Warehouse conversions are among the most exciting conversion projects. They are spacious and often present a set of challenges to overcome before they can become a livable space. Warehouse conversions are more prevalent than you may think. From New York to London and all the way to Melbourne (which is a champion in warehouse conversions) people are turning warehouses into homes and even entire apartment buildings.
The got-to style for converted warehouses is industrial chic or rustic allure. Somehow these two look best in the sprawling living spaces of former industrial storage premises. Surely there are exceptions and they make for equally amazing dwellings.
Warehouse Conversions in San Francisco
355 Bryant Street, Publisher’s Print Shop
Many warehouse conversions mix old with the new. This 1910 building is now a house to a renowned designer Steven Volpe. Featuring 18-foot ceilings the loft boasts a huge skylight in the living room as well as massive wooden columns and beams.
Even though it opens up to the side of the building the potted shrubs outside create a beautiful look. Inside the areas are lodged between the columns that visually divide the space creating smaller pockets that are perfect for zoning.
Warehouse in Mission District, San Francisco
Located in the Mission district of San Francisco the former Lucky Strike warehouse built in the 1930’s got a new life from Natoma Architects. The 10,000-square-foot (929 sq m) house is now an ultra modern residence enhance with climbing greenery and an impressive spiral staircase encased by vertical metal rods.
Inside the rough aesthetic of the industrial building was preserved with lots of metal, dark colors, and exposed concrete. Only in the bedroom it’s softened with a vertical garden and a potted tree.
Folsom Street Residential Laboratory
Folsom street Residential Laboratory is the Todd Verwers Architects conversion in San Francisco. Occupying the top floor of a leased commercial building the 5,775-square-foot (536 sq m) loft features a laboratory available for the owner’s work and plenty of living space designed in best traditions of industrial style.
Softened by occasional potted trees and green vase bouquets the vast grey interiors feature a lot of concrete and metal pipes. There are plenty of areas for rest as well including a Zen corner and a telescope nook.
Oriental Warehouse in San Francisco
The Oriental Warehouse loft by Edmonds + Lee Architects in San Francisco is an amazing mix of modern furnishings and old architecture. The wooden beams repeated in the mezzanine make a great job of marrying old with the new.
Open layout is cleverly organized to visually divide the zone in the living area. Mezzanine floor glass railings allow for an airier look and the glass-encased staircase makes a relatively narrow hallway look and feel more open.
Warehouse Conversions in Melbourne
Bakery Warehouse in Armadale
Melbourne can boast a lot of warehouse conversions. The Golden Crust Bakery warehouse in Armadale was converted by Jackson Clements Burrows into family home back in 2006. Retaining the original structure of the building the spacious home is filled with social spaces and airy hallways.
The two buildings are connected with a bridge creating a covered outdoor space as well as featuring a courtyard just beneath it. An enormous wine storage includes a dining table set and a glass ceiling.
Warehouse Conversion in Fitzroy
Located in Fitzroy, Melbourne, this is a two in one unit sold as one residence each with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. There’s plenty of open space, exposed brick walls, and a green outdoor courtyard.
This conversion in a loft-style design also boasts a roof deck and garage space for 5 cars. In the living area floor-to-ceiling windows open to the garden with sky-high trees and a dining area. While the family room enjoys an indoor/outdoor feel with an adjacent outdoor dining area.
Warehouse Conversion in Abbotsford
Styled in the spirit of a New York loft the apartment, this warehouse in Abbotsford — a suburb of Melbourne — features painted brick walls, wooden beams, an inner courtyard, and a balcony.
Since warehouses are so big it’s important to maximize natural lighting. In the bedroom it is done with sliding glass doors leading to a private terrace and lots and lots of windows.
Cool Two-story warehouse conversion
And while we’re at it, here’s another inspiring warehouse located in the same place as the above — Abbotsford converted warehouse. It is a two-storey building with big windows, mezzanine bedroom, and a private courtyard. Designed in the New York-style loft it features all the attributes like exposed brick and an industrial style kitchen.
Interestingly bathroom too features a big wall-sized window with a privacy curtain showing off a free-standing clawfoot tub.
Artist’s Studio and House in Fitzroy
Another converted warehouse in Fitzroy, Melbourne features a green oasis. Previous resident was a renowned artist, so the Victorian warehouse has retained the studio gallery and loft style.
