The loft was the perfect apartment for a single person or a couple -- I had a wonderful time there, and felt completely comfortable and contented. The Piazza Barberini is in the central storico, and from there you can walk to all the usual tourist sights. It takes about a half hour to walk all the way to Campo dei fiori and less to get to the Fontana di Trevi and the Piazza d'Espagna.
On the end of the street away from the Barberini area, you come to a business district with government offices and insurance companies, with the American Embassy and a lovely residential area a few blocks away that's a bit off the beaten visitor path and less crowded. I attended Palm Sunday mass at the American church in this area, and enjoyed dinners at several at the restaurants, where I was welcomed despite the fact that I was alone, and where others who were probably business travelers were also dining alone. I think perhaps the lovely and polite restauranteurs may have given up on tourist behavior as I heard one very kind waiter ask a couple if they wanted capucino after dinner. Of course, money is money, but they had asked for Aperol spritzers with their dinner (please don't do this...) so he probably wasn't expecting them to know better.