Two-level apartments, with spacious hallways and beautiful staircases, are gaining popularity every day. Such housing can be easily and simply divided into functional zones and decorated in a certain style, without thinking about saving space. However, when arranging an apartment that is divided into upper and lower levels, it is important to take into account the layout features, advantages and disadvantages. It is better to entrust the design of this type of home to a professional designer. After all, here you will have to solve many important issues relating to many points, and this will require certain experience and knowledge. But if you want to do this yourself, then you should familiarize yourself with the main points of arranging modern two-level apartments.
Advantages
Living in an apartment consisting of two floors is as comfortable as in a private house. A lot of available space, usually at least 100 sq.m., allows you to realize the most interesting and daring design ideas. You may want to decorate each floor in a different style or highlight functional areas in different shades; it’s easy to implement any ideas here. Thanks to the doubled area, you can clearly distinguish between guest and private spaces. On the lower tier there is an entrance hall, living room, kitchen, dining room, and guest rooms. On the top floor there is a bedroom, children's rooms for a boy and a girl, an office, and a dressing room. In a two-story apartment, the staircase is a remarkable accent object that attracts attention. Two-story apartments always stand out for their luxury and comfort.
Flaws
As you know, luxury always comes at a high price. Two-story apartments have a large area, so significant amounts will be spent on utility bills. The operation and arrangement of such housing requires large financial costs. Another significant drawback is poor sound insulation. For example, if guests make noise on the first floor, it will be clearly audible on the second. It is also not recommended to remodel such apartments. The kitchen and bathroom cannot be moved to another place because their communications must remain where the designers intended. The same applies to the location of the stairs, which cannot be moved for a number of technical reasons.
Loft bed - a miniature version of a duplex
Speaking about two-level variations of a home, one cannot help but recall the simplest and most effective way to organize a sleeping area in a small space. If earlier we could only see double bed options, created to save space in a nursery where two children live, now the so-called loft bed has many models. This piece of furniture can also be used in a room intended for one child. This is an effective way to use the useful space of a nursery to create not only a sleeping segment, but also equipment for a workplace, a corner for creativity and storage systems. By moving the sleeping area to the “second floor”, space is freed up for active games, which is important for a child of any age. Well, if two children live in the room, then two-tier structures are simply necessary.
The most common option for arranging the space under a loft bed is to place a workplace or creative area directly under the bottom of the bed and install storage systems under the steps. As a result, you get at least three functional solutions in a couple of square meters. But, like any method of planning the space of a children's room, it has its drawbacks. The child’s growth must initially be taken into account when designing a sleeping place, otherwise in a couple of years the entire structure will have to be redone. It is also necessary to take care of supplying electricity to the area under the bed, because... It will be necessary to ensure good lighting of the workplace.
Another option for arranging the space under the loft bed is organizing a place to relax. A small sofa or sofa will be an excellent addition to the interior. If the sofa has a sliding mechanism, then, if necessary, you can use this area to sleep late guests.
Here is an original way to organize a sleeping area under the ceiling and place an impressive storage system at the base of the steps leading to the bed. A large wardrobe with hinged doors and many drawers can effectively accommodate the entire wardrobe, not excluding the storage of pastel accessories and even books.
Stylistic direction
It seems that when creating the design of a two-level apartment, you can give free rein to your imagination and decorate each room in a different style. But this is far from true because, moving from one room to another, a strong contrast will be felt, the apartment will seem less cozy and organized. It is best to erase the boundaries and equip the apartment in the same style. This will create a more orderly, effective and spacious environment. And you can make the interior of each individual room individual if you choose different decor, textiles and other details.
The main styles in modern interiors of two-level apartments:
- minimalism;
- high tech;
- loft;
- avant-garde, art deco;
- Scandinavian.
Minimalism is the most popular trend in the design of two-story housing. This option uses a minimum of furniture and decor, which allows you to create a stylish, elegant interior in which order and comfort reign. The ultra-modern high-tech style, with clear, regular forms, without drawings or abstractions on the walls, has a similar design principle. In an industrial loft, brick and concrete surfaces, various beams, and rafters serve as thematic decor. Avant-garde and art deco are distinguished by their extraordinary settings, where many details differ from classical forms and break generally accepted stereotypes. Scandinavian style or constructivism successfully combines aesthetics and functionality in modern interiors. The best solution would be to stick to one color option in the main design. This will make your home feel more spacious and orderly.