The house also boasts a jungle oasis garden, an office, and heated floors. Clad in wood the interiors feature tiled floors and wooden Oregon beams.
The Water Factory
The Water Factory located in North Fitzroy is a late 19th century industrial warehouse that used to be a jam factory, an aerated water factory, and also an agency and a consultancy. Now thanks to Andrew Simpson Architects it is a family home.
Featuring exposed brick walls, white inclusions, and contrasting black beams the interior is as modern as it can be with a hint of history that the original building provides as the backdrop for modern living.
Fitzroy Warehouse Conversion
According to Domain, this $2 million warehouse residence features a ground level double garage, cellar space and laundry among other things like a dedicated study/home office, original beams, and a roof-top entertaining area.
Inside there are hardwood floors, stone-tiled bathroom and huge windows that allow plenty of light in. An indoor/outdoor bedroom (one of the many) features a private deck.
Cloud no. 9
Another work of Andrew Simpson Architects is called Cloud 9. What used to be a stable building and warehouse is now a 2 700-square-foot (250 sq m) futuristic residence in Fitzroy with an inner courtyard and incredible interiors.
Instead of employing the usual design solutions the architects used curvi-linear structures and furniture to divide the areas and create an unusual interior design. The curves allow smaller demarcated pockets of space to be used for zones like a dining area or a reading nook without breaking the flow of space and furnishings.
Leicester House
This Leicester House in Melbourne has amazing historic architecture. It features a converted warehouse apartment with exposed brick walls and concrete beams as well as dramatic decor. Divided in the zones the loft features multiple windows, wooden kitchen, and a fusion of styles that decorated its numerous seating and other areas.
Rustic, chic and cozy
bg architecture designed this warehouse – and they did it all so well . Filled with light thanks to glazed facade in the living room the rustic chic interior is full of interesting details and accents.
Between two wings of the house there is a deck with a BBQ grill and a dining set. Exposed brick contrasts nicely with wooden siding that spreads to ceilings and gives the house a warm inviting atmosphere.
Warehouse Conversions in Sydney
“Oh Boy Candy Company” Warehouse Conversion
Redesigned by Virginia Kerridge the former “Oh Boy Candy Company” warehouse is now a spacious family home with a big library, indoor/outdoor style kitchen, wood-clad bathroom and amazing catwalk and deck for outdoor lounging.
Wooden beams left from the former building were preserved and are now used for beautiful hanging planters. Floating above green inner courtyard they partially protect from sun acting as mock pergolas.
Buckland Street Alexandria
There are plenty of warehouses in Australia that make for great house conversions. Architect Dale Jones Evans has designed this warehouse conversion featured on Desire to Inspire.
Thanks to its open plan the amazing views of Australian flora can be contemplated from the living/dining area. Its style while modern features old beams that together with salvaged metallic cabinets make for nice industrial chic accents in a black and white interior.
Warehouse conversion by Allen Jack+Cottier
A warehouse conversion by Allen Jack-Cottier featured on Inhabitat is a truly unique and peculiar 11,409-square-foot (1,060 sq m) abode in Sydney. Boasting 4 bedrooms, a breakfast bar, a music room, and a sleeping pod the Mancave as they call it is one of the most interesting warehouse conversions we’ve ever seen.
Thanks to the spacious building the architect introduced sculptural elements that create a visual barrier between the areas without mounting walls. They allow a less restricted view of space albeit dividing zones more tangibly than would furniture.
Warehouse Conversion in Surry Hills
Somewhere in Surry Hills of Sydney there is a warehouse conversion that looks like it was always a contemporary home. There are 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, and an inner courtyard with swimming pool, and a 10 car garage.
Outfitted with wooden frames the house features lots of floor-to-ceiling windows to maximize the light exposure. And thanks to this there is a welcoming atmosphere that only wood can create.
Randwick, South-Eastern Sydney
Another one of Sydney warehouse conversions is by Richard Peters Associates who transformed a 1890 building creating a two-bedroom family home with two baths and a narrow inner courtyard. The siding metal door is one of the house’s highlights.
Inside there are all the signs of an industrial architecture like exposed brick and wooden beams. But they are softened with plywood structures that create rooms and plush colorful furniture.
Strelein Warehouse in Surry Hills
The Strelein Warehouse was completed back in 2010 with a budget of $700,000. Designed by Ian Moore Architects 1,614-square-foot (149 sq m) residence is located in suburbs of Sydney and features elegant ultra minimalist design that isn’t often seen in this type of conversions.
