On the Water
Custom Remodel
From Nautical to Northwest Contemporary, Tour a Floating Houseboat Transformation on the Seattle Waterfront
Ready to make a space yours?
The houseboat, which was remodeled for a bachelor builder and includes a massive bike shop, stands out among its floating neighbors.
When this project began, it was unclear what it would become. The client, an established second-generation spec home builder, simply stated, "So, what do you think? Do you think we could make some changes?"
The interior was outfitted with dark, orange-ish 1970s wood paneling. The houseboat's super cool location appealed to his bachelor sensibilities, but the interior craftsman surroundings didn't match his personality or lifestyle.
The project evolved into a fully customized full remodel. Despite numerous design challenges along the way, the end result was a completely transformed, personalized space that a luxurious sought after builder could be proud of.
To begin with, it needed to be more masculine and minimal. He disliked clutter and unnecessary items in his life and space, but he admired innovative design. Second, he needed to maximize every inch of the barge footprint while balancing weight to get everything he wanted out of it.
As he is an avid cyclist, the design includes not just an upstairs living space and an office, but also a shop area for his bikes. Occupying a quarter of the houseboat's footprint, it has a modern masculine ambiance that suits his style and his interests.
A houseboat's nuances presented design challenges. In the bathroom, a more nautical installation made sense, skipping a glass panel in the shower in favor of a wet room where it could get water everywhere if it really needed to or did. The upstairs toilet is a Toto bidet, but the downstairs toilet must be a macerating marine toilet. For a minimalist aesthetic, large format tiles were used in the bathroom, and scrap steel buried beneath the float balanced the weight.
To open up the upstairs to the outside and bring the waterfront environment inside, a small quarter-cutout in the living room was converted into a space-saving garage door wall. A small deck with bar stools is ideal for a cocktail and watching the sunset over the water, while Mercury glass behind the bar adds an old-world cool vibe.
Tying all of those elements and challenges together to transform the space with innovative design while staying true to the client's style and aesthetic gave him a home to be proud of, enjoy, and be excited to entertain in.