The ideal bachelor's loft… think flexible, open-plan spaces for room to party or relax. Picture high ceilings. See the large windows with stunning views and lots of natural light. Lofts are ideal for designer living — if you can get past the idea of having your toilet a little, er, exposed.

Privacy issues aside, lofts have become the Holy Grail of modern, urban life; they’re functional, elegant, versatile and very trendy. And they’re perfect for the upwardly mobile bachelor.

Adding the babe factor

"It’s an apartment with babe factor," says Alfonso Botha of Urban Ocean property development. And that’s not just because the bed is right next to the dinner table.

It wasn't always this way. Loft living began back in the 1800s when broke French artists were looking for cheap, but large, living and working spaces in central Paris.

The idea crossed the Atlantic, hitting the 1950's New York art scene where starving artists were still forced to sleep in their studios to save money. Discovering that old warehouses in New York City's SoHo district were ideal for sleeping, partying and painting, artists like Andy Warhol started a trend that’s now become a lot more glamorous.

Now, not just artists, but young professionals of any persuasion are snapping up lofts like they would a Cosmopolitan on a Friday night.

Mullerie Rabe-Taljaard of Loft Design profiles most loft buyers as yuppie single men between the ages of 25 and 45. Young couples, particularly gay men, are also clamouring for the "very modern, urban lifestyle" of living in a bustling city centre with a roaring nightlife.

Loft layout

You’ve managed to get your hands on one of these trendy bachelor pads, but without the benefit of separate rooms, you just don’t know where to put your stuff.

To ensure your loft looks more chic than derelict, "look at the space available and how best you can use it", suggests interior designer Marcia Margolius. "And consider your activities."

She suggests dividing your loft into a distinct living and sleeping area, using screens or even sliding doors to separate the two. Otherwise, if your place has two levels, consider dedicating the upper portion to your bedroom.

Arrange the living space itself into areas for conversation, dining, cooking and entertaining, using modular furniture layouts to separate or define each.

And with floor treatments usually the same throughout the loft, rugs are also a help in demarcating areas, suggests Margolius.

But, with the open-plan layout, this setup is very flexible with each area able to fulfill more than one function.

Bedroom
Get a platform bed with drawers that provide a storage space, or a futon that can double as a day couch. Consider putting a kist at the foot of the bed for extra storage.

If your floors are scree, invest in a rug. Concrete is very cold on the feet in the morning or at night.

Get a bedside table on wheels, for easy movement to other areas where it can be used as an additional surface.

Guests are more likely to walk throughout a loft than a normal apartment, so be prepared for bedroom intruders. Invest in two attractive laundry baskets for your clean and dirty washing, and a bedspread to throw over your crib.

Bathroom
Use a sliding door or screen for some privacy.

Alternatively, use clever spacing so that your bathroom isn’t easily visible. So you might have your bathroom raised a few steps above your bed so that you can't see it when lying under the covers.

Fork out a bit extra for a Jacuzzi.

Kitchen
Demand a small, but functional, galley-style kitchen.

Use all the nooks and crannies available, with high cupboards going all the way up the wall arranged in one area of the kitchen. This leaves space for long, flat counter tops or surfaces that can triple up for food preparation, serving and dining.

Invest in good quality essential utensils and brand-name appliances, including a dishwasher that can double up as storage space for hiding those dirty dishes.

Install good lighting in the kitchen. When entertaining, switch these off so the kitchen isn’t an eyesore.

Living area
Buy a coffee table for entertaining. Throw in a couple of cushions for the floor and it's great for relaxed dinner parties or fondues.

Get a large table and accompanying chairs — for more formal dinners and a desktop surface.

Create a comfy lounge area with a big sofa and an Ottoman armchair arranged in a cosy, conversational area with a good view of the sea or the city, not the toilet.

Good block-out roller blinds or sunscreen filter blinds are important for the large windows to prevent the sun from fading your furniture.

Stackable chairs are a good investment. They’re easy to store, take up little space and are great when unexpected masses pop in.

Decorating tips

Minimalism is the catch phrase when it comes to decorating your loft, which can be furnished in a range of styles — from raw and salvaged to sleek and sophisticated.

"Choose a style you’re comfortable with," says Margolius.

Rabe-Taljaard reckons that there are currently two very popular cutting edge design styles.

There’s the unrefined industrial look, which incorporates a lot of metal and steel, piping, cement scree floors and unplastered walls. Conceptual art as well as modern and contemporary furniture from France, Italy and USA are the way to go to get this look.

A warmer décor is the French-inspired period look, influenced by those artists who were the first loft dwellers. There’s lots of French-style antique furniture, Persian rugs, sculptures, antiques and huge artworks available that you can collect to create this bohemian look. Wooden or laminate floors replace the scree.

When it comes to colours, Margolius says that clean, soft hues are best, and you are less likely to tire of them too.

Margolius points out that, regardless of the colour or the style you prefer, you should always buy good quality stuff. Not only will your taste impress your visitors, but as a bachelor you’re buying items that will set you up for the rest of your life.

"Don’t invest in things you can’t take with when you want to move on," says Margolius.

No matter how attached you get to your loft, you probably won’t stay a bachelor forever.