How yacht design is influencing interiors

Every September, visitors to the Monaco Yacht Show can admire some of the world’s finest ocean-going vessels, their sleek hulls matched by luxurious and meticulously designed interiors. The industry term for this elevated level of finesse is “yacht standard” – and, where once it was confined to the high seas, it is now informing land-based spaces, with yacht owners and designers seeking to recreate a high-spec combination of style and practicality in the home.

The starting point is craftsmanship. “There is a level of excellence in terms of quality that is the standard order of business for yacht interiors,” says the award-winning designer Achille Salvagni. “Yacht owners want homes with the same level of perfection – whether that’s about finish or service.”

Salvagni’s studio, which designs both luxury residences and superyachts, has a team of in-house architects (including naval architects), interior designers and expert joinery and fit-out specialists. “They are accustomed to fabricating these jewel-box environments off-site, ensuring that they fit perfectly wherever they are installed,” he says. 

Clever use of space is another inspiration, as the demand for storage that delivers on style and practicality becomes ever more important at home. “As living areas on yachts are constrained, the interiors are known for the careful optimisation of space – combined with elegance and functionality,” says interior designer Bryan O’Sullivan, who has offices in London and New York.

“In homes, this translates into being conscious of space efficiency, with, for example, storage behind hidden panels as well as rooms that serve multiple purposes: a guest room doubling as a home office, where the desk disappears into wall panelling, or a dining table that can be reduced in size to become a console when not in use.”

In one bedroom of a striking property in Palm Beach, Florida, Salvagni designed the bed, bedside tables and headboard so they appeared to be seamlessly joined together, an all-in-one sculptural look that maximised space while offering a high level of comfort. 

This combination of form and function is showcased most strikingly in the trend for statement staircases that are less solid in style. “Dramatic stairs on yachts are where necessity and practicality meet sophistication and beauty,” says Salvagni. “We take the same approach with residences for staircases that are sculptural and create a lightness or floating feeling.”

Joinery that lasts is another style steal. “To allow for the sometimes harsh conditions at sea, it must be incredibly durable – the use of specific joints and timbers is key,” says O’Sullivan. “This can be called on when designing a home, especially when families with children are involved.”

Techniques and finishes used to create star quality in yachts now do the same in stylish homes. Salvagni, for instance, first used alpaca silver, an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc, to add a subtle sheen and vary the textures in one yacht interior, but has since deployed it in land-based projects in London, New York and Mumbai. “We use it to spectacular effect, to give the appearance of antique French églomisé mirrors,” he says.

With floor-to-ceiling glass doors and windows now dominating residential design, it is no surprise that innovations first found in yacht glazing – which must be able to withstand the challenges posed by maritime weather – are now being seen in terrestrial design. “The UV filters in yacht glazing are being applied more and more in homes, as they protect fabrics and artwork from fading,” says O’Sullivan. 

Salvagni agrees. “I love to incorporate high-tech wizardry such as advanced glass technology that ensures windows appear transparent on the inside, but are the same colour as the hull when viewed from outside,” he says. “We use this in residences all over the world, especially for WCs set inside spa bathrooms, matching the glass to the colour of the stone. It is this level of detail that makes all the difference.”

Achille Salvagni
Bryan O’Sullivan Studio

Pictures from top: interior designed by Achille Salvagni; Mosaique by Bryan O’Sullivan Studio (Bluewater); a land-based drawing room by Achille Salvagni; and a Salvagni project in Miami