Loft v attic
The terms 'loft' and 'attic' are often used interchangeably to describe a large void under, or partly under a roof, but above the main occupied spaces, that it is possible to access.
However, some definitions suggest that the term ‘attic’ refers to the entire storey of a building under the roof, whereas the term ‘loft’ refers to one or more rooms or spaces under the roof, but not the entire storey.
The difference between a loft room and an attic room is sometimes explained as:
- A loft room is accessed by a fixed staircase and has the whole loft area converted to a living space including the sloped eaves if the property has a pitched roof.
- An attic room is accessed by a fixed staircase and has the eaves area of the loft squared off to create a box room in the centre.
The term attic derives from the low decorative columns that often appear in the top storey of a building above the main façade in classical architecture. It was then adopted to refer to any decorative facade above the main story of a building, and subsequently, the space enclosed by such a facade.
The word 'loft' is thought to derive from Old Norse word 'lopt', meaning the upper chamber, upper region or sky, similar to the Old High German word 'luft', meaning air.
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