Installing Your Master Suite in the Attic
Contents
– How to turn your attic into a master suite
– Advice for each space in your attic master suite
– Price of an attic master suite
A master suite in the attic is an ideal layout for a house because it is ideal for it, combining storage, relaxation and well-being in complete independence from the other rooms in the house. The master suite is a three-in-one room with a bedroom, a bathroom and a dressing area. And, if you have space, you can add a small relaxation area or boudoir, with a sofa and a TV, a reading area or even an office area. The master suite can be a single all-purpose room (loft style) or several partitioned spaces, each with its function (sleeping, bathroom, storage).
Good to know: a minimum space of 14 m² is recommended to create a master suite.
Arrangement of your attic into a master suite
First, think about the layout of the space.
To properly design a master suite, it is essential to consider your life habits: do you have the same schedule as your spouse? What are your rituals for getting ready in the morning?
These answers will determine the design choices for the partitioned or open spaces in your master suite.
Note: it is often recommended to partition the shower room and bedroom spaces to obtain some privacy and not disturb the other person’s sleep.
Think about insulation
The roof is the most energy-draining area. So, before installing your master suite in the attic, make sure that the space is comfortable because a room that is too cold in winter or too hot in summer is an uncomfortable space where you do not want to stay.
Note: insulation should be coupled with installing a VMC (Mechanical Controlled Ventilation) to improve the ambient air quality and avoid indoor condensation.
Bring in natural light.
Light is essential to create an attic bedroom. To do this, you can create openings in the roof.
Ideally, it would help if you place the most significant openings in the east to wake up in the morning with the sun and keep the rooms in the shade during the hottest hours of the afternoon.
Note: if you drill windows to the west, you’ll enjoy the sun’s rays in the late afternoon, and you’ll need less heating in the evening before bedtime.
Tips for each space in your attic master suite
Bedroom area
Like a cocoon of intimacy, the bedroom should be isolated from the rest of the house. Take advantage of the particular volume to create authentic personalized decor and use your imagination!
Here are some ideas for a warm and unique master suite.
An attic bedroom with a white and wood decor: white enlarges the space and brightens it. If you combine it with wood on the floor, and the headboard, your master suite will be a space dedicated to relaxation.
A chic and cozy bedroom: for this, keep your exposed beams to accentuate the intimacy and cachet of your master suite.
A cocooning room: you can create a serene atmosphere with warm colours on one of the walls, such as petroleum blue, navy blue, duck green, chocolate … But also with the floor of wood (parquet or parquet effect) and beautiful soft carpets.
A room with character: if you want character and cachet, you can opt for a room with design style. With blue-gray, taupe and linen tones, a contemporary headboard and design objects, and you’re done!
Bathroom space
This space may or may not be open to the sleeping area, but it is above all a technical room, which requires special attention on several points:
– Electricity: you must absolutely observe all the standards.
The waterproofing of the sanitary elements: you must rigorously set it up to avoid water damage and the development of humidity and moulds.
– Ventilation and airing ensure healthy and regularly renewed air.
– The evacuation and the arrival of water: think about how you will be able to supply the room with water and evacuate the water. It is often simpler to raise the bathroom floor by about 20 cm to allow the water drainage pipes to pass without any problem, especially for the shower. In this case, the height under the ceiling will need to be reduced equally.
For decoration, everything is possible. You can imagine an industrial, design, natural or cozy decoration. Avoid multiplying the different decorations, and opt for the same atmosphere in the bedroom, bathroom and dressing room.
For example, between your bedroom and bathroom, opt for a glass roof. It will give a lot of cachet to your decor without weighing it down and allowing light to pass through… Connecting the bathroom to the bedroom through a glass roof will enable you to maximize intimacy without partitioning. For those who like 100% open spaces, you can also choose to place the bathtub behind the headboard. This way, the separation between the two functions will be clear enough to keep some privacy while maintaining the room’s layout.
Please note: for a shower, you must have a height of 2.20 m and a bathtub of 2 m in the center and 2 m in front of a sink top. If you want a spacious bathtub, check that your floor will support the weight (weight of the bathtub + weight of the water + weight of a person).
Storage
The dressing room can be a simple closet integrated into the room or, in a more chic version, a small room fitted out with shelves, drawers, and racks. The height of a closet is 180 cm, and the useful depth of 60 cm.
Loft spaces lend themselves well to creating a lot of storage space, but to get the most out of this space, it is usually necessary to opt for a customized layout, which increases the budget.
Tip: use sliding doors to save space.
Price of the layout of a master suite in the attic
A price per square meter cannot be given, as it will depend on the nature of the work required, such as demolition, flooring, plumbing, and other structural work (roof opening).
The room’s quality of furniture and equipment will also vary considerably to reach the final price; you can find all these elements in big DIY and decoration stores and commercial websites.
