A new Star sails the canals of Amsterdam

A tjalk on the Amstel, opened up to the light

Gerritje is a traditional Dutch tjalk moored on the Amstel, in the middle of Amsterdam. From the quay she is every inch the classic sailing barge, with a deep blue hull, a black deck and a varnished timber wheelhouse. Inside, the hold has been stripped back and rebuilt as one long, open loft, where a polished concrete floor and white panelled walls follow the curve of the hull, and skylights and brass-rimmed portholes let daylight in from every side.

Colour as a compass

Rather than filling the space with walls, colour guides you through it. A wall in bright orange closes off the far end of the living area and returns in the doorways further along, so you always know where you are in the ship. A timber beam crosses the ceiling as a reminder of her working past, and antique pieces of furniture stand against the white hull like objects in a gallery.

Built in, down to the last drawer

The kitchen combines oak-grain fronts with a dark concrete worktop and a generous island with open shelving. The bedroom is shaped by the hull itself, with a bed on deep drawers tucked beneath the portholes and a fold-down desk in oak. The bathroom is the boldest room on board: glossy yellow walls with built-in niches, a floating oak vanity and a sculpted white basin. Every cupboard, step and shelf was built in our own yard to fit this one ship.