Forget fountains and indoor pools, these houses have the ultimate water feature; a river at the heart of their design. Some of these properties have been built around natural waterways while others are boundary-pushing architectural experiments but all of them need to be seen to be believed.

This estate in Norfolk looks like your typical English country house. It includes a Grade II-listed rural property with an adjoining watermill cottage conversion, formal gardens, a swimming pool and water meadows. 

When viewed from the back you can see where the water rushes in. There's thought to have been some kind of mill on this site from the 15th century right up until 1935 when the property was converted for residential use.

Most of the original mill workings are preserved below the property including the mill race, which you can view through a glazed panel in the floor. The sound of water can be heard rushing beneath the house, just as it has for hundreds of years.

As well as the mill race, the property also has private gardens looking out over the water, which feeds into the river Tas, and a spot for mooring a small river boat.

The property, which is currently on the market for just shy of $2 million (£1.5 million), has 7,000 square foot of space including a sitting room, a large entrance hall and family room with a central fireplace. 

This pretty house looks like a quiet country retreat from afar but if you get a little closer you'll see something unusual about the design. The wild river doesn't just skirt around the home, it runs right through the building and under a viewing room.

The California home was built in 1942 by architect Frank Robert, a student of the celebrated American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It's located in Three Rivers, a stylish and secluded community that serves as the gateway to the Sequoia National Park.

The river has created a lush, green environment around the property's grounds, with mature trees and plants offering a home to birds, butterflies and other wildlife.

The room right above the river functions as a bar, with a glass counter and floor giving a bird's eye view directly down to the water below. At certain times of the year, you can even look down and see the rainbow trout as they pass underneath your feet.

The master suite has its own private wraparound deck offering river views and luxurious bathrooms with steam, sauna and spa facilities.

The property has been consistently upgraded over the years and has been used as a retreat, a holiday home and a private residence.

The stream leads out to a private sandy beach where you can swim in the river undisturbed and surrounded by the forest.

This magnificent home in Boulder City, Colorado has a collection of pools and waterslides, all connected by a lazy river that runs around the property.

This extravagant property also has tennis courts and putting greens (plural!), so it's perfect for nature lovers. It's currently on the market for $3.9 million (£3m).

To feel like you're in an Aladdin's cave, cross under the man-made waterfall and take a dip in the grotto, then float around the river to take laps of the 20-foot pool.

The original listing described the home as 'Disney-esque' and it certainly has the feel of a grown-up playground. The lazy river has been crafted to appear real (with somewhat bluer, cleaner water), and superb attention to detail includes native plants and clever landscaping to make the most of the estate.

The house sits on one and a half acres of land, and from the top of the waterside – or the comfort of the elevated hot tub – you can look out over the surrounding views.

Inside, the house spans 9,300 square foot, with stunning views, framed by floor-to-ceiling windows, beamed ceilings and a spiral staircase, not to mention a home gym, office and a wine cellar.

This impressive property on Vancouver Island has its own inland waterway. Swanwick Ranch is a beautiful oceanfront home in Metchosin, which is currently on the market for $14.1 million (£10.8m).

The 10,700 square foot home has six bedrooms and eight bathrooms, but its the river running through it that makes it so special.

The river is actually flowing with seawater that's been diverted and used both as a visual feature in the home and also as part of an eco-friendly heating and cooling system.

The system works from mat out in the ocean that harnesses the average temperature of the ocean. That water is drawn through tubes back up into the house into the engineering plant, which either draws heat out of the water or cools it off, and then transfers through the walls and the floors of the house. 

Inside the home is decorated in a modern style, with large, light windows, and stunning waterfront views. More than $20 million (£15m) went into its incredible infrastructure and it's a real one-of-a-kind creation.

This river house near Miami, Florida, has a man-made 'lazy river' running right through it, across its three pavilions and through the 3,100 square feet of indoor living space including a koi pool and a waterfall.

A 'lazy river' – a feature often found in water parks – has a gentle current that carries swimmers along at a slow pace. Incorporating it into the layout of the house was the vision of one man, the renowned mid-century architect, Alfred Browning Parker.

Constructed from Honduran mahogany the house is as much an ode to wood as it is to water – hence the name 'Woodsong'. Despite being built in the 1960s, the house has been regularly updated and the estate sold in 2017 for a reported $2 million (£1.5 million) with Sotheby's International Realty.

The property also includes a sauna, lap pool and a wet room. The grounds of the property are lush with palms and vegetation, which the architect was keen to protect and maintain within his designs, offering green views from all sides.

The dining room sits next to the stream, and the master bedroom is above the stunning pool, integrating it throughout the house. There's also an open-air bedroom for those warm Miami nights.

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