Decorating & Design
Breathtaking Boathouses You’ll Want To Live In
Published on August 16, 2022
We wouldn’t blame you for wanting to take up full-time residence in these luxe boathouses. They are lavished with elevated design and amenities like full kitchens, bathrooms and best of all, tranquil bedrooms. Falling asleep to the sound of the waves underneath is just an added bonus.
Scroll down for a look inside some of H&H’s best boathouses!
This Muskoka boathouse is designed to echo the main cottage. A covered cabana provides shelter so the dock can be enjoyed in rain or shine.
Designer Anne Hepfer layered the main living space on the upper level with white furniture and woven pieces. Lighting casts a discreet glow at night.
A quintet of pendants offers a playful moment over the island while caned stools and a rope-framed mirror are a beachy note.
In a covered area downstairs, striped upholstery, nickel lanterns and a porthole-style mirror add nautical flair.
A row of anchor-shaped hooks hold towels, making them easy to grab before jumping in a boat for a lake excursion.
The downstair bar has a pass-through with pocket windows for serving snacks and refreshments to guests outside. The porcelain tile is weatherproof.
With its soaring rafters and walkout deck, this breezy Muskoka boathouse could masquerade as a whitewashed beach house (right down to the supersized white sofas and beadboard). The main house is set back from the shores of Lake Rosseau, up a steep set of stairs and obscured by pine trees.
Designer Anne Hepfer chose blue and white upholstery for the dockside seating area, mixing tones and prints to create interest and depth.“If colors start to match too much, the whole scheme falls flat.” The two-storey boathouse optimizes its waterfront perch with a wraparound balcony and dock-level seating.
In the living room, Anne used the location on the shores of Lake Rosseau as inspiration for the color palette. In 2017, she used pops of watery blue to invigorate the boathouse’s white envelope. Back-to-back sofas provide ample seating, while an open-concept floor plan maximizes natural light and boasts uninterrupted views of the lake.
In this breakfast nook, a fresh striped banquette matches the waves outside.
The boathouse’s main rooms were updated with new windows and doors, and light oak floors. Anne created a custom banquette for the bay window and covered it in a durable outdoor fabric.
A pair of polished-nickel task lights mounted on either side of the island are the stars of the kitchen, and are a subtle nod to outdoor dock lighting.
Bookcases lined with pale blue grasscloth bookend the living room window’s leafy vista. The sand-toned rubberized rug resembles sisal but won’t stain or show dirt, making it ideal for carefree cottage living.
A pastel palette in this boathouse’s principal bedroom encourages guests to unwind and recharge — and soak in the panoramic view. “At dusk and dawn, you get purply hues in the sky that reflects on the water,” says Anne.
Twin beds with built-in storage underneath steal the show in the smaller bedroom. “You want your guests to have an element of surprise,” says Anne. “This makes them feel special and excited about the space they’re going to stay in.”
This Muskoka boathouse serves as a fully-equipped guest house as well as a double slip, reminiscent of boathouses from a bygone era. Designed by Cory DeFrancisco of Muskoka Living, it’s lavished with classic nautical architectural details, from the cedar shake roof to the arched French doors and oculus windows.
A diamond-painted deck adds interest and makes the space feel almost as polished as the graceful wood boats moored within. Screen doors lead into the adjacent living area.
Comfy seating makes it easy to enjoy the view from the living room. Board and batten panelled walls are a classic nautical treatment, accented by a model sailboat and rope-embellished pillows. Black hardware pops against the room’s white palette.
A generous deck and substantial Craftsman style columns lead to the second floor.
Large French doors can be thrown open to take full advantage of the water’s proximity and lake breezes.
This two-bedroom boathouse, designed by Jennifer Worts, is distinguished by graceful windows and a lake-blue exterior paint. The wraparound deck gives barbecues and weekend sunbathing a cruise-ship vibe.
A pretty cupola and stone fireplace top Tom and Suzanne White’s buttercream confection of a boathouse. The “Muskoka Victorian” architectural style is defined by substantial window casings, wraparound porches, and bay windows.
The rough-hewn pine siding is in keeping with a traditional Muskoka look. A granite path leads from the cottage to the boathouse, which has an east-facing wraparound deck and a swimming dock below.
Designer Elizabeth de Jong based the watery palette of the living room (complete with fireplace) on the ottoman’s upholstery.
The glass cupola on the top floor draws natural light into the space. Oculus windows are flanked by sailboats to underscore the nautical flavor. A window seat is ideal for appreciating the lakeside view.
A cozy sleeping area is nestled at the bottom of the T-shaped layout. A vaulted 12-foot ceiling, tongue-and-groove panelling and exposed painted beams lend character.
In the bathroom, a pine floor breaks up the creamy white space. A tasseled valance reflects the well considered design details of these lakefront living quarters.
On his boathouse, Cory DeFrancisco captures the quaint charm of the area with a collection of paddles, a sliding barn-style door and full flower boxes for color.
Designer Michelle Lloyd Bermann of Lloyd Ralphs Design and her husband, painter David Bermann, raised the structure of their Lake Simcoe boathouse 3 feet to accommodate his sails and boards. French doors were installed on the lower level and inexpensive stock sliding doors were added to the top floor.
Hinged french doors open out to the dock. Built-in storage boxes that double as benches are functional additions, and art dresses up the utilitarian space.
Hotel-style loungers and tray tables make this dock an even more hospitable spot to hang.
In the narrow, upper level bedroom, Michelle installed floating ledges flanking the bed and painted the antique French sconces white. “I don’t want to take decorating too seriously up here. It’s all about mixing things that are precious and simple with things that are rough and unexpected.” Raffia cushions give the space a distinctly tropical vibe that’s reminiscent of St. Bart’s, one of the designer’s favorite destinations.
Tucked at the bottom of a dramatic hillside, the boathouse belonging to David and Heather Beaton of Studio b seems to sprout from the rock itself.
David’s collection of new and vintage boats includes this 1928 Hacker-Craft. Contrasting trim accents the boathouse’s large windows and distinctive muntins.
Don Tapscott’s log cabin-style boathouse is topped by a large deck with a built-in stereo system, and seats two for sunset cocktails, or 90 for dinner and dancing.
An inky-green exterior paint makes this Muskoka boathouse seemingly melt into the trees behind it.
Designers Christine Ralphs (right) and Michelle Lloyd of Lloyd Ralphs Design dressed up this sunny two-bedroom boathouse with an all-weather rug, as well as ample Muskoka chairs, throws, and a basket of towels.