In light colors
When predominantly light shades are used in decoration, it visually expands the space. Any dark detail against such a background will stand out greatly and play an accent role. This way you can play on contrast. For example, in a snow-white interior, a black staircase looks stylish and expensive, as do pieces of furniture of the same shade. And if you decorate the entire interior in soft, warm, pastel colors, the atmosphere will be bright, elegant, cozy and luxurious.
Mix of colors and textures
It is advisable to use a minimum number of different colors and textures in one space. This solution will allow you to avoid unwanted mistakes and create a harmonious interior.
The most successful combinations of various textures in the interior:
- leather with wood;
- smooth and textured surfaces;
- wood with natural stone;
- any surface with a mirror, glass, metal.
Leather upholstery goes well with wooden surfaces of floors and panels. If the room has plain walls, then you can highlight an accent area using relief surfaces, three-dimensional drawings, 3D panels, and textured plaster. Wooden elements combine perfectly with brickwork, natural stone or their imitation. The most win-win combination is the combination of smooth, glossy surfaces with embossed, textured, matte ones. Mirrors, glass, metal parts are appropriate in any interior, as are living indoor plants. If you want to design a room in one shade, then you can highlight functional areas using different textures. When combining several tones, it is worth choosing one dominant one and complementing it with other representatives of the palette. You should first familiarize yourself with color schemes, which will allow you to choose the most successful combinations that can be applied in practice.
Different designs
In a two-level home, the basic design principle is similar to the interior design of a studio apartment. Where it is necessary to adhere to a single style throughout the entire area. The main thing is to design the living room, dining room, hall, staircase in the same style, but in the bedroom, nursery, office, you can display the main direction only in some fragments and decorative details. It is allowed to use competent eclecticism, when several styles are mixed in one room. But there is no need to use a radically different design for each room, as the home will look disorganized and tasteless.
Stunning two-level room interiors: 31 unique options for increasing space
Of course, there is no way to make a multi-level redevelopment in a standard Soviet-built apartment. But if, for example, you are planning to build a new house, then, given current land prices, such an option will give you the opportunity to significantly increase your living space. This kind of reconstruction is also good in “old buildings”, in houses with high ceilings. It will not only expand the space, but also use one room for different purposes.
The second tier of the apartment can become a true decoration of your home, and will also help solve emerging planning problems. You can easily place a bedroom, library, work area or winter garden on it.
Created by designers Jose Maria Saez and Daniel Moreno Flores, this option is made of natural wood and is located above the kitchen-dining room. Neat, quite original, with natural light through a panoramic window, in our climate zone it is quite suitable for a summer home or as a second floor in a cafe.
In the house proposed by architect Carter-Williams, the bedroom located on the second level creates the visual feeling of a studio apartment.
This small (only 29 square meters) Polish apartment by design firm 3XA has a bedroom on the second floor with a huge bed located directly above the bathroom and hallway.
In the renovation project of the Oriental Warehouse Loft, a historic building in San Francisco, specialists from the Italian House Studio by Studioata completely converted the attic, which was completely unnecessary in the apartment, into a living area. Architects Edmonds and Lee introduced a bedroom, bath and library on the second level. Here the space is increased due to glass railings and transparent walls in the bathroom. Which, of course, deprives the owner of such an apartment of privacy, but at the same time gives a feeling of freedom. The combination of heavy timber beams and exposed old brick with sleek, light modern finishes, clear glass panels and a weightless steel staircase makes the house a little strange, but absolutely unique and inimitable.
Dark walls, a white ceiling, the contrast of wood and metal, a sharp division between the main space and the additional level are presented in this apartment in the Unité d'Habitation, a famous house in Marseille built by the architect Le Corbusier.
Here is another option for two-level housing, presented by the Italian company Studioata. Clearly separated from the rest of the space by a contrasting wooden shelf and accented by a floating staircase, this home office adds personality to an otherwise ordinary studio apartment.
This unusual bathroom was created by the Dutch architects Leijh, Kappelhof, Seckel, van den Dobbelsteen. In this work, the upper floor is again converted from the attic of an old house.
The project of Maxim Zhukov is also interesting. It has a rough combination of gray stone, wood and metal. A floating staircase, a simple platform that seems to hang freely above the bed and the correct orientation to the windows make the home office very unique.
This apartment was created in the attic of a former convent located in Val-d'Ois north of Paris. The cozy seating area here is located above the kitchen and spacious dining area.
