Yes, it’s true. As of February, we are moving onto a narrowboat to sail the seven…canals. It’s a bit of a huge adventure, as the boat needs a lot of work and is currently a shell, which is party why I am so excited. As a designer, it’s a very exciting challenge to come up with ideas for living comfortably in such a small space. There are so many things to consider and so many clever solutions waiting to be discovered.

Our boat belongs to Ed’s step dad and comes with the name “Hopkins”, which is named after Ed’s idyllic childhood home. It’s a 60ft narrowboat (I’ve been told it’s semi-traditional!?), with port-holes along its length. It currently has a log burner installed, heating, a working toilet and sink, and that’s about all! So, the challenge now is to get it shipshape (can you say that about a narrowboat?) and fit for living in. And here’s a picture of me sitting atop it in the summer, when we helped Chris take it for pumping out.

Looking around for inspiration hasn’t been easy. Most of the boats we’ve seen look pretty similar, with a few exceptions. Here’s a collection of some of the images I’ve found that have floated my boat! Sorry.