12 Attic Room Design Ideas to Die for: Turning Wasted Space Into Your Pride and Joy

In fiction, attics are associated with concealment, mystery and hidden danger, often cropping up in Gothic tales – think Jane Eyre or Blue Beard. But, in reality, these nifty spaces are far from sinister; rather they present themselves as an opportunity to get creative whilst nabbing additional value for your property and functional space for whatever purpose you like. If you’re in the process of converting the loft or you simply want to rethink your existing attic room, it’s time to kickstart the brainstorming so you can draw out your plans. To help, we’ve compiled a list of 12 workable attic room design ideas that will help you go in the right direction.

But, first, let’s take a quick look at some of the general concerns and considerations you might come up against. (Skip to the main attic room design ideas)

Overcoming the early hurdles

There’s something inherently romantic about the thought of turning a dusty old loft into a restful space for hunkering down right under the eaves of your home. However, attic rooms aren’t without their challenges. So, before you fully commit to the idea of converting, renovating or redecorating your attic, it’s a good plan to set aside some time to thoroughly consider the following challenges and how you can mitigate them.

Renovation costs

We hate to say it, but all renovations come with a cost, and with loft conversions in particular things can get pricey if you aren’t too careful. According to Checkatrade, UK loft conversions at 30m2 can range between £27,500 and £75,000+ in price. The expenses are likely going to cover elements like internal preparation, insulation, roofing, plastering, electrics, decorating and, our favourite bit, furniture. As such, it’s best to wait to get this project rolling when you feel financially stable and have a detailed budget in mind. This entails a good deal of research – boring, I know – but it really pays off.

Insulation

One of the major issues that you could find lurking up in the attic is poor quality or poorly installed insulation. Unbeknownst to many homeowners, this not only affects the temperature and comfort of the space, but it may have safety implications too. There’s the obvious heat loss and energy-efficiency concerns but decent insulation will also reduce the likelihood of ice dams forming on the roof and moisture build-up and mould growth getting out of control. This means sorting it out sooner rather than later, so your decorating efforts don’t go to waste.

Moisture

We briefly mentioned humidity in relation to attic insulation, but let’s dig a bit deeper. Other faults on the roof may cause a build-up of moisture from rotting fascia that ought to be replaced to cracked roof tiles and a lack of ventilation. If you have a small roof this can be fixed in a day or two: wooden fascia can be replaced with water-resistant alternatives and you can swap out the faulty tiles with new ones, including a ventilation tile if airflow is a concern.

If you’re uncertain about what’s causing any leaks or dampness, you should get in touch with a local roofer to get the attic properly inspected along with a quote. Once you know exactly how to remedy the problem, the rest of your attic room design will be a piece of cake.

Low or sloped ceilings

Another consideration that is bound to have an impact on your attic room’s spatial design is the height and angle of the ceiling. Here you’ve got to be careful about providing enough headroom for traversing the room – super-long pendant lights are a no-no. Similar to our low-ceiled living room lighting suggestions, the best thing you can do to make the room appear bigger and brighter is to rely on multiple light sources, so table lamps, floor lamps, overhead fixtures and perhaps a sky light.

Loss of general storage

Finally, if you’re converting the attic into a bedroom, bathroom or anything in between, be prepared to lose a bit of hidden storage space. While a whole new room is convenient, you’ll have to think of new ways to keep your belongings tidy from investing in better storage ideas for your hallways and corridors to looking towards furniture with in-built storage that you can pop in the new attic room like this traditional storage bench.

12 intuitive attic room design ideas

Without further ado, here are our favourite attic room designs that get our bona fide seal of approval.

1) Go all art deco

Art deco is in, and in a loft conversion, it works oh so well. Think emerald green walls, geometric light fixtures and pink accents tying in retro furniture like this gorgeous side table with its splayed hairpin legs and waxed finish. For more 20s inspo, you should definitely check out our art deco bedroom ideas.

2) Try a slanted gallery wall

Decorating an attic room doesn’t have to be a chore when you get to experience the sheer joy of curating a gallery wall according to your artistic tastes and influences. Take, for instance, this charming home office, which makes the most of eclectic prints and neon sign lighting.