Such an apartment in Toronto is offered by the design firm Buildall Construction. The upper level is represented by a bedroom above a spacious dressing room.
The balance between dark floors, white walls, glass railings and a floating oak staircase is all in the design of the famous American architect Paul Rudolph.
A creative bathtub above a luxurious bed is presented by the English company Wells Mackereth. At the same time, the bed, located under the upper tier, is located as if in a niche, which undoubtedly adds intimacy to this free and bright room.
An elegant office with clear lines is ideal for people working at home. Thin railings provide more light, as if expanding the boundaries of space and filling the entire room with light and air.
Soft lines, glass railings and, again, a classic combination of white and black make this penthouse, presented by London design firm Foster & Partners, look like a space station from a science-fiction film.
Another very nice option, in which the kitchen-living room is located downstairs, the bedroom is upstairs, and huge windows are an ideal solution for a small space. White walls, giving more light, suit any interior, but they look especially elegant here, in a room with a small footage.
Another bedroom option, romantic, the second level of which is presented in the form of a terrace. Glass railings do not interfere with the beautiful view from the window.
Transparent fencing is simply the perfect option for any small space. Here the upper tier is represented by a living area located above the kitchen and dining room.
Combining the warmth of wood and the vigor of greenery, the second tier can stand in stark contrast to the rest of the room. For such a spectacular decor, you can use both live and artificial plants.
And this is an excellent room option for a teenager. In such a room, the second level allows you to create a spacious sleeping area, leaving space below for bookshelves and a seating area.
And another option on the topic of how to fit a comfortable free bed in a modest area.
Here's another version of a duplex apartment with glass railings, created by Spanish designer Luis Puerta. A great way to expand your home while separating different rooms.
With a dining room and kitchen downstairs and a sitting area upstairs, this house was converted from a Wiltshire chapel.
“Nothing superfluous” is the motto of Japanese designer Naoko Horib. The second level here is delimited by two internal balconies.
The dining room is downstairs, the library is on the second level and the bedroom is on the third. Such an excellent solution is feasible, however, only in a room with really very high ceilings.
A spacious bed connected to the main room by an almost airy spiral staircase. Bright spots against a background of white and steel. All this gives the small apartment a modern, stylish and completely individual look.
This distinctive apartment with a library under the stairs, presented by Marc Koehler Architects, is converted from a former port pub in Holland. Very atmospheric!
White space, light kitchen furniture, a bedroom above a snow-white bathroom - this is another option for increasing the space from the Airside design bureau.
An example of an apartment in Gothenburg demonstrates how a second level and good design can significantly increase your apartment size. In this project, you can note large windows and white walls, which, as we said above, visually expand any space.
The contrast of black and white, a small second level for a relaxation area (or maybe a small boudoir?), floating white stairs growing straight out of thin air make this bedroom elegant and romantic.
A chic, contemporary design based on the standard combination of white, wood and metal. A wonderful bedroom under a sloping roof. Broken lines and gorgeous accessories. This masterpiece was created in Stockholm.
Thus, having seen so many wonderful, unique and completely different options for two-level apartments, we can conclude that multi-level rooms, white color, glass and a lot of natural light are an excellent way to expand the space if necessary.
Design features
Multi-level apartments have a number of structural systems, which allows you to create an exclusive environment and emphasize individuality. For example, one large window, the size of the entire height of two tiers, will make the space very bright and will look impressive and luxurious. In an apartment located on the top floor, you can create an attic space that will serve as an office, library or room for relaxation and privacy. In the case where the upper level is made of a mezzanine tier, the height of the lower floor can reach more than four meters. This makes it possible to use various decorative beams, large objects, large paintings, voluminous chandeliers to decorate the ceiling, which will not look bulky and will favorably emphasize the individuality of the design. Any design feature of a two-story apartment can be turned into a unique advantage of the layout if you use imagination and creative thinking. To find inspiration, you should look through successful design projects of multi-level modern homes in order to get interesting ideas and translate them into reality.
Subtleties of sound insulation
In a two-level apartment it is quite difficult to solve the problem of sound insulation. Sound travels along the staircase from bottom to top or vice versa. This problem is especially relevant in homes where living rooms or halls combine two floors. Therefore, in bedrooms, offices, and rooms where it is important to achieve comfortable silence, it is necessary to install doors with certain sound insulation parameters. It also wouldn’t hurt to improve the sound insulation of walls and floors using specialized building materials. To do this correctly, you can trust the professionals, or search and study the instructions that you need to follow when eliminating the problem of insufficient sound insulation yourself.
