The prospect of retirement doesn’t just signal the end of a career; it offers the chance to recalibrate and re-prioritize in life.
Life is Smooth Sailing on These Contemporary Houseboat and Nautical Homes
March 9, 2015
Living on the water is a common, though rarely acted upon, fantasy. These five maritime homes navigated red tape and headaches to arrive on the shores of nautical bliss.
This modular houseboat concept can be adapted from a one-person dwelling to a family-sized float. The architect wanted to create a home that could be enlarged and reduced to suit changing families.
Courtesy of
Tomáš Souček
Originally appeared in Floating Prefab Concept Rethinks the Houseboat
Living on a houseboat usually entails trading space for tranquility. This two-story, 2,150-square-foot houseboat in Amsterdam sacrifices neither. An expansive live-in kitchen opens onto an airy terrace on the second level.
Photo by
Originally appeared in At the Elm
The difficulties associated with building on water make houseboat construction particularly conducive to prefabrication. This urbane houseboat was assembled at a shipyard in Port Townsend, Washington, before travelling to Seattle's Lake Union by tugboat. Architect Eric Cobb describes his design choices: “No overt maritime themes, no boatlike finishes—rather, smart urban design, using durable materials suitable for the location."
Photo by
Originally appeared in This Couple Merrily Floats Along in Seattle
It took ten years to tranform a dinky float into this modern home on the water, but for resident Denise Draper, it was worth the wait. “I love being close to the water. There’s constant change, with boats and wildlife passing by,” she says.
Courtesy of
Ninebark Studio
Originally appeared in A Renovated Boathouse on Seattle's Portage Bay
Not technically a houseboat, but a nautical home on water all the same. The Floating House, as it is known, is a buoyant summer home on Lake Huron accessible only by boat. It's not designed to move like a houseboat, but a downstairs boat slip connects it directly to the lake.
Originally appeared in 10 Modern Gables
This modular houseboat concept can be adapted from a one-person dwelling to a family-sized float. The architect wanted to create a home that could be enlarged and reduced to suit changing families.
Latest Articles
You don’t have to choose between sustainable energy and curb appeal.
July 19, 2016
Each week, we tap into Dwell's Instagram community to bring you the most captivating design and architecture shots of the week.
July 06, 2016
Each week, we tap into Dwell's Instagram community to bring you the most captivating design and architecture shots of the week.
June 29, 2016
Docomomo US announces the winners of this year's Modernism in America Awards. Each project showcases exemplary modern restoration techniques, practices, and ideas.
June 27, 2016
After last year’s collaboration, we were excited to team up with Monogram again for the 2016 Monogram Modern Home Tour.
June 27, 2016
A strategic rewire enhances a spec house’s gut renovation.
June 26, 2016
Coralie Gourguechon's paper objects will make you see technology in a whole new way.
June 26, 2016
Smart technology helps a house in Aspen, Colorado, stay on its sustainable course.
June 25, 2016
The aesthetic appeal of personal electronics has long fueled consumer interest. A new industrial design book celebrates devices that broke the mold.
June 25, 2016
An angled deck transforms a backyard in Menlo Park, California, into a welcoming gathering spot.
June 24, 2016
Today, we kicked off this year’s annual Dwell on Design at the LA Convention Center, which will continue through Sunday, June 26th. Though we’ve been hosting this extensive event for years, this time around is particularly special.
June 24, 2016
Two designers restore a low-slung midcentury gem in Napa, California, by an unsung Bay Area modernist.
June 24, 2016
San Francisco–based designer Maca Huneeus created her family’s weekend retreat near Lake Tahoe with a relaxed, sophisticated sensibility.
June 24, 2016
A Toronto couple remodel their home with a special emphasis on a spacious kitchen and a material-rich bathroom.
June 24, 2016
In Kansas City, an architecture studio designs an adaptable house for a musician on a budget.
June 23, 2016
By straightening angles, installing windows, and adding vertical accents, architect Aaron Ritenour brought light and order to an irregularly shaped apartment in the heart of Athens, Greece.
June 23, 2016
A modest kitchen addition to a couple’s cottage outside of Brisbane proves that one 376-square-foot room can revive an entire home.
June 23, 2016
Each week, we tap into Dwell's Instagram community to bring you the most captivating design and architecture shots of the week.
June 22, 2016
A modern dwelling replaces a fallen farmhouse.
June 22, 2016
Seeking an escape from bustling city life, a Manhattan couple embarks on a renovation in the verdant Hudson Valley.
June 22, 2016
Atelier Moderno renovated an old industrial building to create a luminous, modern home.
June 21, 2016
Anchored in a small San Francisco canal, this floating home takes its cues from a classic city habitat.
June 21, 2016
From the bones of a neglected farmstead in rural Scotland emerges a low-impact, solar-powered home that’s all about working with what was already there.
June 21, 2016
An architect with a taste for unconventional living spaces creates a small house at lofty heights with a starring view.
June 21, 2016
Marjan Van Aubel makes technology a little more natural.
June 21, 2016
Building on the site of a former one-car garage, an architect creates his family’s home in an evolving neighborhood of Brooklyn.
June 20, 2016
In a Brooklyn backyard, an off-duty architect builds a structure that tests his attention to the little things.
June 20, 2016
In the suburbs of Paris, an architect with an eco-friendly practice doesn’t let tradition stand in the way of innovation.
June 20, 2016
Join the Discussion