The 70s Style Interiors of This Houseboat Channel Vintage Cool on Water
Decorated in a mix of midcentury browns, greens, teak and rattan this motorboat takes retro vibes and gives it a modern twist
Step aboard a motorboat in America’s Midwest where 70s style interiors create a nostalgic, retro retreat.
Cleopatra was said to have entertained her lovers aboard a luxurious houseboat on the river Nile. Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz lived on one for some 25 years; these vessels are enshrined in contemporary Arabic literature and history. Their cultural significance and the heritage of life on the river are considered one of beauty, seclusion and calm, providing an escapist experience quite unlike the chaos of life on land. “There’s definitely a romance to river life, but it also carries a unique time capsule quality that’s hard to describe. The towns and villages along the Mississippi seem frozen in time, like being caught in amber.” Says interior designer Victoria Sass, founder of Prospect Refuge Studio, of her family houseboat.
Located on the St Croix river, an inland waterway in Minnesota, the boat was redesigned by Sass, who had originally wanted an RV, while her Danish husband Torben, who grew up sailing the Scandinavian fjords, wanted a sailboat; their compromise was a 1983 Viking 44 motor yacht.
“The date of the boat sold me. We were both born in 1983, and I felt a real kinship. In the boat world, you see a lot of new and old boats. But I loved her middle-aged majesty. I believe, in my practice, that we are responsible for creating the next generation's heirlooms. Her overlooked vintage made me want to preserve her all the more,” explains Sass, who embarked on the transformation to make Freya, renamed by Torben after the Nordic Goddess of Love, into “this certain aesthetic. I wanted it to feel ‘summer hippie,’ like you could strap a tomato plant to the bow, and it would look totally at home.”
They kept the original teak interiors and textured cream wallcovering in the bedrooms and bathrooms but ripped out the grey carpeting that ran throughout the main cabin and up the walls. “The curtains were gone, and the upholstery was well past its prime. But she wasn’t without hope.”
The flooring was replaced with teak parquet handlaid by Torben, and in a nod to her childhood, Sass added a mid-century lounge chair and deep Beni rug. The colour palette is full of personal references, including her choice of a green Parete Mo’ Moss fabric on the banquettes. “Every jacket I owned as a child seemed to be this color so I could pass it on to my brothers.” The decor is enshrined in personal details and feels like a family affair, her mother handmade the sconce shade from a remnant of Helene Blanche Moire fabric and the artwork, a framed quilt created by Jeffrey Sincich, represents the outdoor sporting goods store owned by Victoria’s parents in her childhood.
The teak and rattan cabinets in the kitchen were original to the boat, and Sass chose to compliment these rich tones with a bespoke brunette and viridian tiled counter and backsplash created in collaboration with ceramicist Kristen Falkirk, with lighting from Cabin Denmark. Inspired by 70s style interiors and an 80s vintage textile, the master bathroom is painted with stripes by the artist Kelsi Sharp.
Plaid, pattern and storage were central to the design, Sass ensured everything had hidden storage. “The sofa, banquettes, under the beds and even the stairs are used to keep things inside. It was fun to see how much we could pack in. The key is flexibility; chairs need to be easy to move, rugs should roll up quickly, tables collapse, and plenty of things pull double duty, like our dining table that transforms into a queen bed.”
“Everything on a boat comes with an extra layer of complexity; coming up with design solutions that work around countless hatches and access points, it’s a challenge. There are no right angles and no straight lines. It’s a maddeningly delightful way to stretch your creativity.” prospectrefugestudio.com
Photo: Supplied1/12Freya on the river. The teal blue hood was made up to match the repainted exterior. “We repainted and recovered the entire exterior. It took one whole winter. When I chose that particular blue canvas colour. The fabricator said ‘that one hasn’t been chosen in a while’, which of course sealed the deal for me.”
Photo: Supplied2/12Victoria Sass on Freya.
Photo: Supplied3/12In the main cabin, ceiling lighting by Roman and Williams Guild has been chosen, the mid-century lounge chair is from local vintage dealer Golden Age Design and reupholstered with fabric from Zak + Fox Moray. The curtain treatments from Sister Parish Mahalo and the folding teak side table is from Skagerak Denmark, which sits on a Beni Rug. The teak parquet flooring was laid by Victoria’s Torben and the ceiling has been left with the original vintage material. The handwoven mustard blanket on the sofa is Oddbird Mosiac and the sofa topper is Caravane. Decorative cushions are Goodee and Caravane and the bolster is St Frank Coral Cross Miao Pillow.
Photo: Supplied4/12In the master bathroom the counter top, sink and faucet are all original to the boat, the wall treatment was handpainted by local artist Kelsi Sharp. The lighting is from Cabin Denmark and the mirror has been custom framed by Nash Frames.
Photo: Supplied5/12On the aft deck, Sass has chosen a coffee table and stripy rug from Fjord Scandinavian as the foundation for the exterior furniture, which includes a loveseat from Outer, upholstered in Christopher Farr Cactus Flower fabric with a pillow made from Mojave Stripe Pollack and an Ikea Holmsta lounge chair.
Photo: Supplied6/12In the main cabin the ceiling lighting is from Roman and Williams Guild and the decorative pillows, Goodee and Caravane, the bolster is St Frank Coral Cross Miao Pillow. Curtain treatments from Sister Parish Mahalo and the folding teak side table is from Skagerak Denmark, which sits on a Beni Rug. The teak parquet flooring was laid by Victoria’s Torben and the ceiling has been left with the original vintage material.
Photo: Supplied7/12Victoria and her husband have three children; two of them sleep here, and the third sleeps in the main living space. In here, the forward cabin Sass ensured storage was available under both beds and seating bank. The upholstered wall treatment on the right was created by Jennifer Shorto with Purple Haze. The bench cushion is made from Annie Coop Lotte fabric, and the decorative pillow is by Jennifer Shorto using Blips & Ifs. The plaid blankets are from Society of Wanderers, and knitted blanket from Astier de Villate. All the bedding is Anthropologie and the artwork is vintage.
Photo: Supplied8/12In the family bathroom the counter top, sink and faucet are all original to the boat, as is the textured wallpaper. The lighting is from Cabin Denmark and the mirror has been custom framed by Nash Frames.
Photo: Supplied9/12In the master bedroom and aft cabin the bed, cabinetry, sconce and textured wall coverings are all original to the boat. The curtains were custom designed by Prospect Refuge Studio in collaboration with northern Minnesota weaver, Chrisitine Novotny. The bedspread is from Studio Ford Wild Shroom Quilt and the blanket from Gregory Parkinson.
Photo: Supplied10/12The dining banquette is upholstered in faux leather Parete Mo’ Moss, the light sconce is from Betty Swing and the shade was handcrafted by Victoria’s Mom from a remnant of Helene Blanche Moire Stripe in Plum. The tablecloth is from Wonder Valley. The small painting is a vintage piece, the large artwork is a framed quilt created by Jeffrey Sincich and is an abstract representation of an outdoor sporting goods store, which was owned by Victoria’s parents in her childhood. The window treatments are from Sister Parish Mahalo.
Photo: Supplied11/12Inside the galley kitchen the cabinets are all original vintage 1983 Teak and rattan, Sass added a custom designed countertop and backsplash in collaboration with ceramicist Kristen Falkirk. Lighting here and throughout the boat is from Cabin Denmark.
Photo: Supplied12/12On the fly deck, Sass chose Pindler Miranda fabric in green with an accent trim in sky alongside a selection of vintage and custom cushions.
