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Lofts in Atlanta offer plenty of opportunities for creative living
by Carrie Whitney
www.homeimprovementmag.com
Photography by John Williams, courtesy of Smith Dalia Architects & Sims Patrick Studio
You can't drive through Atlanta without noticing that lofts have popped up everywhere. Urban
areas like Castleberry Hill and the Westside specialize in loft communities, but
residents in more suburban areas also have developed a penchant for these wide-open
spaces. With the special quality of lofts come design and decorating decisions that
vary from many of the concerns of more traditional homes. That means a lot of unique
opportunities, and a great chance for loft owners to flex their creative muscles.
Loft living in Atlanta
While lofts seemed to burst onto the scene in Atlanta around the mid-'90s, early loft
development actually began downtown in the '80s. Bruce Gallman performed Atlanta's
first conversion of industrial buildings into a residential community in 1982 with
Castleberry Square, and Henry Finkbeiner developed properties in Castleberry Hill and
along Edgewood Avenue. The move toward urban living was on.
Today, the Castleberry Hill neighborhood is a vibrant community that has become recognized
for its regular art strolls and hip hangouts. Several established fine art galleries,
such as the Marcia Wood Gallery, Ty Stokes Gallery and Wertz Contemporary, call the
neighborhood home and have formed the Castleberry Hill Arts District. The growth there
began with the establishment of the loft buildings.
Many of the lofts found in Castleberry Hill are conversions of old factories and
warehouses. In an effort to maintain the original style of the neighborhood, residents
and members of the Castleberry Hill Neighborhood Association recently applied for and
earned the Landmark District designation, having already been named a National Historic
District in 1985. With the Landmark designation, regulations and guidelines have been set
for what is allowable in the neighbor-hood concerning new and existing development. "It
will help protect [the neighborhood] from developers who might want to come in and do
something inappropriate," Gallman says.
Even outside Castleberry Hill, downtown Atlanta is the setting for a variety of loft
buildings. The Marietta Street artery is covered with them, as are parts of Edgewood
Avenue and Boulevard, and they can be found throughout Midtown and are a staple in
Atlantic Station. But lofts have made their mark in less urban areas too. In
Chamblee, the Peachtree Malone buildings have welcomed loft residents since 2001,
and the same developer, 3400 Partners LLC, is currently constructing Eco Lofts nearby.
"It's a great location," says Alex Perkins of 3400 Partners. "It's inside the
perimeter, but you get a little more house for your money than if you bought in
Buckhead." In Chamblee, too, the developers work to maintain the style of the
existing architecture.
Photography by Calvin Lockwood
Separate styles
Lofts can be divided into three basic types. The first type constructed was basically raw
space, according to Mark Galey, president of Magnet Construction, who has done renovations
on many lofts throughout Atlanta. When these shell-like structures were being sold,
renovators like Galey turned them into unique living spaces. Sometimes these spaces
would have 30-foot ceilings, making building up an ideal way to increase floor space.
The lofts along Arizona Avenue near DeKalb Avenue were this type. "That was the lure of
the loft, and people did different things with them," says Jerold Miller of Miller
Gallman Developers LLC.
After about 1999, Galey says the loft market transitioned into spaces that were
built-out by the developer. These newer lofts came with distinct rooms, stairs
and windows. Finally, new construction lofts also are popular now. Jokingly called
"loftominiums" by those in the loft world, these buildings offer more of a "soft
loft" and might already come with hardwood floors, white walls and even carpet in
the bedrooms. "It's more a level of finish change than anything else," Perkins says.
What this means is that lofts are available with a variety of levels of an industrial feel.
For a homeowner who enjoys high ceilings, but not graffiti, a new construction loft can be
very comfortable, providing great insulation and brand new plumbing. But for loft lovers
seeking a raw space where the furniture marks out the rooms, Atlanta still has much to
offer.
"Fundamentally, lofts provide some drama and a background for creativity," Miller says.
Even with the newer spaces, that part of the loft allure is still available.
Trends in lofts generally have paralleled housing and condominiums. Like traditional
homeowners, many loft owners have a heightened level of sophistication and desire for
amenities. There is a greater emphasis on kitchens and baths. These changes also reflect
a more differentiated loft demographic, according to Miller. Lofts are not just for
young starving artists anymore. A further area of interest for loft owners is the
neighborhood context. Today's loft dwellers want services in their neighborhoods, clean
environments, streetscapes and walking areas. Loft communities are beginning to manifest
all of these changes.
More and more Atlanta lofts are being found in mixed-use developments. These communities
provide residential housing on upper levels, and retail and business spaces on the lower
levels. The new Fair & Walker Lofts in Castleberry Hill fit into this category. The
buildings feature town home lofts on the two upper levels and retail space on the bottom.
