Life and style on a modern houseboat

A day in the life of a houseboat

Not everyone needs to spend a couple of weeks earning their sea legs to feel at home. But that’s what happened to Matt and Jennifer Harvey in January 2009, when they moved into a 1,000-square-foot modern prefab houseboat on California’s Richardson Bay with their children, Jack and Grace (now 4 and 20 months).

The transition wasn’t without tradeoffs—including a major downsizing of belongings—but when the sun is shining and the tide is high, the family can’t imagine living anywhere else. “We open all the windows and doors,” says Matt, “the breezes come in, and it’s instantly summer.”