Home › Glossary › Mezzanine

Mezzanine

A mezzanine is an intermediate floor between two main floors of a building, open on at least one side to the space below. It usually covers only part of the floor area beneath it.

Mezzanines are common in warehouses, shops and theaters, where they add usable floor space without building a full story. In homes they appear as balconies or lofts overlooking a double-height living room.

Building codes often limit a mezzanine's size relative to the room below and set rules for railings and exits.

A mezzanine's floor is measured on its own, and the open space beside it is not counted as floor area. In a home, a finished mezzanine that meets ceiling height rules can count as living area. See open to below.