in comfort and usability and being local to the project meant I could be there at short notice.
The result is a smarter layout that makes the most of a modest footprint—simple, functional, and tailored to the everyday needs of the people living there.
My clients—a family of four—approached me with a clear and practical need: to make better use of their existing loft space. With the children growing up and space becoming increasingly limited, the family needed an additional bedroom. But not just any bedroom. The new space had to work hard: it would serve primarily as a kids’ bedroom, but also double as a home office and occasionally as a guestroom. On top of that, extra storage was a must.
The loft already had a staircase, which gave me a solid starting point. However, to meet all the requirements and bring in sufficient daylight and headroom, I proposed and designed a dormer. This allowed me to create a bright, functional room with enough height and flexibility to serve multiple purposes without compromise.
