The Oxford Dictionary explains LOFT as "a loft for storing things under a roof". But nowadays, LOFT refers to those "converted from old factories or warehouses, with fewer internal partitions and high ceilings.

Born in New York City's SOHO district, LOFT's defining elements include: tall, open spaces, double-story duplexes, staircases and beams that resemble a theater stage; mobility, with no barriers within the floor plan; transparency, with reduced privacy; openness, with a full range of combinations between floor plans; and artistry, with all styles and layouts usually determined by the owners themselves.

In the 1940s, a lifestyle loft first appeared in the United States in New York, factories or warehouses were transformed into studios and living rooms. Originating in Europe and the United States, the decorative style known as LOFT has quietly emerged in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing and other places, known as "home" fashion.

So LOFT can't just be understood as a general reference to art.

Extended information:

Origin of LOFT:

In the 1940s, a kind of lifestyle LOFT appeared in the United States for the first time in New York. New York, USA. At that time, artists and designers used abandoned industrial plants to separate spaces for living, working, socializing, entertaining and collecting. In the wide factory buildings, various lifestyles were created, performance art was created, or exhibitions of works were held, dripping with sound and fast life.

Later, these factories became the most personalized, avant-garde and popular places for young people. As a property type, LOFT originated in the West, and LOFT began to appear in the domestic market only after 2000. This architectural style focuses on large, open spaces, as well as openness and transparency. This characteristic is very attractive to young home buyers.

Baidu Encyclopedia - LOFT

Baidu Encyclopedia - LOFT Style