A luxury house boat? These floating sanctuaries are redefining life on the water

In recent years, interest in houseboats has been increasing, with the Canal and River Trust reporting that up to 50,000 people currently call the UK’s waterways home. It speaks to a growing appetite for non-traditional and off-grid living and holiday living.

It was only a matter of time then, perhaps, before the question of luxury floating homes came to the fore. Traditionally, they haven’t been celebrated for their design, but Silverlake, an ‘eco-estate’ in Dorset, is changing all that, having just launched the UK’s first architect-designed house boats.

The development blends sophisticated design and nature-adjacent living in the picturesque countryside of England’s south west. You can paddle board or wild swim in the lake on which these homes reside, which also neighbours a national park, an alfresco spa and a waterside restaurant.

The collection features four models, crafted by design and architecture firms Koto and Waterpod – each contributing two designs. Koto brings its Scandinavian-inspired prefabricated style, while Waterpod approaches floating living with a social mission, acknowledging the UK’s housing crisis and rising mental health challenges in its goal of making ‘the joy and calm of waterside living’ accessible to all.

Waterpod’s Lutra series – named after England’s native otter – includes two- and three-bedroom homes that combine bold architectural design, eco-friendly materials and lake views. The series also features Waterpod’s most advanced houseboat yet: its customisable living area boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, while the rooftop deck offers panoramic views enhanced by the options of a hot tub and exterior mood lighting.

Koto’s offerings include Uku, a cosy one-bedroom home featuring standing seam cladding, composite decking and expansive glazing, and Shio, a two-bedroom design blending comfort and refined luxury. Its interior feels sculptural and tactile as well as warm and timeless, while indoor-outdoor layouts and generous decking facilitate slow mornings and long afternoons by the water.

The question is why buyers at the upper end of the market would choose to live in a house boat – whether the idea of a ‘luxury house boat’ is vanishingly niche. Waterpod’s Tom Luke, who helped to both design and build these properties and has one himself, explains: ‘Lakes are ecological paradises – I have a Lutra otter living just three meters from my Waterpod, in addition to various geese, deer, fish, ducks... it’s a level of immersion into nature that simply cannot be achieved on land.’

Combine this with the freedom that comes with living on a boat, and decent sustainability credentials to boot: Waterpods have a tiny carbon footprint compared to traditional homes, according to Luke, built from sustainable materials, boasting efficient heating and cooling, and with the capacity to use solar power.

Plus, of course, there’s the uniqueness of it all. Luke’s clients, he says, ‘have a keen sense of fun’.

The houseboats at Silverlake will be available for purchase from July 2025, with occupancy anticipated for spring 2026