But I think it’s important to work with the materials you’re going to be designing with. Rather than a boat toilet, he’s fitted a full-sized model and an ingenious shower/bath. Although the container is a striking sight on the marina, interestingly, it’s not as unusual as it might be on dry land. £35.00, Regular price A Bunsen burner candelabra adds a dash of humour to the living room. “The view is one of the best things about this home, and the neighbours are all really friendly – it’s a proper community. Taking just three-and-a-half months from start to finish, he transformed a container into a light, open-plan home packed with clever space-saving solutions and design ideas. But Max McMurdo, a presenter on, Because this was a step into the unknown, Max first researched the relevant Building Regulations and constraints, then set about planning the space. “When you buy a house, you turn on a tap and the water comes out. Free Wood PalletsOld PalletsMax McmurdoOld Wood LadderKeep It To YourselfDrum TableFloating HouseCharity ShopSewing Class … Max McMurdo is a designer, author and TV presenter, you may recognise his creations from shows such as BBC’s Dragons' Den, CH4’s Amazing Spaces, Fill your house for free, Find it, Fix it, Flog it, Mortgage Free on Netflix, Nat Geo's Machine Impossible and most recently ITV’s 10k Holiday Home. “A marina naturally has a total mix of architecture,” Max says. So I learnt how shipping containers work and experimented with what I could do with them.”, The first and crucial element of the design was to open up the side of the container. The cleverest part of the bedroom design is the hidden wardrobe: the bed divides in the middle and slides apart to reveal access steps down into a large closet underneath. £55.00, Regular price When you live on a boat, though, you’re much more in touch with those elements and you have to have an understanding of how everything works.”, The handmade table in the living area is a fun nod to the classic, In the bedroom, Max has managed to fit in a king-sized bed and two neat bedside tables. As well as a full-sized bed, Max also wanted to install a full-sized suite in the compact bathroom. Max McMurdo is a designer, author and TV presenter, you may recognise his creations from shows such as BBC’s Dragons' Den, CH4’s Amazing Spaces, Fill your house for free, Find it, Fix it, Flog it, Mortgage Free on Netflix, Nat Geo's Machine Impossible and ITV’s 10k Holiday Home. Not many people would be able to see the potential in a narrow metal shipping container, and even fewer would have the skills to turn one into a warm and cosy home. A full-sized Rayburn range cooker is an unexpected feature in the kitchen; it creates a warm and homely feel. The bathroom mirror, another charity shop find, reflects the Marina beyond when the doors are drawn back. Sign up for the latest news, offers and opportunities. “As soon as you walk in the front door, you can set the lighting throughout the house,” Max explains. Kristy Gray … “The aim with this project was to create a nice living space for a young couple,” says Max. As more Londoners take to the water, we get the lowdown on what houseboat life is really like. Clever fold-down shelves in the living area offer a perch for books or a radio, then fold back up out of sight when not required. Companies House Companies House does not verify the accuracy of the information filed (link opens a new window) Sign in / Register. A vintage task light in the bathroom adds character and texture. “I spent some time in the container at first,” he says, “moving around, pretending to make a cup of tea and sitting in a chair, trying to figure out how I could live in the space.”, “I’d gained some skills by renovating my cottage, but I’m not a carpenter or a welder,” Max says, “I’m a product designer. “The boats are all different colours and shapes, and they all sit happily side by side.” The container simply adds another layer to the colourful mix. MAX MCMURDO LTD - Free company information from Companies House including registered office address, filing history, accounts, annual return, officers, charges, business activity . Max found it on Gumtree for £1,000 and uses it to power the underfloor heating and heat all the water in the house, as well as, obviously, for cooking. Towards the end of the build, several of his friends pitched in, some taking time off work to help him complete the home in time for the big reveal on TV show. Max McMurdo is a designer, author and TV presenter, you