Ahoy there! Along the southern banks of the Thames, on Oyster Pier in Battersea, lies a remarkable houseboat that has us longing for life on the river. A far cry from your average barge, the brilliantly named Bosco, which is now on the market, has interiors to rival the slickest house – so much so that you can hardly tell she’s a barge at all. All aboard…

Bosco’s life began in the 1950s when she was built to carry cargo across the European waterway. She’s come a long way since her days spent shipping coal and grains. The current owners, who work at LAB Architects, a London-based practice whose archive of work includes two other barge projects, saw Bosco’s potential – in part, due to her size, with more than 2,150sq ft of internal space – and set themselves the brief of converting the former commercial boat into a beautiful family home.

Inside, the architects sought to create different zones, where adults and kids both have space to breathe, but also come together. They established an area for grown-ups at one end of the boat, where the main bedroom and en-suite lie within the stern. With refined materials and soft greys defining the palette, this part makes for a wonderful and restful retreat. At the opposite end are two cabin bedrooms, fit for either younger children or teenagers alike, with punchy orange walls and plenty of storage. They’re conveniently located next to the cinema room, which is sure to keep the kids – or adults, even – entertained.

But it’s the social spaces that make this barge so queenly. There’s a living room and a study with some nice touches: a hanging chair for reading, for instance, and a log burner for cooler nights. One of our favourite areas for congregating, however, is up on deck. The architects were keen that Bosco, like many good family homes, had a garden of sorts. Using the shape of a shipping container, a wink to Bosco’s heritage, as their guide, they built a winter garden filled with plants including jasmine and lemon trees, which offers views of the water beyond. We can’t think of a better way to take in the views of the city on a sunny day.