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Apart from the substantial factors of a real estate, what counts for the living comfort above all:

1. Living
2. Bathroom, Cooking
3. Sleeping, storeroom
4. Stairs, Elevator

Old building apartment: stucco, high ceilings and floorboards

In Germany, apartments in old buildings are among the most sought-after properties. And rightly so: the era of old buildings ended an estimated 70 years ago, when the use of concrete walls and insulating glass windows became increasingly common. These buildings are thus filled with stories from the so-called Wilhelminian period around 1900, which is also noticeable in the architecture and the rooms, which are in the style of the Renaissance. Due to the predominant proximity to city centres, Altbau apartments are highly sought after on the market.

High ceilings, bay windows and box-type windows are characteristic features of this architecture and promise a feel-good factor. Whether renting or buying, here you will find useful tips, advantages and disadvantages around this special building type.

• Old apartment

Apartment: Small apartment, space miracle and often very modern

Apartment: Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne? Apartments are extremely popular in cities with millions of inhabitants and large cities. Many singles, students, trainees or seniors resort to this small but fine housing option. One-room apartments offer enough space for single people and score especially with lower prices. An apartment is a small flat with only one or at most one and a half rooms. The modern small apartment usually has high-quality furnishings.

Apartments are also available as fully furnished apartments. This type of apartment is mostly used for properties that are advertised for interim rent. An ideal solution for people who only need an apartment for a fixed period of time. Furniture and equipment can be taken over by the owner or landlord for a fixed price in the rent.

• Apartment

Top floor apartment: search, air conditioning and living with a view

A home under the roof can be super cozy if furnished correctly. But before you decide on a loft apartment, there are a few things you should consider that could complicate your move-in. Any apartment directly under the roof can be considered a loft apartment in and of itself. Penthouse apartments and lofts can also be attic apartments.

In the following article, however, we will focus on the general understanding of attic and mansard apartments as rooms that have special circumstances due to sloping roofs. We will introduce you to the advantages and disadvantages of attic apartments, and also give you a little insight into how you can make your life in this type of apartment a little more pleasant.

• Attic apartment

Granny flat: definition, features and advantages for landlords

As the name implies, granny flats are apartments that are “tucked in” to a house, i.e. a separate apartment in a house.

Granny flats are particularly popular for multi-generational homes: young adults or seniors can live here with their family, but still have privacy. However, a granny flat is not only attractive for members of a family. Due to the low rental and purchase prices, this form of housing is also popular with working singles, students or even au pairs. Whether in the attic or in the basement – granny flats can have just as much charm as normal apartments.

• Granny flat

Apartment: Lots of living space, several rooms & perfect flat share

Apartment is understood as all the apartments, which extend above the ground floor and below the top floor over an entire floor. This creates a lot of living space. Mostly, the apartments are found in apartment buildings, because smaller buildings often offer it to expand an entire floor to an apartment. Especially annoying stair climbing in your own home is omitted here. In addition, a flat on one floor is perfect for a shared flat. We have summarized the advantages and disadvantages of this type of apartment for you in the following article.

• Apartment

Loft: space for free development, luxury and modern equipment

During the 1940s, lofts first appeared in large cities such as New York. Old warehouses and factories were converted into living space in order to live inexpensively. This definition has nothing to do with today’s meaning of a loft. Nowadays lofts are highly sought after, exclusive and very expensive. Old industrial wastelands are still used as floor plans, but these have now been extensively modernised to meet luxury standards. Most of the residents are young, successful adults, also called yuppies. In addition, nowadays new buildings are also being built in loft style. If you want to learn more about the advantages and disadvantages or tips about this type of architecture, then you are exactly right here.

• Loft

Maisonette: Living on 2 floors, with gallery or spiral staircase

In Germany, a maisonette apartment is an apartment that is arranged contiguously on at least two floors of a building. It can be located both on the lower and upper floors of a house. In most cases, however, a maisonette apartment comprises the attic and the floor below. The second floor of a maisonette apartment can also be designed as an open gallery, as well as a comprehensive floor. Charming features of this type of housing are staircases, which often extend into the living space, and high ceilings. If you want to learn more about maisonettes, check out our article.

