Yachting Interior Life Design And Style On The Sea (Or Land)

Like everything else in the last three years, interior design trends have changed, and classic, modern, eclectic, and every derivation in between all focus on creating a space to find comfort, balance luxury, and tranquility everywhere in the home, as well as below deck. Interiors are also a place for inspiring energy and creativity, where we integrate close friends, family, and sometimes business associates into an intimate space, and derive the maximum enjoyment of leisure while entertaining just a bit of work in the mix. Interiors are more important than ever, especially after all the extended time many were forced to commit to in the recent past. Interiors demand lots of luxe, with some furnishings that are a bit playful, and all stylish, no matter where your tastes run. So whether it’s a show in Dubai, Paris, Basel, Milan, or Toronto, there is both wisdom and inspiration to be gained by attending.

Let’s take a look at some trends we’ve been seeing with the following products. Any and all would be ideal for outfitting your yacht or investment charter as equally well as a penthouse in New York City, a condo on Fisher Island, or a chateau in the Languedoc.

Lighting

Essential for creating a mood or illuminating art or table-scapes, lighting is a great entry to designing an optimal space. Villari Porcelain and Lighting, long-known for their opulent, classical reproductions, recently turned their attention to more contemporary styles, including this very sculptural and organic The Wall sconce. Inspired by the eponymous song, The Wall’s focal point is its warm 24K gold hand-painted center which echoes crocodile hide. Supporting layer upon layered panels of clear and fumé frosted Venetian glass that constitute just another brick in the wall. Gorgeously modern and traditionally art deco, this sconce measures H53 x L28 x W18 cm, weighs 7 kg, and is hand-crafted in Italy. Two of these around a piece of art pair beautifully with a matching chandelier style, which Villari crafts in assorted increasing sizes in a 6-. 9-, 18-, and 12-light versions to suit the needs of your particular space. This includes a piu piccolo LED version measuring only 30 cm high.

Preciosa Lighting is well-known aboard cruise ships as well as luxury private yachts. Designed commercially to be jaw-droppingly impressive, in a private setting these bespoke creations are at once focal points in a room and inspired works of art. The brand’s Maritime programme considers the inherent challenges of ocean-going vessels when designing chandeliers and lamps, as well as furniture, floor, and column inlays, ensuring each piece is a functional installation. The heritage of this firm is a lengthy one, but one that has always been innovating since its founding in 1724 in Bohemia. Its partner/client roster is likely to include your yacht’s manufacturer or interior designer, as it reads like an industry directory. Touring the Preciosa website is illuminating in and of itself, and here one finds dozens of semi-custom lines in its Signature collection (ideal for the demanding owner with little patience) like the edgy Inspiral and Diamond Cloud to the much more ethereal yet equally impressive Breath of Light. No matter if your -- or your designer’s -- style is classic, contemporary, or modern, Preciosa will have or create a piece of lighting art to enhance any interior.

The sophisticated interiors of superyacht GECO featured on this page include a bespoke chandelier from Preciosa Lighting on the main deck aft. The large wave-shaped chandelier weighs more than 200 kilograms and features 300 hand-cut crystal rods. The coloring of the rods ranges from light to dark amber, which creates exciting light effects and perfectly fits with the warm hues of the ship’s design.

Creating the ultimate in intimate settings is a dream when table-scaping with these exquisite Jardin de Crystal Jallum Votives designed by Yann Kersalé for Baccarat. The conceptual artist or, as Kersalé prefers, project artist, works with light as his medium, introducing or magically manipulating the same, especially where little or even none has been employed before. These Jallum pieces set atop white bases are portable lamps, going boldly yet softly where no mere candle holder or uplight can go, creating magical and romantic auras on breezy or misty evenings equally as well as on still, moonlit nights. Jallum are organic, modern pieces that will fit even into the most classic décor.

Furniture

Although the world is open, comfort and even seclusion are almost mandated in the bedrooms that were taking on increasing exposure in a world of mercifully declining Zoom calls. Furniture pieces are less of a showpiece and more functional to serve our basic needs for comfortable but still stylish sitting, dining, lounging, and sleeping.

