British firm Bert & May is best known for its collections of beautiful reclaimed tiles and wooden flooring, but its latest project is on a rather larger scale. ‘Bert’s Barges’ are innovative, ready-made modern homes designed for life on the water. The concept was dreamed up by Lee Thornley, founder and creative director of Bert & May, who collaborated with stylist Laura Fulmine and RaT Architecture to create a chic, contemporary version of the humble houseboat. There are two versions available – the ‘Country Barge’ is a 15.85-metre-long space with two bedrooms and warm, cosy decor, ideal as a holiday home; the ‘City Barge’ is slightly smaller at 14.63 metres long, with one bedroom, a foldaway guest bed and Scandinavian-style furnishings.

Thornley began the project after becoming frustrated at the lack of affordable, design-led housing for sale in London. ‘With the canal running past Bert & May’s showroom in East London, it suddenly dawned on me that a barge could be the perfect solution,’ he says.

‘I’m now obsessed with the idea of providing unique floating homes and am convinced that the number of people living this way will rise dramatically over the next few years.’ If you want to find out why he’s so enthusiastic about this way of life, you can rent the canal barge near his showroom through Airbnb.