• Maisonette

Penthouse: Enjoy luxury & living comfort with plenty of space

When the word penthouse is mentioned, it is often clear: this is something particularly exclusive. Penthouse apartments promise special luxury and an excellent living experience. Mostly you know the apartment form especially from media such as film, television and video games. A penthouse stands for space, luxury and living comfort. Quality and a lot of living space are often decisive features of a penthouse.

This type of apartment has become big in the U.S.A. and is still the most widely represented there. But also here in German-speaking countries you can find one or the other penthouse. If you are looking for a luxurious living solution, it is definitely worth taking a closer look at this type of apartment. After all, a penthouse has its very own charm and stands for luxurious living.

• Penthouse

Basement apartment: cool and close to the ground

Basement apartments are underground living options which can be found in the basement or cellar. In addition, they are usually located in the middle of downtown but because of the location in the house, many potential buyers are initially deterred. Whether renting or buying. We did the research for you and found out all about the advantages, disadvantages, possible mold and the rental prices. Maybe your first impression was wrong and you like this kind of apartment.

Basement apartments are one thing above all. Cheap and practical. Usually located in the middle of the city center, these properties are rather unpopular due to various aspects and scare people away. However, you should not be fooled by this, because this type of apartment also offers some advantages that you do not include at first.

• Basement apartment

Terrace apartment: Living with a view

Ground floor apartment with terrace: the residential dream of many, especially in big cities. To escape the turbulent and hectic life in metropolises, terrace apartments are perfect. Cafés, crowds and hustle and bustle outside the four walls, peace, comfort and a piece of nature in your own four walls. If you’re lucky, your terrace will lead on to a small garden. As you can see, a dream of many apartment renters. But this is not where the definition of a terrace apartment ends. Especially in cities, the “rooftop terrace” trend is constantly gaining popularity. Modern architecture is reinterpreting the terrace apartment! See for yourself what advantages and disadvantages a terrace apartment has to offer, who it is suitable for and what other information is hidden behind this gem of an apartment!

• Terrace apartment

Attic / mansard apartment: What does it mean?

Sloping roofs have been around since the 17th century. They were built at that time as a space-saving solution and were modified into various forms. The first sloped roof structures were found in France and to this day the famous Louvre Pyramid is a prime example of the use of sloped roofs.

However, if you take a look at the French capital Paris, you will quickly notice that the roofs of the romantic sandstone buildings have a somewhat different roof. The cross-sectional view is more reminiscent of an irregular pentagon with the edges coming together less pointedly. This type of roof construction is called a mansard roof and it too opens up the possibility of a penthouse. The slopes of the mansard roof are slightly higher in the room than is the case with other roofs.

Any apartment directly under the roof can in itself be called a loft apartment. Penthouse apartments and lofts can also be attic apartments. In this article, however, we will focus on the general understanding of attic and mansard apartments as premises that bring with them special circumstances due to roof slopes.

Tip. You are about to move and need help with the organization and planning? Then take a look at our moving guide, which answers most questions comprehensively and guides you through your move!

Are you looking for the right apartment? Here you’ll find definitions, meanings and lots of information on penthouses, granny flats, apartments & co.: Apartment types from A-Z

Features and design of living under the roof

Depending on the architecture of the building in which the attic apartment is located, the premises that form this type of apartment also differ. In some attic apartments, both sides are characterized by roof slopes, while larger buildings often also divide the upper floor, so only a few rooms have this feature.

Source: Attic apartment (Lukinski.de)

Apartments under the roof: layout, rooms and size

Being housed in an attic can have its advantages and disadvantages, which we’ll take a closer look at later in this article. But before that, let’s take a look at the room layout and size you can expect in an attic apartment. This may sound a little confusing at first, because of course this data is absolutely dependent on the apartment you are looking at.

However, it is very important that you are aware of how a sloping roof reduces your usable space, because the space for high pieces of furniture in such a living environment is limited. High shelves and wardrobes are not recommended, as they can only be placed in certain areas of the room. The best thing to do is to take a close look at the floor plan of the apartment and plan your interior design on that basis.

If you like handicrafts, this type of apartment is a great place to live out this inclination, because you can design and build the most suitable furniture yourself.

Advantages & disadvantages of an apartment in the attic: temperatures and space

Here we would like to present you with the things you should pay the most attention to when choosing your new home, because a room under the roof comes with a lot of advantages and disadvantages that you often don’t think about when looking for a flat, because you already have too much on your plate and the housing market is limited.

So, to make your life a little bit easier, we’ve put together a few important aspects to help you decide.

