Open living in a classic luxe motor

A classic luxe motor, opened up for contemporary living

Flakkee is a luxe motor, the classic Dutch motor barge, recognisable from afar by her red-and-white hull and glazed wheelhouse. Like most working ships of her kind, she was long and narrow inside, and the question was how to turn that tunnel into a home that feels open from one end to the other. The answer started at the top: a row of skylights now draws daylight down the full length of the ship.

Levels instead of walls

Rather than dividing the hold with walls, we let levels shape the space. A timber step separates the white galley kitchen from a raised lounge at the far end, so each area has its own character while the view runs uninterrupted. At the entrance, a screen of vertical timber slats frames the way in and filters the view, giving privacy without closing anything off.

Calm, white and effortless

Clean white joinery keeps the long room calm, and the timber details bring warmth where your hands and feet meet the boat. Flakkee was one of our earliest projects, and she still shows the principle we build by today: a hull can feel generous when daylight and sight lines are designed first.