Design of a two-story apartment
The design is purely a matter of personal taste preferences of the apartment owners. Over the past few years, eclecticism and high-tech style have remained trendy. What is important in the design of two-level apartments? It's no secret that when choosing a style direction in the interior of an apartment, the main thing is its unity. The chosen style and furnishings should bring only positive emotions; residents should feel comfortable living, working and relaxing in such an apartment. A two-story apartment is no exception. A future well-designed interior should delight and delight its owners.
Even an eclectic style must be thought out to the smallest detail. All rooms in the apartment must correspond to the general theme. Finding objects that stand out from the overall design of the room, in addition to attracting undue attention, will visually narrow the space. The unity of the color palette in the furniture, walls, and flooring is the key to a successfully decorated apartment style.
Unusual interior of a two-level apartment Kitchen-dining room in a two-level apartment
Unusual bright two-level apartment
Staircase - an accent in the room
It doesn’t matter where the staircase is located, near the wall or in the center of the room, it is the main decoration of a two-story apartment and plays an accent role.
Types of stairs:
- marching;
- screw;
- console;
- on pain.
The most basic requirement for stairs is safety, especially if small children and elderly people live in the apartment. The simplest and safest are marching structures, which can be made of different materials, most often wood or metal. Spiral staircases save space and add an aesthetic touch to your home. It is important to make the calculations correctly so that too sharp turns do not cause falls and injuries. Cantilever steps are attached to the wall and create the effect of floating in the air. It looks extremely stylish and fantastic, ideal for ultra-modern high-tech or extraordinary avant-garde. The structures on the rails do not have a frame, the steps are attached directly to the railings, it looks original, light and aesthetically pleasing. The staircase should be designed in accordance with the basic style of the interior and be as safe as possible.
Decor of two-story apartments
As for the decoration of the apartments, it would be good to stick to minimalism. A room overloaded with all sorts of details will seem overly cluttered, and therefore cramped, and it will be absolutely impossible to rest and relax in it. It would be nice to decorate the apartment with interesting, one might even say original, decor. An extravagant sculpture or painting will play this role perfectly, and a false fireplace can also help in this matter. Since the staircase is the main difference between ordinary apartments and two-level ones, it needs to be beautifully played out in the interior. Soft and fluffy textiles and flooring will fill the home atmosphere with warmth and comfort, which will add even more comfort to the room.
Two-level apartment in eco-style
Brown and white design of a two-level apartment
Modern brown and white duplex apartment design
Features of lighting or second light
A two-tier space should have a lot of light, the more the better. Panoramic windows allow you to organize a second light, that is, natural light, which functions thanks to the missing ceilings between floors. As for artificial sources, the home must have central, local and additional ones. Large, bright chandeliers are installed as central lighting. Local lamps include sconces, floor lamps, wall lamps, and table lamps. Additionally, diode strips or spotlights will allow you to highlight certain areas.
Standards for second-level construction
Experts recommend trusting the construction of the second level only to professionals who guarantee the safety of the structure and the preservation of comfortable conditions.
If there is a sleeping place upstairs, then daylighting does not play a key role - it is enough to install several lamps in the ceiling. Good daylight is desirable for working and reading books. It’s good if the layout of the room allows you to arrange a second tier near the window. Otherwise, you will need high-quality fluorescent lamps.
The next point that should not be overlooked is air ventilation at the top. Hot air is lighter than cold air, so the ceiling is always stuffy. An additional ventilation duct or a good ceiling fan can solve this problem. If there is a small window, then the issue of ventilation is easier to solve.
The base of the tier can be made with sound insulation. This function is performed by cork and mineral wool.
If the height of the ceiling allows you to stand up to your full height, then the height of the partition should reach the waist, i.e. be higher than the center of gravity. This rule is mandatory when there are children. For adults, there are often options without partitions at all.
At the planning stage, the total load on the foundation is calculated. Depending on this, the method of fastening and materials are chosen. The production of a mezzanine is carried out either on an individual order or by ordering a standard model from the company’s catalog.
If you decide to implement a second tier in the room and make additional repairs, then many repair companies can come to your aid. On their websites, as a rule, you can see their portfolio, prices and reviews. After all, repairs are a very complicated thing and it’s not always wise to do it yourself.