Advantages: Save on heating costs, view guaranteed?

As always, advantages are also always shaped by situation and personal preferences that one develops over time. For example, little space can be perceived as cozy or the actually beautiful view can be blocked by the annoying neighboring house. Nonetheless, these are the things that might persuade you to rent or buy a loft apartment:

• Lower heating costs
• No head tenants
• Beautiful view
• Large windows
• Pleasant rain sounds

Disadvantages: Heat in summer and little space?

A huge, recurring drawback of rooms under the roof is the extreme heat, which can make life extremely difficult for occupants, especially in the summer months. Also, it’s very likely that you’ll be limited in your furniture choices and will have to adapt or compromise many. So don’t be surprised by:

• Extreme summer temperatures
• Loud wind noise
• Limited accessibility, if applicable
• Restricted living space

Attic apartments: For singles, couples and families

A loft or attic apartment can be so great, but far from for everyone. This is because some groups will face more problems in the cosy living spaces than others. As always, the statements made below are very generalized and do not have to be true, especially since the size of attic apartments varies extremely.

Singles and students: cosy, low-priced accommodation

An attic apartment is a very suitable housing solution for singles, because alone you hardly suffer from a space problem in an appropriate attic apartment. A huge advantage of the apartment form is that the offers are often cheaper than other apartments with similar floor space in the same location. So you can get a good, cheap apartment even in averagely more expensive parts of the city.

Couples: togetherness

All people with partners are also advised to the apartments on the top floors, provided that a little more tight does not beat the temper of both parties. Because from time to time, this form of housing can become quite oppressive and cause a bit of tension. However, it can be very fun to furnish the unusual four walls together.

Families: good option for the start

All those who are planning a family can rejoice, because for a small family the space of an attic apartment is usually sufficient and does not cause any problems at first, but if there are to be more children or if the child grows up, there are dangers lurking in an attic apartment that other forms of living do not necessarily bring with them. The low roof slopes can be a place where a child quickly bumps into.

Pensioners: Limited accessibility

As an older person, you may suffer from certain limitations that can make living in a loft apartment difficult. The low ceilings can be disruptive and pose a safety hazard. In addition, both the high temperatures in the summer and the location on higher floors can cause disadvantages as you age. For this reason, living in an attic apartment is really only recommended for older people under certain conditions, such as the presence of an elevator.

Furnishing attic apartments: Ideas, Tips & Tricks

Furnishing an attic apartment can be a complex task that requires a lot of creativity and initiative. It is often recommended to have special furniture made to measure, but if you show a bit of craftsmanship, it is also possible to customize furniture yourself. In addition, the Internet offers many tips and tricks.

We at FIV have also picked out a few inspirations for you. You can find them on our Pinterest profile. There and on our website, we have also dedicated an entire section to the topic of furnishings, which is definitely worth a look!

Suitable furniture for sloping ceilings

One of the biggest shortcomings of the apartment we have often mentioned in this article. But the problem is very easy to work around. You can simply use low furniture under the sloping roof, such as beds, low chests and sideboards or sofas.

Besides, you’re not alone in your problem. Thousands of people live in attic apartments and share the disadvantages. Thus, you would not be the first person who deals with the solution of this. Where there is demand, the supply is not far away, and so you can of course also quite simply order shelves for sloping ceilings and the like on the Internet and build relaxed.

And last but not least, there is always the option that has been mentioned several times in this article: Invest time and do it yourself. Again, there are countless tutorials on the web that will help you build something really good.

Tip! If you’re looking for a special style for your new interior, you’ll find a lot of inspiration here: Overview of interior styles

Making clever use of roof beams

Occasionally, attic rooms are also fitted with roof beams, but these should be seen less as a disruptive factor and more as an opportunity. The beams can be used, for example, as a kind of shelf or storage space for plants. In addition, hooks can also be attached to them for hanging lights, decorations and co.

Between two higher beams there is also the option of attaching another board, which can then be used as a shelf. Just make sure that you don’t put too much weight on the beams. Before you rearrange the roof beams, it is best to check your documents again or contact the property management. If you are in a rented flat, it is advisable to consult the tenancy agreement or, if in doubt, speak to the landlord or landlady.

Small tip: It is best to approach the person who is renting to you with more concrete plans, if he or she knows what exactly your plan is, he or she may be more willing to agree.