House boat interior help needed
Hello all
We have recently purchased a wide beam canal boat, which I will be living on for a couple of years in London. It has been beautifully (and expensively) fitted out in an art deco style, however this is not to my personal taste. I am therefore looking for a way to lighten and modernise the interior, and would be grateful for any ideas!
The interior has been lined with a mixture of wood - mainly American Oak, Maple and British Oak, with an even darker wood floor. Combined with the portholes, this makes the interior of the boat rather dark.
My parents (experienced boat owners) have kindly helped me to purchase the boat, and we will be looking to sell it on again in a few years. They are keen to retain the 'integrity' of the boat as much as possible ready for the resale and would probably choose to keep the boat as it is, but are keen for me to feel comfortable and happy in my surroundings while I am living on there. We are therefore keen to find a compromise in terms of how we can brighten/modernise the boat without destroying the structure, and therefore keep both parties happy.
We have agreed to rip out the fitted sofas as they are so large and inflexible, and rather dark in colour, and I am hoping to replace this with a (probably mid grey) L-shaped sofa bed (see pic). We all agree that some white-ish paint would probably work wonders, but my parents are keen to minimise how much of the wood work is covered. I have suggested the upper half of the walls.
We would all be grateful for any suggestions that you may have!
Many thanks in advance.
Comments (7)
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
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Comments (7)Certainly agree about loosing the curtains. Either silver venetian blinds, vertical blinds, or plantation shutters would make that area cleaner and tidier. (If you are not overlooked, how about leaving any window coverings at all). As for the feature wall -not sure about the white brick effect, as I feel that there would be too much of the same colour, and it would not stand out as a feature wall. There are many softer shades on the market now, and depending on the remainder of your room, choose a soft shade, either duck egg blue, or soft plum, and use this colour to accessorise in cushions, or a picture in same colour, but something else to bring the items together. With the emulsion, I would use a soft sheen rather than matt, as the soft sheen is easier to clean (I notice you have children), and reflects the light back into the room. Hope some of this helps....See MoreInterior layout - help needed, feel like we may have lost the plot
Comments (16)I'm slightly confused by trying to follow this thread, so apologies if this duplicates. Which way does the kitchen window face? Unless there is good reason-direct South? -it may be a pity to demolish any 1920's integrity, especially if only to install dated bi-fold doors. A large aluminium deco style window might be a better idea as it will add character as well as extra low level storage possibilities.Your doors to the garden could be sliding, with glazing bars, or Double French doors. (Photo suggestions attached) If you follow the graph paper plan, then you could also put a sink, dishwasher and noisy machinery in the utility area so that your main living space isn't affected by washing up. It could be a great prep area too and keep unnecessary noise to a minimum as acoustics are really important in a communal space. Food for thought! Best of luck....See MoreHelp! need advice on interior design for open plan living space!
Comments (4)Hi Sofaiza, It sounds like you have done great so far and have a great space. Well done. I have just completed a kitchen design with what sounds like exactly the same kitchen units. We went for a speckled white worktop which worked really well. We then chose a light grey with a hint of blue for the walls - this is modern and fresh and works well with the white gloss and with the silvers or whites that may appear elsewhere in the kitchen. What flooring have you gone for? For a contrast Black worktop went well and was considered for the same project I mentioned. For the features walls the tiles sound intriguing but I would need to see them to get a better idea or know if they would work with the design. Sounds good though. I am happy to forward a few images of the project here if you want to get in touch. It will give you an idea of how it will all look. I also have trade accounts with the companies I purchased from last time which maybe of interest to you if you are planning on purchasing yourself (not through a tradesmen or designer). My email address is gina.everett@createperfect.co.uk or feel free to call the office on 0208 133 0702. All the best, Gina...See MoreYou don't need an interior designer but still want some help?
Comments (7)I'm not offended by this post, but I do feel that it's important to delineate between professional's helping users on here, with the option for the user to ask about their services and professionals just outright posting adverts or marketing on a forum. There are avenues to market your services on here, but generally I think it should involve engaging users on their design dilemmas. I just don't think this would be the design dilemma forum if every professional decided to do this....See More- 9 years ago
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