  This area in the center of Richard Aker's loft functions as a large closet but also works as a place to display his sculpture and art.
 An armoire becomes a storage solution in artist Ted Meyers' loft.
 Artist Karen Guzak softened her loft with rich textures, warm colors, organic materials and copper sheeting (above).
 A large rug lends warmth and color while bookcases further define the space.
 Guzak lined the walls of her kitchen with sheets of copper and installed red countertops and cream cabinets to create a friendly, welcoming feel.
 In Alberto Miyares's loft, discarded theater seats are put to good use as guest chairs.
 Arched windows, salvaged from an old house, create walls for Miyares's bedroom.
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From the outside looking in, living in a loft is a romantic and unusual way of life. Lofts reside in buildings that once were factories or warehouses constructed in the mid-19th century. With soaring ceilings, hand-hewed timber, exposed mechanicals and cavernous spaces, lofts are, for a growing number of people, preferable and affordable alternatives to the boxy, small rooms of urban apartments and suburban track homes.
In the 1960s as the baby-boomers came of age, housing demands increased and rents became unaffordable for many. In large cities, artisans and middle-income families sought out abandoned buildings as alternative housing, and many chose to combine their work and living spaces. But these structures were designed for people to work in, not live in; they were lacking the basic necessities common to most homes.
In the beginning bathrooms and kitchens were make-do affairs — hot plates for cooking and buckets set on counters for washing dishes. These massive spaces had structural beams and support columns instead of finished ceilings and walls; freight elevators or stairwells served as entrances and links from one floor to another, and there were no bathing or kitchen facilities.
All lofts share some basic elements that have to be dealt with to make the spaces functional and livable: they are large and open, lack built-in storage and are cold , industrial spaces. Take a look at how three loft-lovers dealt with these potential problems.
Richard Akers: Home, Studio and Art Gallery
Painter and sculptor Richard Aker's loft is a home, studio and art gallery. When he began designing it, he wanted to maintain the openness but needed storage. His solution? Using wooden boxes painted white and partial walls, he created an area in the center of the loft that functions as a large closet but also works as a place to display his sculpture and art.
Karen Guzak: A Welcoming Home
Artist Karen Guzak softened her loft with rich textures, warm colors, organic materials and copper sheeting. Since lofts are visually cold due to the industrial materials they are built with — such as brick walls, cement floors and wooden ceilings — she wanted to add coziness to her abode. Guzak created a welcoming entrance to her home by painting the walls dark, rich red and adding a triangular overhang crafted of wooden planks that are covered with galvanized sheet metal. Then she placed real tumbleweed laced with small white Christmas lights above the canopy to brighten and warm the entrance.
Guzak lined the walls of her kitchen with sheets of copper and installed red counters with cream accents to create a friendly, welcoming feel. For additional storage she painted an antique armoire in cream, tan and coral for dishes and linens.
Alberto Miyares: Reflections of Recycling
Los Angeles artist Alberto Miyares lives in what once was a commercial garage and has created a loft that mirrors our industrial society. He used found items like discarded theater seating for guests to use, and a wrought-iron front door marks the entrance to the master bedroom. Arched windows, salvaged from an old house, create walls for his bedroom. Like many loft dwellers, Miyares maintained the open feeling by using half-walls and decorative partitions for privacy.
It's easy to see why loft-lovers are drawn not only to the large living spaces, exposed brick walls and wood plank flooring but also to urban living. Although these buildings were once situated in remote areas, new businesses have developed to support the residents who dwell there. Today many lofts are surrounded by thriving businesses such as fresh food markets, flower shops, bookstores, dry cleaners and bakeries.
Reclaiming these buildings and creating livable lofts has benefited the residents by providing a unique and affordable venue in which to live and express themselves. It has also revived the lifeless areas of many cities and saved historic structures from demolition.