A two-level house features open layout living room that is separated with a black box from the bedroom. The kitchen opens to a garage and a small bathroom features a mirrored wall that visually enhances the space incredibly.
Warehouse converted into three-level residence
MCK architects present another one of the Australian warehouse conversions we found on Designboom. The house features a floating cellar and a rooftop vegetable garden. An indoor/outdoor kitchen features a staircase to the second level.
Wooden beams and powder-coated metallic framing make for a nice modern interior style and the areas inside are divided with help of furniture and half walls.
Brick warehouse conversion by Architects EAT
Architects EAT have converted an old brick warehouse in Australia into a family home. There is 2,690 square feet (250 sq m) of space organized in most beautiful and convenient way.
Private spaces above the kitchen are connected with a modern black road-style bridge and additional interior space is separated from the inner courtyard with a glazed structure that creates a house within a house.
Warehouse Conversions in Portland
NW 13th Avenue Loft
As opposed to the usual spacious warehouse conversions this loft apartment in Portland by Jessica Helgerson Interior Design is rather small, 870 square feet (80 sq m). Located in a warehouse building turned into condos the loft felt tight with limited storage space and overloaded color scheme.
Designer turned it into an airy loft with bespoke aesthetic and luxury elements like a glass chandelier and golden tap in the kitchen/dining, a vintage Moroccan rug and heavy woven fabrics in the living room.
Bowstring Truss House
Bowstring Truss House by Works Partnership Architecture is a 5,000-square-foot (464 sq m) conversion is a former warehouse and awning fabricator’s shop. As the name suggest the house features a series of four bowstring trusses.
The spacious open layout is divided with boxes of space that feature various zones for living and working. A minimalist kitchen features a wooden box with glass insertions housing a mini garden.
Warehouse Conversions in London
Warehouse Conversion in West London
London is another city that has a lot of warehouse conversions. Gumuchdjian Architects have created an impressive warehouse home in West London. Boasting 4 bedrooms sprawled across 4,979 square feet (462 sq m) the house features amazing black metal beams in the white interior enhanced with black metal framed glass sliding doors.
In the middle of the living room there is a spacious sofa filled with throw pillows forming its back. And the two potted trees at both sides of it seem to be separating the living area from the rest of the space.
Warehouse Conversion in Covent Garden
Preserving as much of the original structure as possible Emrys Architects converted the two 19th century warehouses in London’s Covent Garden into six apartments.
Stripped to original brickwork the walls contrast nicely with white vaulted ceilings and minimalist kitchens. Limed oak floors add to the light airy interiors enhanced with skylights in addition to arched sash windows.
Bermondsey Warehouse Loft
Bermondsey Warehouse Loft in London is a part of the building that used to be a tin and zinc factory. Designed by Form Design Architecture the apartment is styled after a New York loft with a spacious open layout, plenty of minimalist-designed storage and big windows.
Exposed brick walls are painted white to match the ceilings. Pine wood floors bring the natural textures and patterns to the pristine interiors that aren’t big on bright colorful accents.
Clerkenwell Apartment
This Clerkenwell apartment by APA is a former warehouse space of a shoe factory in London. Featuring lots of open space the apartment features a metallic cube that divides different zones instead of walls.
Each side of the cube has a different area, one for reading, sleeping or working, another for kitchen and dining and the area for relaxing and socializing. The cube itself features a bathroom, film and book archive and laundry.
Clapton Warehouse
Sadie Snelson Architects have really worked hard to bring more light into the Clapton Warehouse in London. New photographer’s house was given an open layout through removing dividing walls. Mezzanine floor hands from a ceiling rod and is supported with a couple of steel columns that create the industrial style.
Oiled oak floors make for a welcoming addition to the black and white interior with exposed pipes and original warehouse plastered walls. Big steel framed windows enhance natural light in the house and are used not only in the walls facing the street but also in bedrooms and the rest of the house. (Photography is by Rory Gardiner)
Clink Street Apartment
What you’re looking at above is an elegant warehouse conversion by Chiara Ferrari Studio, on Clink Street in London. Featuring just a bit of exposed brick here and there the modern airy loft is finished with plaster, built-in lighting, and ultra modern furnishings. The apartment is truly a dream for working and living with its elegant aesthetic, inner courtyard and big windows. And did we mention iIt boasts a balcony that opens up to a beautiful London bridge just across?