Icelandic-born and LA-based, Gulla Jónsdóttir, whom the Huffington Post dubbed, “the next Zaha Hadid,” has time and again, created arresting organic designs for restaurants, resorts, and residences around the globe. The busy designer’s atelier does not often have the opportunity to turn out functional pieces of art. The Petal Chair is a welcome rarity. Striking alone, or as part of a pair in an intimate conversation group, the nearly 83 cm high chair is a stunningly harmonious design with its sinuous, body-cradling lines crafted from stained ash. Like other designers from the Nordics, Jónsdóttir’s designs are inspired by the innate majesty of nature. The lines seen in the chair are very much reminiscent of her earlier commercial and residential architecture. As both a piece of art and furniture, the Petal Chair evokes a magical, ethereal quality assuring that those sitting in one will feel like rulers of their own mystical realms.

Equally sinuous and suitable on the sea are these Eclypse tables from Villari in dining and coffee table heights. Pleasingly as art-deco and sophisticated as many Villari Couture Home pieces are romantic and ornate, Eclypse features a base and two spiraling legs crafted from 24K gold plated stainless steel. An exquisitely-veined onyx marble disc serves as a perfect top, although the bases can easily be ordered without tops. For both practicality as well as drama, an immense lacquered wood-top dining table features a double spiraled base and extends 240 cm long. Of course, if your needs differ, Villari Couture Home is pleased to accommodate custom requests.

The Camilla ML chair from Cattelan Italia is an ideal piece for the dining area and makes up part of its 2022 Collection. Camilla ML is supportive yet cosseting, with fluid horizontal lines wrapping around her occupant like a cloud as pictured here, clad in boucle fabric and with slim metal legs. Padded, sloping arm rests complete the look. The chair frame itself is available in natural or stained ash, or ash painted matte white or black. The legs feature further options, available either in wood or in embossed lacquered steel, depending on whether you wish to add weight or lighten the area. The non-removable upholstery in a variety of materials, including fabric, and synthetic or natural nubucks, and leathers. This standout piece by Luca Signoretti is destined to be feel at home paired with almost any table your designer selects.

An equally versatile table we love is also by Cattelan Italia, and also part of their 2022 Collection is the MAXIM table and base from designers Pio and Tito Toso. It is crafted to integrate and perform equally well both on deck as well as below as it’s crafted of cool-molded concrete glazed in clay. The table can be topped by glass, allowing for your party’s appreciation of the three sculptured petals of the base or, for a holistic, organic look, the top can also be crafted of the same clay material in accenting or homogenous colors. This is an exceptional look that will work so well in a variety of spaces. The base is available in sizes ranging from 140-180 cm. Cattelan Italia keeps wowing us, and we’re hoping to have an opportunity to catch up with them in Spain as they exhibit at the Hábitat Valencia show in September.

Even if contemporary design doesn’t meld with one’s personal aesthetic, there’s one piece, however, that will be at home onboard in any design setting: Aquilo. This is the second collaboration of Thomas Mercer, the traditional purveyor of quintessentially British timepieces, with David Linley, 2nd Earl of Snowden and son of the late Princess Margaret, renowned for meticulously crafted classic British cabinetry. The merging of these two great names in their respective fields results in an objet d’art where form, function, astronomy, timekeeping, and navigation coalesce. Two words one does not typically see paired are “horological furniture,” yet Aquilo is not their only creation, as the two had previously joined forces in 2012 to produce the Classis. Marine-grade stainless steel forms the classic and timeless piece displaying moon phase and a perpetual calendar which rests atop a modern, curvilinear base crafted from blue eucalyptus and a contrasting streak of oxidized oak. It’s a striking, masterful combination and conversation piece, as well as a useful device aboard one’s superyacht, although there is just one of these. Might there be another bespoke piece from the pair any time soon? According to Mercer, “it’s a matter of time.”

