1,000 to 2,000 square feet of living space, on a level floor, is typical for a loft. Lofts are often under-sized compared with other housing types because they're ideal for displaying and enjoying your art or music. You can also use this formula to calculate the approximate size of a loft: Floor space * 1.5 = Living space. So if you have 2000 square feet of floor space, then the living space should be 3000 square feet. The density of lofts varies but most range from 0.5 to 1.0 person per square foot. This means that a loft can accommodate up to two people per thousand square feet. Lofts were originally built as multi-family dwellings, so they usually have several rooms with shared walls and/or roof. The interior layout is usually flexible - you can divide up the space in any way you want - but there are some guidelines for good design. A central hallway leads to the various rooms, which have access to a common area such as a kitchen, dining room, or living room. There may be one main entrance, but usually there are also side entrances for ease of entry and exit.