Shoreditch Warehouse
Located in Shoreditch and designed by Chris Dyson Architects this converted warehouse is a true loft dwelling with exposed brick walls, big windows with wooden shutters, and vaulted ceilings with beams.
Featuring an inner courtyard separated with glazed doors the house the house creates an indoor/outdoor feel in the dining room. And in order to bring more natural light to the ground floor the architects introduced a skylight that created a glass floor patch in the courtyard.
Victorian Warehouse Conversion
A Victorian warehouse conversion is nothing short of brilliant. Located in London and designed as a collaboration between Ilse Crawford, Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen and 6a Architects this modern home offers maximum storage and bright accents combined with a grey color scheme. The kitchen island is decorated with Zellige tiles and the kitchen features a double door behind which there is a Juliet balcony overlooking a street.
Warehouse Bachelor Pad in Chelsea, New York
In charge with turning this warehouse into a stunning bachelor pad were the creative minds from BK Interior Design. The apartment is located in Chelsea, New York and boasts 2,400 square feet (223 sq m). It has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, and goes as a modern home which so elegantly mixes the modern style with traditional aesthetic.
Among its highlighted features are also a sliding zinc-clad barn door, built-in black oak home bar, and a live-edge acacia wood dining table.
Warehouse conversions in Europe
Therapy Loft in Düsseldorf
Bruno Erpicum redesigned this warehouse in Düsseldorf. Surviving the bombings of World War II the building was converted into a modern home with a study, gym and a garage.
Preserving most of the old architecture the interior features brick columns and concrete beams protected from the outside with glazed walls that show off the old architecture of the historic building. In the living room there is plenty of empty space with occasional sculptural details.
Peter’s House in Copenhagen
Peter’s House by Studio David Thulstrup is a warehouse conversion in Copenhagen that exudes modernity from every angle. Clad in wooden louvre the old building was designed as a private residence for renowned photographer, Peter Krasilnikoff.
On the inside the house features wooden paneling, exposed brick, and perforated blackened steel. The outdoor spaces are integrated with the house design and include urban rooftop gardens and innovative green zones.
Warehouse Conversion in Barcelona
Located in Barcelona this warehouse conversion loft is currently serving as a photography studio — but by the looks of it could probably be a dream house. Soaring ceilings, decorative columns, and numerous windows make it a luxury apartment fit for a family.
Converted Warehouse in Tarrega, Spain
Casa OV by Costa Calsamiglia Arquitecte used to be a warehouse in Tarrega, Spain. The conversion was completed in 2012 and now the house features vaulted ceilings with wooden beams, original masonry, and incredible glass-encased bathroom inside the bedroom.
Light wooden and stone floors work well with the neutral color scheme of the house interiors and occasional red and black accents bring a bit of color to the rooms.
Hauts-de Seine department, West of Paris, France
This Hauts-de Seine department residence in France features a loft-like room converted out of a warehouse with beams and skylights. Red, white, and greyish purple color scheme fits with the entertainment purpose of the room.
At one of the spacious entertainment area is a long dining table, which makes it an all-around perfect space for receiving guests.
Warehouse Conversion in Stockholm
Located in Stockholm this 1,560-square-foot (144 sq m) loft apartment was converted from a warehouse is organized beautifully and makes for a convenient modern home.
The continuous white interior sometimes breaks with black details and entire furnishings as well as red accents. Enormous windows further add airiness to the space every inch of which is filled with something.
Warehouses in Canada, turned homes
Yaletown Loft in Vancouver
Dubbed the Yaletown Loft, the 1920s warehouse that’s been transformed into the nice, comfy home you see above, is located in Vancouver. The whole building was redesigned and converted into condos in the 90s. Kelly Reynolds Interiors has mixed the modern aesthetic with the exposed brick walls and wooden cabinetry.
In the kitchen the glossy cabinets are complemented with the stainless steel countertops. And the metal sliding bathroom door hides a glass shower stall illuminated with red lights.
So, would you make your dream home in a warehouse?
There are many warehouse conversions that look nothing short of amazing. And while the NYC loft style with its industrial chicness is mostly present, fortunately there are other popular themes that suit buildings all so well. Because warehouses make for spacious homes that are fit for everything from work to creating art. They are great for receiving and entertaining large groups of friends or work related people. They’re far from being cheap, but it’s the modern luxurious lifestyle that will allow you to enjoy the true history of the building – and that comes with a cost.