Tableware

The striking lines of the clear crystal Harmonie collection from Baccarat will be an essential and stylish component to any well-stocked bar. The pieces will command more than just a passing glance of appreciation in any indoor or outdoor setting. Designed by long-time Baccarat collaborators Savinel & Rozé (designers of Baccarat’s popular Vega collection), the assertive vertical pattern is tempered by the classic, elegant influences of majestic columns and adds just the right touch and feel when in use. The solid but not-too-weighty heft of the Triple Old Fashioned tumblers (and any of the other tumbler sizes), the two decanters, a pitcher, -- even a stately 8-inch vase – will blend well with a variety of décor styles. In particular, the Harmonie on the Rocks set, which begins shipping this August, includes four tumblers and a 35.25-ounce capacity ice bucket with stainless steel handles. We wouldn’t be just hinting when we say they make an excellent yacht-warming gift.

Cool breezes rustling through a white sail or a linen shirt come to mind immediately when any meal is served on these Eclipse plates by Bernardaud. These pieces, which are crafted in Limoges, feature a subtle fabric texture in relief, with opalescent shades of white haloed by a pale blue that recalls a clear sky above seafoam waters. The coupe plates come in a variety of sizes from 6.5 inches to 10.5 inches in addition to bowls, mugs, cups, and two serving pieces. Fair warning: dining off Eclipse while on land will have one immediately aching to head to the nearest marina.

Bed and Bath

“Sleep is sacred” It is said that we spend a third of our lives sleeping. If that is true, then it stands to reason that the quality of our sleep has a significant impact on our lives. And one of the most important factors in a good night’s sleep and relaxing time in our private cabin is the quality of our room’s equipment.

A comfortable bed and soft, high-quality sheets can make a world of difference when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep. The right mattress and linens can help to improve sleep quality, reduce stress levels, and promote overall physical and mental health. So if you’re looking for ways to improve your in-cabin experience, here are a few products you should consider. Your body will thank you for it.

Luxe textiles are the key to maximizing the ease and comfort of more private spaces like bedrooms where warmth no longer takes precedence. “Lightweight,” “breathable,” and “sustainable” are the new buzzwords. Our choice for both bedding and bath is undoubtedly Cozy Earth, the world leader in responsibly sourced, authentic, high-quality viscose from bamboo textiles. The company goes direct to farmers to eliminate miscommunication and added costs of adding another link in the chain. This results in an inventory of exceptional quality, such as exceptionally silky and smooth bed sheet sets with a 10-year warranty as well as a 100-night sleep guarantee. The exceptional weave virtually eliminates the pilling that so often comes with bamboo fabrics. Although their focus on purity, quality, and sustainability necessarily limits the available dye colors, White is now joined by Oat, Driftwood, Light Grey, and Dark Charcoal.

Cozy Earth’s comforters come in three sizes: the ever-important Twin (the optimal size -- doubled -- for king and queen beds ensures no more tugging), Full/Queen, and King Sizes with either Silk- or Bamboo-filled. The 100% Viscose covering is lightweight and heat- and moisture-wicking fabric that feels much cooler than cotton. Just as with the sheets, these come with a 10-year warranty as well as a 100-night trial. Of course, with the brand’s line of duvet covers, users will get the very same level of breathability as well as potentially longer usage.

With the brand’s signature Premium Plush towels, here they configure a superb blend of 40% bamboo-derived viscose and 60% cotton resulting in plush, weighty, ultra-absorbent 800-gsm bath sheets, which are over-sized to wrap every body in spa-like comfort. This will speed up your time in the en suite, unless, of course, you feel like staying in or heading back to bed. The Premium Plush Bath Sheets are sold in packs of two, and come in White, Cream, Light Grey, and Charcoal colors. Cozy Earth also sells Premium Plush standard-sized bath towels, hand towels, wash cloths in multi-packs, as well as bath mats in two sizes for a well-appointed bath.

Comforting curves, cooling touches with warmth added by color, sustainable sourcing, and functional art. These are a few of the emerging trends in a time of positive re-awakening that still has glimpses of dark clouds on the far horizon. Those signal more interesting changes to come, but in the interim, it’s a time for seeking what feels good. Whether you are in the midst of or just contemplating furnishing, designing, or re-imagining (even a combination of all these), we hope this article inspires peace, comfort, and joy.