A Houseboat That’s Like a Woodsy Cabin on the Water
Many buyers of old houseboats tear the structures down to the floats and then rebuild them as high as code will allow. But the buyer of this houseboat on the end of a dock on Seattle’s Portage Bay decided to keep it a single story, in part so neighbors could continue to enjoy their views of the water.
Photos by Benjamin Benschneider Photography
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A woman with grown children and a puppy
Location: Portage Bay, Seattle
Size: 830 square feet (77.1 square meters); one bedroom, one bathroom
Designer: Theresa Freeman of SHKS Architects
When the homeowner purchased the 1918 structure, she intended to clean it up and move right in. However, after she and her contractor at Karlstrom Associates began gutting and cleaning the home, they realized that there were surprises under the surface, and they’d need the help of an architect. They called in Theresa Freeman, and the project was off and running.
Freeman kept the structure of the building intact, but she gave the exterior a face-lift with new wood shingles — replacing layers of damaged siding. “It really needed some love,” Freeman says.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A woman with grown children and a puppy
Location: Portage Bay, Seattle
Size: 830 square feet (77.1 square meters); one bedroom, one bathroom
Designer: Theresa Freeman of SHKS Architects
When the homeowner purchased the 1918 structure, she intended to clean it up and move right in. However, after she and her contractor at Karlstrom Associates began gutting and cleaning the home, they realized that there were surprises under the surface, and they’d need the help of an architect. They called in Theresa Freeman, and the project was off and running.
Freeman kept the structure of the building intact, but she gave the exterior a face-lift with new wood shingles — replacing layers of damaged siding. “It really needed some love,” Freeman says.
Before Photo
BEFORE: As the team members evaluated the condition of the home, they discovered that the roof had been framed with cherry boughs. “We assume that when the home was built, the cherry boughs were cut at the shore and used to hold up this little building. That was really sweet, but they are only about 3 inches in diameter,” Freeman says. “We had to beef it up.”
Wood that was more structurally sound replaced the cherry boughs in the ceiling. The boughs found new life as decorative accents around the home, including as part of this entryway mirror.
The houseboat’s woodsy cabin charm continues with a Victorian-inspired custom Dutch door. The split door allows the homeowner to get a cross breeze going with the top portion open while keeping her puppy safe inside with the bottom part closed.
The walls also have a rustic feel. “There is no Sheetrock, so we used pine boards and just whitewashed them,” Freeman says. “As it dries and changes with the weather, the wood cracks and shows a patina. Anything that happens with kayaks or dogs or whatever doesn’t matter. It just adds to the character.”
Paint: Mayonnaise, Benjamin Moore
The houseboat’s woodsy cabin charm continues with a Victorian-inspired custom Dutch door. The split door allows the homeowner to get a cross breeze going with the top portion open while keeping her puppy safe inside with the bottom part closed.
The walls also have a rustic feel. “There is no Sheetrock, so we used pine boards and just whitewashed them,” Freeman says. “As it dries and changes with the weather, the wood cracks and shows a patina. Anything that happens with kayaks or dogs or whatever doesn’t matter. It just adds to the character.”
Paint: Mayonnaise, Benjamin Moore
Custom glass folding doors provide a seamless transition to the deck and maximize the view of the University of Washington campus across the bay. Salvaged teak floors were chosen for their ability to hold up in wet environments.
Reclaimed teak flooring: Pioneer Millworks
Reclaimed teak flooring: Pioneer Millworks
In the kitchen, the team positioned a corner window to redirect the view past the neighbors’ houses and toward the water. More of the cherry boughs were repurposed as shelves flanking the range hood. A soothing cream paint coats the custom cabinets. Three live-edge slabs of walnut top the center island.
Bar stools: Industrial adjustable stool, Rejuvenation; cabinet paint: Buttermilk, Benjamin Moore
Bar stools: Industrial adjustable stool, Rejuvenation; cabinet paint: Buttermilk, Benjamin Moore
To the left of the refrigerator, waxed blackened-steel doors open to a pantry and a small coat closet. The homeowner, an artist, uses the magnetic doors as a place to keep small drawings, sketches and postcards.
“The doors are less cold and industrial-looking than the refrigerator,” Freeman says. “They’re really more of a bronze color and add a lot of warmth and texture to the kitchen.”
Glassed-in areas near the ceiling make the space feel larger.
“The doors are less cold and industrial-looking than the refrigerator,” Freeman says. “They’re really more of a bronze color and add a lot of warmth and texture to the kitchen.”
Glassed-in areas near the ceiling make the space feel larger.
For doors in the bedroom and bathroom, Freeman used salvaged wood in its original condition. The team simply knocked off the peeling paint and applied a clear finish to seal it.
Salvaged door: Second Use
Salvaged door: Second Use
Color was used sparingly in the home. The homeowner chose the bathroom tile because it reminded her of the water and of the garden she left behind when she chose to live on the bay.
Tile: Pratt and Larson, Syzygy Tile; salvaged door: Second Use
Tile: Pratt and Larson, Syzygy Tile; salvaged door: Second Use
The homeowner says that while her home is small, she never feels cramped, no doubt in part to the wide open views visible from almost every room.
A rendered floor plan from the architect shows the efficient use of the small space.