Last month, I introduced you to my dad’s condo, which is pretty much a blank canvas with zero furniture. He asked me to help furnish the entire upper level of his new home and he didn’t give me much direction. He just told me that he and his partner prefer an art deco style and he wanted it to look nice. I already came up with a design plan for the guest bedroom and I enjoyed stepping outside of my comfort zone with a more glamorous style than I’m used to.

8×10 Rug // Velvet Bed // Nightstand // Brass Lamp // Bubble Chandelier // White Dresser // Black Lamp // Swivel Chair // Black Marble Side Table // Large Floor Mirror // Modern Art Picture Frame

Once I got the green light for the design of the guest bedroom space, I moved on to figuring out how to furnish and decorate his upstairs loft area. Let’s take a look at the space before.

Upstairs Loft – Before

This lofted area is directly above their living room and has extra high ceilings. This is extra space in the condo and right now it holds random furniture. My dad’s vision is to have this be a place for the grandkids to hang out, watch movies, and play video games. I guess you could call it a media room.

I love the built-in shelves that were there when my dad bought the condo. There are lots of opportunities for storage here and it can be decorated with pretty and functional accessories. Plus, this storage space is a great option for hiding toys!

The wall color will stay the same because painting it would mean we would have to paint the entire first floor too. This off-white color is a great neutral backdrop for any room design. The room gets plenty of natural light through the skylights and large windows, but we may need some floor lamps for the evening.

My Design Gameplan For The Family Room

These were my must-haves when dreaming up this new space.

• Must be family-friendly with cozy furniture and rounded edges
• Must complement the art deco style of the guest bedroom design
• Must incorporate lots of seating for the five grandkids as their game room
• Must include personal touches to make the space feel special and inviting

The Floor Plan For This Spacious Loft

I recently walked you through the process of how I design a room from start to finish. I followed those exact same steps when working on this loft space for my dad. Before I figure out any furniture, I create a floor plan using the free tool from floorplanner.com. This helps me determine the sizing I will need to search for when shopping online.

Here’s the layout I came up with. We will have an extra long sofa on the wall, with a TV console and a mounted television perpendicular to it. The room will be anchored with a 9×12 rug and we’ll incorporate two cool bean bag chairs for the kids to fight over. In the middle, I chose an oval coffee table that’s pretty and functional.

When deciding on the floor plan, I wanted to keep a walkway open near the railing and stairs. That way, it’s easy to get into the room without walking around a bunch of furniture.

Gathering Upstairs Loft Ideas

Now that I had a rough idea of the furniture I would need, I started to gather inspiration for how I wanted this room to look and feel. I want to create a cozy atmosphere, make the most of the floor space, and make this a fun living area for the entire family.

This image from I Spy DIY inspired me the most.

Even though we won’t be painting the walls in our upstairs loft space, I was immediately drawn to the cozy feeling of this image. That wall color is gorgeous! It gave me the idea to go with lower-profile furniture and bean bag chairs in my dad’s space.

Choosing An XL Sofa

When it comes to kid-friendly furniture, you might not think of leather right away. However, I think it’s a very family-friendly material because it ages so well. Leather is resistant to pilling, easy to clean with a damp cloth, and incredibly comfortable. Honestly, if I had a redo, I might choose leather for our main living room sofa! (Side note: this blog post walks you through the easy steps to maintain leather furniture.)

Because the wall in this space is so long – over 14 feet – I knew I needed an extra long couch. I decided on this 123″ sofa, which is pretty massive. In fact, it’s the same one we have and love in our basement. It has a low profile, which is nice for kids and it is incredibly comfortable. My dad loves the couch in our basement so I figured he would appreciate this one.

The Seating Area In The Loft Room

Normally, I would go with traditional accent chairs opposite a sofa like this. However, since this is a space designed for kids, I found these awesome bean bag chairs. I like that these comfy chairs can easily be moved around, depending on what the kids are doing up here in the loft area. Plus, that blue color complements the blue color scheme in the guest bedroom.

In between the sofa and chairs, I would opt for this oval table. Because the sofa is so long, I needed a hefty coffee table. I usually recommend trying to go for a size that is 1/2-2/3 the width of the couch. This coffee table is 54″ which should work in this space. I adore the travertine top and oak legs. Plus, those rounded edges work well with kiddos.

To anchor everything, I landed on this large 9×12 rug in a navy color. With the light walls and tan carpet, we needed some color in this space! The dark rug will camouflage any stains from the grandkids and should be cozy underfoot.

Designing The TV Area

I would keep the TV on the wall where it is, but I would mount it over this gorgeous media console. That dark wood and round brass knobs are stunning! Because the bookshelves are open, I wanted to choose a media console with closed cabinets so things wouldn’t look too busy. This one is also pretty long, coming in at 82″.

I’m all for mounting televisions to keep everyone in the house safe. However, most people mount them way too high. I would try to go no higher than 6 inches above the top of the media console. You don’t want it floating above the piece of furniture. This blog post dives into more details on where to hang items.

Adding A Gallery Wall Over The Couch

To finish things off with a personal touch, I would add this large gallery wall over the couch. That wall is huge, so I knew we needed to do something big. I think it’s the perfect spot to frame special moments with the grandkids, using this symmetrical grid pattern.

I first thought that the gallery wall configuration that I have in my home would look better. But, once I saw the black frames and this symmetrical grouping, I knew that this style was a bit more modern. I’m eager to help my dad choose photos for this focal point in the loft space.

Upstairs Loft – Modern Living Room Design

Let’s bring it all together and see what this open loft space looks like now…

9×12 Rug // Leather Sofa // Bean Bag Chairs // Oval Coffee Table // Floor Lamp // Media Console // Brass Planter // Gallery Wall // Velvet Pillow // Patterned Pillow

My dad ordered all of these pieces (plus, everything for the guest bedroom space) and I told him I would help with the installation. Once the big pieces are in, I’ll shop for some home decor, plush throw pillows, and other accessories to finish off the space. We may have enough space for a side table or two as well. Don’t worry, I’ll take you along every step of the way!

Oh, and I still need to get to work on this bathroom design. That’s on the agenda too!