3) Open-plan attic living

Rooms in the attic space have a tendency to be on the larger side. Hence, why there’s ample opportunity to section off parts for an en-suite, an office and a living room, if there’s enough space. You could even use furniture to create zones under one flowing, open-plan scheme.

When choosing a sofa, its size and shape should be a consideration as you think about ways of guiding the eye around the room. A corner chaise is a particularly cosy way to zone your seating section. Then there’s planning around your coffee table size and whether you can also fit a desk set-up in there too.

4) Hide away the clutter

If your loft conversion needs a bit of inspiration to take it from box room to dream room, you can count on Evelyn Lily. We have so many tips and tricks to get you started – beginning with beds. If you’re eager to claim back a few inches of storage always opt for a bed with in-built storage or room underneath to hide away boxes of bedding and your other bits and bobs. Here’s the clever bit: if you invest in ornate valances, you can conceal the mess further and add a bit of vintage appeal while doing so.

On top of this, make sure to look out for furniture with deep-set drawers so you can make the most of them. The best bedside tables and cabinets are ultra-durable and able to contain all of your clutter whilst staying stylish. Finally, when floorspace is at a premium, it never hurts to display your belongings with open shelving. Put your most-used items here and they’re never forgotten – plus, it’s super convenient to grab them.

5) Bring the 5-star hotel feel

You can’t compete with an attic wet room. Spa retreat anyone? With the entire top floor dedicated to your bathroom, you can indulge in daily luxury. Just make sure you’ve got your plumbing and ventilation down to a T.

6) Channel your inner Jo March

One of the most iconic attics in literature belongs to the much-loved Jo March from Little Women. We love how this homeowner has taken inspiration from the novel, injecting a lovely sense of vintage children’s book charm into the interior with retro wallpaper and eye-catching wainscoting.

7) Panel away

Adding interesting textures into the mix is always a good idea, especially if you’re looking to usher in a new dimension of character into a new build. Wood panelling is a great way to do this as demonstrated by this DIY influencer. The coordination between the white panelled ceiling, walls and day-bed is dopamine fuel.

8) Find inspiration in nature

We humans are always returning to nature in times of crisis, so why not take inspiration for your attic room from the great outdoors? Organic materials like oak are a great foundation for a cohesive bedroom scheme, while introducing indoor plants into the space fosters a meditative feel. You could even throw in a few motifs such as florals, tessellating shapes or circles to reflect the natural patterns that reoccur in nature.

9) Focus on creating a focal point

In rooms without architectural features like fireplaces, it can be tricky to pinpoint ways to draw the eye to one focal point, which in turn provokes a sense of disorganisation. In the absence of such a centrepiece, you’ve got to strike out on your own.

A foolproof method for achieving a harmonious look and visual flow in your attic room is to go minimalist. For instance, there’s no better place to show off a standing bath than a loft conversion; this way your well-chosen bathroom fixtures become the star of the show.

You can do a similar thing with gallery walls, particularly on the wall facing your stairs. Imagine it: when you reach the top of the stairs, you’re met with a tasteful display of art, photos and mirrors, placed cleverly to make things bigger and brighter.

10) Imbue the space with bookish charm

Nothing makes us want to swoon quite like the thought of an attic library. Fitted bookcases, the perfect combination of armchair designs, dried flowers and a cosy rug draped over a beautiful wood floor. It speaks for itself…

11) Get the eclectic appeal

Attic rooms are pretty interesting as they are, but introduce an array of eclectic furniture and there’s a whole new layer of visual intrigue. Here you could play with silhouettes mimicking and offsetting the angles of the sloped ceiling or strive to build a completely bespoke ambience by upcycling wooden furniture and decorating the attic room with unique accessories and trinkets.

12) Don’t be colour-shy

If you really want to editorialise your interiors, colour is your best friend. You’ll find that some of the most impressive designs you see scrolling through social media and in prestigious magazines take risks or stray slightly away from the norms. See this playful example? The apple green door in theory shouldn’t work, but paired with the tongue and groove ceiling panelling and the rich, pigmented blue walls it sings.

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