Home tour | A sleek Berlin houseboat

It’s time for another home tour and, as I have all things Berlin on my mind at the moment, this beautiful houseboat in the German capital seemed like the obvious choice.

Moored on Lake Rummelsburg (a serene inlet of the River Spree), this contemporary home makes a wonderful retreat from the city hubbub. It’s owned by Chris Laugsch and his brother Oliver, who stumbled across it by accident and instantly saw its potential.

The interior is calm and uncluttered, with poured concrete floors, geometric shapes, and raw architectural elements such as natural pine ceilings and exposed aluminium cross beams. Throughout, walls of glass gaze out over the water to the city skyline beyond. so you can watch swans glide past from bed, and admire the sunset as you cook an evening meal.

The boat is arranged as a single, linear space. At its heart is the living area, which has a stylish wood burner by Danish manufacturer Aduro and custom-made plywood futons topped with boxy cushions in shades of cherry red, plum and royal blue. At one end, a sliding door leads to the bedroom and the mirror-walled bathroom beyond; at the other is the open-plan kitchen, which has minimalist white units and a concrete island unit that doubles as a dining table.

If you like the look of the boat as much as I do, you’ll be pleased to discover that it’s available to hire for short breaks. I love the idea of sitting in an Acapulco chair on the deck in summer, sipping coffee and listening to the gently lapping water, or snuggling up under a blanket to watch life on the frozen lake in winter. It’s definitely at the top of the list for my next visit to Berlin!

Photography via Welcome Beyond