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Tiny Lake Union houseboat offers tons of whimsy for $349K

A creative layout offers equal parts charm and utility

By Sarah Anne Lloyd
In the foreground is a light blue houseboat next to a dock and other houseboats. The backdoor is orange.
Ornate wood carvings at the front door set the stage for an artful design.
Courtesy of Special Agents Realty

Docked just by Gasworks Park on Lake Union, this little houseboat, called “Wildest Dream,” packs a lot of artistry into 432 square feet—starting right at the front door with a carved, sunburst relief. But its quirks don’t distract from its function, with clearly laid-out and efficient areas for cooking, eating, lounging, and sleeping alike, making use out of every bit of interior space.

From the dock, a small deck serves as kind of a stoop just before the well-equipped kitchen and dining area, with a classic, rounded, wood-beam ceiling and checkerboard tile. Peek above, and there’s a sleeping loft cleverly hidden in the curve of the ceiling—just above the bathroom.

But the space really opens up in the living room, which has the same curved ceilings, but is sunken to allow for 13-foot ceilings. Warm wood accents are a quintessential part of Seattle houseboat design, bringing to mind a classic wooden boat, and here, it shows up in not just the ceiling, but wainscoting and hardwood floors. From there, of course, there’s a back deck for lounging and looking out over Lake Union.

The floorplan is familiar to those who stare wistfully at houseboat listings a lot, but it comes without some of the sacrifices common to houseboats: It has a full bathroom complete with tub, the kitchen is fuller than some, and there’s more headroom than one can typically count on.

2401 N Northlake Way Slip F-4 is on the market for $349,000 through Special Agents Realty; fees on the leased slip are $730 a month.

A living room with a beige couch and wood wainscoting, pictured with a back door to the lake open.
The living room is made extra-airy by a cute back door to Lake Union.
A small kitchen, with a rounded ceiling with wood beams and the corner of a skylight visible.
The kitchen is more robust than many a houseboat galley.
A square, wood-grain table is in a corner, with a plant on top and two purple barstools partially tucked underneath. A large window is to the left.
The eat-in kitchen has a corner set aside as a kind of dining room (although it could serve as extra counter space).
A low-ceilinged room with rounded wood ceilings and a skylight in the center, with a wood-framed bed with blue plaid blanket below.
The sleeping loft feels significantly more finished than “sleeping loft” typically implies.
A blue bistro set is outdoors in the foreground. Through a door, there’s a living room with nautical decor and a rounded wood ceiling.
The rear deck—the one facing Lake Union—has room for dining al fresco.
A small back deck right on the lake, with other houseboats in the background. A kayak is tied up to it.
The back deck has enough space to tie up a kayak for lake adventures.

2401 N Northlake Way

2401 North Northlake Way, , WA 98103

Lake Union

, , WA

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