The attic is a space that is located below the roof or that hides the beginning of the roofs or the façade cover.
The first definitions of Attic mentioned in the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) refer to its connection with Attica , a region belonging to Greece whose capital is Athens . Attic, in this context, is the gentilic of this area and the name of the dialect of the classical Greek language that was spoken there.
Nowadays, however, the most common use of the term attic is related to architecture . The attic is the space located on the top floor of a building, below the roof . The attic is also known as the place where the façade cover or the beginning of the roofs can be hidden.
Uses of an attic
An attic can be an attic , loft or garret . In this case, it is usually used to store items that are not used frequently. For example: “I am going to organize all my books and notes from college to store them in the attic” , “Yesterday, while cleaning the attic, I found my collection of magazines from the 80s” , “I keep my childhood toys in the attic” .
In difficult economic times, attics are often converted into living quarters for a person to live in: “When I lost my job, I had to move into the attic of my parents' house” , “The child sleeps in the attic because we can't move to a larger home” .
The attic is a common setting in horror movies.
Other ways of exploitation
On the other hand, sometimes the use of the attic to fulfill a different function than usual has nothing to do with economic problems, but perhaps the opposite or a passion for decoration . There are many examples on the Internet of attics that have been completely renovated to become offices, workshops, craft rooms or bedrooms, among other ideas.
If we don't have so many things to store in the attic, or if we can donate or sell them, in this way we can obtain a more intimate space , which allows us to concentrate or find inspiration, without having to make a large monetary investment.
Neglected or luxury penthouses
Just like basements, which are not that common in all parts of the world, attics are not always tidy and clean, but are filled with a large number of boxes and furniture covered in dust and wrapped in cobwebs. Added to this are small or irregularly shaped objects that have not been stored properly, all of which is topped off by the poor lighting that a single light bulb can provide.
Penthouses can also be converted into apartments , which may or may not be luxury. This is possible when, in a new building, the space is used for the construction of a home. In Spain, for example, a penthouse is known as a home located on the top floor of a building and, although it is usually more expensive than other apartments, this is mainly due to the fact that it is larger and has a terrace.
For example, in a building with two apartments per floor, the penthouse is likely to cover the equivalent of two living spaces, with much of the space given over to an open patio. The advantages of a penthouse over other options include greater privacy, more light and, depending on the area in which it is located, better views.
The term in cinema
Cinema often uses the figure of the attic as a key element in horror films .
Although in certain countries the presence of this type of room in most houses is not very common, they are easily recognized internationally, and are ideal for generating moments of great tension.