Complexes like this, including the ATLofts in Atlantic Station, also accentuate the
possibility for people to own live-work spaces, another popular element of the loft
lifestyle.
Photo courtesy of MillerGallman Developers LLC
Lofty trends
Due to the variety of loft living styles available-from industrial to plush-almost any
type of person can be found in a loft. Young, old, single, married and even married
with children, Atlanta loft residents come in all categories. And far from loft
districts being cold and industrial on the inside, many support close-knit communities.
Tami Donnelly, president of the Castleberry Hill Neighborhood Association, moved to
her loft from Buckhead seven years ago and says she loves that she can walk or ride
a scooter almost anywhere she needs to go, and is most enthusiastic
about "the people; it's like one big happy family."
The closeness of many loft communities to downtown or other parts of inside-the-perimeter
Atlanta also account for their popularity. "Having previously lived in Alpharetta with
a business in Atlanta, we now save at least one-and-a-half hours per day in travel,"
says Walt Bilinski of No Mas! Productions. "We looked into several areas, but
Castleberry Hill came out on top for our needs. The arts, retail and restaurants
combined with a slight edge are what many people are looking for."
Design ideas
Of course, lofts also offer the advantage of openness. Perkins does not just build lofts; he also lives
in one. "I like the open space of it, the high ceilings, the exposed barjoist," he says. "It offers a
lot of possibility." This spatial flexibility can be very attractive to the creative homeowner.
"A traditional home clearly defines your use of space," says Heidi Karpa, an associate residential
designer who films original content for HGTV's online kitchen and bath design programming. "The
emotional appeal of a loft is just the opposite-wide open space and lots of light." The wide
realm of design possibilities brings with it specific design concerns. Before decorating a loft,
attention must be given to daily use of space, and zones must be established. "Creating clearly
defined zones of use will allow you to keep that open loft feel in the most functional way
possible," Karpa says. One way to establish zones is by strategically placing area rugs,
furniture and bookcases.
Steve MacNeil, Walt Bilinski and Dahlia enjoy the early
afternoon sunlight in their Castleberry Hill loft.
In a loft, the kitchen is often viewable from any area of the space. For this reason, the
kitchen must be considered part of the main living area. "We don't normally consider
how our kitchens work aesthetically with our living room furniture in a traditional
home," Karpa says. But in a loft, the kitchen has to incorporate the overall decor
of the rest of the space. In a loft kitchen, very special attention must also be
given to how the space is used.
"More of the design techniques are tailored to a traditional home and take up more
space," says Beth Coetzee of Builder Specialties' Norcross showroom, which features
several loft kitchen vignettes. In a loft kitchen, you have to be more creative
with use of space, but that also will provide an opportunity to be more organized.
"You can put basically any product in as long as you are smart about how you are
doing it," Coetzee says. Manufacturers are listening to the needs of non-traditional
homeowners. For example, Thermador has released "refrigeration columns," which are
independent refrigerator and freezer units that require a narrower space and can be
placed in two narrower areas.
It's not just the kitchen that calls for good use of space. The rest of a loft home
necessitates the same. "The need to eliminate clutter and extraneous furniture is
even more important in a loft than in a traditional home," Karpa says. "Think about
how you use your existing home and your daily needs, and map them out clearly.
Knowing this information will free you to create a unique and spacious home."
While many lofts in Atlanta reside in urban and industrial areas, that does not mean that
outdoor living is nonexistent. Rooftop decks have become a cherished feature of loft
homes, and urban gardens either on patios or roofs allow residents to keep up their
green thumbs while also benefiting the environment. "One of the aspirations we have
is to develop a rooftop deck," says Steve MacNeil, Bilinski's partner. "Many rooftops
focus on the 'green' aspect to minimize heat islands found in urban areas."
Photography by Calvin Lockwood
Get the look
Perhaps moving to a loft is not in the cards, but you would like to give your
traditional home a loftier environment. Karpa recommends first knocking out as
many walls as possible, or creating partial walls or walls with openings. Adding
windows also will create a more open atmosphere. "Lofts are really about exposed
materials," she says. Elements like bricks on the wall around a fireplace or
wood flooring, particularly made from older, longer planks, can impart a
loft-like style. You might even consider using salvaged wood to get a weathered
feel. Since lofts also tend to be more industrial, changing the metal accents
in your home also can do the trick. Exchange brass lighting fixtures and handles
for antique metal, silver, bronze or black wrought iron.
"Lofts really are a play on scale," Karpa says. Try placing larger and fewer pieces
of furniture in a room; for example, use just one large chair and one large chaise.
Make a statement by choosing bigger, stronger trims. Making these changes can allow
your traditional home to mimic what loft owners love about lofts.
Whatever your reasons for considering a loft, there is probably one in Atlanta that
suits your needs and desires. "Lofts are truly an expression of who we are; I
think it's easier to express that in a loft because there are no rules," Galey says.
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