I love the start of springtime when I first start to hear birds chirping outside my window in the mornings — before I get out of bed, it kind of feels like I could be anywhere. And this week, I’m teleporting to Portland, Oregon, specifically to the hippest houseboat I’ve ever seen. “On an average day on the Multnomah Channel, we might see an osprey, eagles, great blue herons, and tons of swallows,” says Rebecca duRivage-Jacobs, who owns the home with her husband. “Waking up to the morning purple martin songs and the view of the river are the icing on the cake!”

The open-concept interior is filled with sunshine and river vistas, thanks to vaulted ceilings and loads of windows. The current owners have decked out the soaring walls in a gallery of framed art and colorful accents (a mix of “family art and quirky vintage finds,”duRivage-Jacobs notes), making the living area feel like a grown-up playroom in the best way possible. Other design details, like a lemon yellow bathroom with a shell-shaped mirror or a three-toned bedroom, maintain the cheery vibe.  

But the equally whimsical spot I can’t stop staring at is just outside the home: A covered deck lined with paper lanterns that sits right on the water and looks like the perfect perch for a slow start to the day. In the summer, you can swim, paddle board, and kayak as much as you please. For those worried about a lack of green space, Rebecca duRivage-Jacobs says they make up for it with blue. And, she adds, “What we lack in yard, we make up in house plants.”

Are you on the house hunt, or just the type of person who loves browsing real estate listings, even when you’re not in the market for a new home? Property Crush is a column where we feature actual real estate listings that get the Apartment Therapy seal of approval in regards to style (we haven’t done home inspections or anything, so don’t sue us). Know of a great house on the market? Email the listing to repitches@apartmenttherapy.com.