Making Waves: Floating Homes and Life on the Water

The ultimate inspirational guide for anyone dreaming of living on a boat of their own, featuring practical tips on everything from clever storage solutions to finding moorings and living off-grid.

Every boat has a story. For thousands of years, water vessels have provided livelihoods, catered to our spirit of adventure, and served as retreats from the pressures of modern life. It is little wonder that life on the water calls out to the creative and the curious―the mavericks, artists, architects, crafters, and designers who have made their homes on barges, shipping containers, houseboats, and more.

Featuring an international range of vessels, Making Waves celebrates those outliers seeking a different way of life; those exploring how living on a boat offers the chance to achieve a more satisfying work-life balance while holding much of the paraphernalia and constrictions of the modern world at bay. With stunning photography and packed with practical advice and inspiration, the book reveals how anyone can transform a boat into a beautiful and unique place to live and work.

Each home featured offers its dwellers a retreat. Some glide through the extraordinary countryside, while others bob companionably in city wharfs. Their interiors reflect the residents’ imaginations, styles, families, and working lives, demonstrating how even seemingly challenging spaces can be transformed into unique and intriguing living quarters. The compelling personal stories behind each boat will encourage and inspire readers to consider a shift in their own lifestyles and embrace a life on the water.

400 color illustrations

Portland Mitchell’s career as a stylist spans over twenty years. She has freelanced for Harrods, John Lewis, Laura Ashley, and QVC in the United Kingdom; House of Fraser and Amazon in South Africa; and Q Home Decor in Dubai and has also acted as an on-set stylist for furniture brands Arlo & Jacob and Neptune. Along with editorial projects for Homes & Gardens, Coast, and Easy Living magazines, she has worked on home brochures for B&Q, Homebase, and Tesco. In 2001, she won the Crown Stylist of the Year Award.