A DREAM AFLOAT
With Gothic doorways, heart motifs and sturdy construction, it’s not hard to see why this elegant narrowboat captured Sam Barbic’s heart. But its purchase was prompted by a dramatic event in her life. ‘I’d been diagnosed with cancer and needed something to take my mind off the treatment,’ she says. ‘Since my aunt got married on board a narrowboat when I was eight, they have been a passion of mine. My plan was to renovate one and use it as a distraction and retreat during my recovery.’
Sam started her search in 2014, looking at hundreds of prospects before finding Velvet Morning in Bath. ‘I quickly discovered there’s a standard look for narrowboats but this one was different. She was at least 100 years old and made of cast iron with stunning detailing. Her name was inspired by my favourite song Some Velvet Morning by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood,’ explains Sam.
Nervous about sailing all the way from Bath, Sam paid for a crane to lift the boat onto a flatbed lorry and had her transported by road to Watford before sailing along the Regent’s Canal to a mooring in Little Venice. ‘Watching her come down the dual carriageway was the funniest thing,’ laughs Sam.
Velvet Morning had lived on a permanent mooring connected to mains electricity and water but waterway regulations meant that Sam was obliged to keep the boat on the move every two weeks. ‘All the electrics had to change because the power supply would need to come from her engine,’ explains Sam. The plumbing was also renewed and after sanding and sealing the floorboards – apart from the bathroom where vinyl flooring was fitted – Sam was ready to make a start on the decor. Maintaining original details such as the wavy-edged kitchen worktop and the heart motifs was a priority but other elements had to change. ‘There seem to be two narrowboat styles; lots of dark green
and red paint or lots of wood,’ she says. ‘The previous owners had looked after the boat brilliantly but I wanted to add my own style.’
Sam’s inspiration was based on the idea of a ‘long, thin cottage’ with luxury touches. ‘On a narrowboat you have to envisage how every aspect of space can be maximised by doubling up on as many elements as possible. The sofa contains storage and can be removed if necessary, while white walls open up the space and reflect light, but you can create subtle variety by using different shades. I went for Farrow & Ball’s All White in the living area and cosier Cornforth White in the bedroom. This also shows off the floors, doors and wooden detail,’ she says.
Clever touches such as the mirrored vanity unit help the bathroom look bigger and a small slipper bath with a shower attachment is a simple luxury .‘It’s wonderful to lie back and look at the stars through the roof hatch,’ she says. Texture and subtle accessories create visual interest in every room, with velvet, linen and faux fur in the living area and small-scale prints in the bedroom. Sam rummaged through antiques markets and sourced nautical ironmongery such as brass fold-up hooks for the walls. ‘This was the part I enjoyed – searching out great finds.’
She grew to love being on board and it helped her unwind. ‘Going to bed is wonderful; it’s like being rocked to sleep,’ she says. ‘It’s wonderful in the summer when I can sit on the roof surrounded by flowers and snug in the winter with the log-burner going, and it’s magical to open a window and see a swan gliding by.’ After wondering whether others would also enjoy this idyllic experience, Sam hires out her boat when she’s not on board. ‘I hope people find the same sense of calm that I do.’