may recognise his creations from shows such as BBC’s ‘Dragons’ Den’, CH4’s ‘Amazing Spaces’, ‘Fill your House for Free’, ‘Find it, Fix it, Flog it’, ‘Mortgage Free’ on Netflix, National Geographic’s ‘Machine Impossible’ and ITV’s ‘10k Holiday Home’. “I had a few moments of worry when I walked into it for the first time and realised just how small it was,” says Max, “but once the side had been opened up, it was a completely different space.”, The entire process took three-and-a-half months from start to finish, with Max project-managing the entire thing. £950.00, Regular price To maximise space, Max suspended sweet-jar lights from underneath two slim shelves, leaving the surfaces clear rather than cluttering them with bulky lamp bases. The pace of life is much calmer here; you can’t help but slow down, “You’re very aware of how a home works when you live on the water,” says Max. Very much a riverside home, every corner of the container offers a beautiful view of the marina. “I love watching different generations making stuff together. George Clarke's new Channel 4 TV series Amazing Spaces follows up-cycling expert Max McMurdo as he creates an ingenious floating home from a shipping container. Vintage crate bookshelves and an upcycled footstool add interest and character to the open-plan l. All the lights in the container can be activated from the main control panel on the side of the kitchen unit. See more of Max’s home, plus many of the upcycled projects featured inside, in his new book, Houzz Tour: A Stunning 19th Century Townhouse Before and After, Houzz Tour: An Unusual Side Extension Reinvents a 1950s Home, Houzz Tour: A Tiny Rural Cottage Gets a Cosy, Sustainable Update, Houzz Tour: A Dated Flat Regains Period Elegance and Light, Houzz Tour: An Ingenious Courtyard Lightens a Victorian Extension, Houzz Tour: A Norfolk Cottage Inspired by the Local Landscape, Houzz Tour: An Edwardian Home is Lifted by Soft Tones and Texture, My Houzz: A Broken-plan Layout Creates Space in a New-build Home, My Houzz: An Interior Designer's Bright and Cosy Family Home, My Houzz: A Masterclass in Renovating a Ruin Beautifully, My Houzz: White Simplicity Offers Peace in a City Centre Flat, My Houzz: Pretty Pinks and Neutrals in a Boho-chic Loft Apartment, My Houzz: Ingenious Space Planning Updates a Family’s 1930s Home, My Room: An Extension Gives a Period Home a Relaxed Family Space, My Houzz: A Revamped Post-war Home Full of Light, Colour and Character, My Room: Luxurious Finishes Give a Family Bathroom a Cosy Feel, My Room: An Open-plan Kitchen With Stunning Views of the Garden, 9 Things You Need to Know About Glass Roofs, The Steps to Take Before Your Building Project Starts, 21 Gorgeously Cosy and Welcoming Country-style Living Rooms, Kitchen Tour: Natural Light Streams into an Elegant Green Kitchen, Houzz Tour: A Bright Apartment with a Cosy Mix of Materials, Kitchen Tour: A Rejigged Layout Maximises Leafy Outdoor Views, Houzz Tour: A Tired Victorian House is Sensitively Revived, Houzz Tour: A Derelict Outbuilding Gets a Stylish Makeover, Houzz Tour: A Narrow Flat Reworked to Create an Open, Airy Home, Kitchen Tour: A Colourful Family Kitchen for a Modern Farmhouse, Kitchen Tour: A Wraparound Extension Creates a Sociable Space, Houzz Tour: A Long-untouched House is Lovingly Revived, Kitchen Tour: An Ocean-toned Island that Makes a Kitchen Sing, See 10 tiny kitchens for small-space living, Read expert advice on buying a range cooker. Regular price Never afraid to experiment with materials, Max is keen to champion creativity in home design. Living on the water has been a revelation for Max. “I wanted to show that you don’t need to decide between living either in a house or on a boat; there can be something in the middle.”. But Max McMurdo, a presenter on Kirstie’s Fill Your House for Free and judge on Shed of the Year, had both the design skills and the creative vision to do precisely that. Learn more. £65.00. It’s important to pass skills down, and I think that’s often missing nowadays – spending time together,” he says. Another space-saving device is the single tap that cleverly pivots between the bathroom and the kitchen next door. “I wanted full-sized furniture in here, with access on both sides of the bed. (Max is in the process of recladding the surround.). Upcycle designer Max McMurdo, founder of reestore, took an discarded shopping cart and turned it into a comfy and fun looking chair. Skip to main content. 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