Luxe et al - DESIGNER SPEAK OUT

£4.80 

DESIGNERS SPEAK OUT 

We speak to the experts about the direction of yacht design 

1 0 

THE INTERNATIONAL 

YACHT & AVIATION AWARDS 

A brief look at some of the shortlisted entries

OUR SIGHTS 

ARE SET 

HIGHER 

BUSINESSAIRCRAFT.BOMBARDIER.COM 

Bombardier, Learjet, Challenger and Global are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. 

© 2016 Bombardier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bath & Art de Vivre 

© 2015 THG - Photo Didier Grieu 

"Le 11" 

Collection 

Designed and made in France 

LONDON SHOWROOM 

Bathrooms International 

4 Pont Street 

London SWI X9EL 

Tel. +44 (0) 20 7838 7788 

sales@bathroomsint.com 

Made 

1956 

in 

- 60 ans 

France 

www.bathroomsint.com Decorex London 2016 

www.thgparis.com 

Booth C37 

- 2016

Leading in technology and innovation 

Solid wood decorative elements 

Laser technology 

Teak and synthetic decking 

Meet us at the Monaco Yacht Show, 

September 28 - October 1, 2016, 

Stand QAA51 

3D-Cork levelling for weight 

and noise reduction 

www.wolznautic.de

arundell carpets.indd 1 16/12/2015 09:49:04 

contents 

9 Editorial 

10 Designer Endorsements 

Bespoke, hand-tufted carpets to your design 

Since 1973 Arundell Carpets Ltd has exclusively worked in the design, 

manufacture and installation of special hand-tufted carpets and rugs. 

We have worked with many leading designers on prestigious projects 

in the hospitality, yachting and residential markets. 

Our portfolio includes The Ritz London, The Dorchester Hotel, 

MY Eclipse, MY Turquoise & numerous private residences worldwide. 

20 The Gulfstream G550 

28 La Passion by Sarp Yachts 

38 Silver Fast by SilverYachts 

48 Designers Profiled 

56 Airbus A320 by Comlux America 

Our designs are bespoke made to all sizes, shapes and colours, which 

allows for absolute design flexibility ensuring a unique piece is made 

every time. 

We deal with all stages of the design process from initial design, site 

measuring, shipping and installation, ensuring smooth completion of 

the project. 

www.arundellcarpets.com 

info@arundellcarpets.com 

Tel: +44 (0)207 733 5494 

66 Seven Sins by Balk Shipyard 

74 NIMIR by Aegean Yachts 

82 Awards News 

88 The International Yacht and Aviation Awards 

2017

460 years of combined creative heritage 

DESIGN CENTRE, CHELSEA HARBOUR 

SAMUEL-HEATH.CO.UK 

MADE IN ENGLAND

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Design et al ISSN 1750-8851 

staff 

Publisher Joanne Beedles 

Senior Editorial Researcher Isobella Lichfield 

Digital Publisher Richard Stockton 

Publishing Manager - Luxe Christopher Aitken 

Client Account Manager Michael Roberts 

Client Account Manager Michael Davies 

Design Awards Manager Glenn Hughes 

Awards Team Leader Anna Jackson 

Awards Coordinator Anna Clapson 

Awards Coordinator Daniel Gillbanks 

Web Development Craig Culbert 

Graphic Designer Jane Cooper 

Public Relations Consultant Catherine Lyne 

PR & Editorial Assistant Natalie Romero 

Accounts Paul Jones

NOT AN INTRODUCTION. 

A TRANSFORMATION. 

THE NEW 60 CANTIUS The magnificently bold new 60 Cantius has arrived 

to single-handedly refute any notion our world is getting smaller. The unrestrained, 

free-flowing spaces above and below deck are designed to feel infinitely life-changing. 

With chic amenities and functionality commensurate with world-class entertaining. 

Suddenly, your universe abounds with possibility. For more details about the 

incomparable 60 Cantius, visit your dealer or go to CruisersYachts.com.

In this issue, 

we continue 

to speak to 

industry experts 

in the yacht and 

aviation fields 

about their 

thoughts on 

design as well 

as the products 

they endorse; 

we want to look 

at the design in 

its entirety - from the architecture of 

a project, through conceptual ideas, 

specialised products and components 

through to the complete design scheme. 

This month, we have extended features 

on projects by Gulfstream, Sarp Yachts, 

SilverYachts, Comlux America, Balk 

Shipyard and Aegean Yachts, designer 

endorsements on P10 and designer 

profiles on P48, where we speak to key 

figures in the Yacht Industry about 

their current projects, design directions 

and their thoughts on future trends in 

the industry. 

It is always exciting to look ahead to 

The International Yacht & Aviation 

Awards, and this month we look at 

some of the shortlisted entries from 

next year’s awards on P82, focussing on 

the component categories, which we 

have extended for 2017 due to feedback 

and requests from suppliers who, until 

now, have not always had their work 

showcased in the awards. 

As always, we always welcome your 

feedback and participation in Luxe et 

al Magazine. Please do contact us with 

any suggestions you may have, news 

items, projects or any other content 

which you would like us to consider for 

inclusion. 

Until next month, 

Joanne 

Luxe Et Al 9

Designer Endorsements... 

the products and services you must have 

Ultratech from Ultrafabrics® unites artisanship and technology to create a beautiful sensory experience 

Ultrafabrics® specialises in the engineering, manufacturing and distribution of the highest quality polyurethane fabrics on the market. Merging six 

decades of passion and experience with unique technology and an artisan process from Japan, Ultrafabrics® creates the most enhanced fabrics on the 

market and services a diverse range of markets. One of the key benefits is that all Ultrafabrics® products have a longer life span than both PVC and 

genuine leather. 

New collections include the Ultratech range; a ground breaking fabric that combines state of the art performance with a sensory experience 

unmatched by any material before it. Ultratech Cove, Dwell, Eco Tech and Helix unites artisanship and technology creating a new fabric beyond 

traditional polyurethane varieties. 

Ultratech Cove brings to life a beautifully micro-beaded texture highlighted by an impressively bold palette. 

Ultratech Dwell is surprisingly durable and easy to maintain the debossed geometric pattern is available in a fresh, balanced palette, bringing sensorial 

enhancement to any setting. 

Ultratech, Eco Tech features a unique matte finish the shagreen texture was created utilizing proprietary, design-centric Ultrafabrics engineering. 

Ultratech Helix’s distinctly dimensional geometric texture highlights a new type of surface experience, creating one-of-a kind depth and texture as a 

result of proprietary craftsmanship and state-of-the-art technology. 

www.ultrafabricsllc.com 

10 Luxe Et Al

Designer in Profile... 

Eva Mechler 

Owner, Eva Mechler 

THG 

THG PARIS is a French manufacturer of high-end bathroom fittings. 

Born under the instigation of 3 men, the company THG (Tétard- 

Haudiquez-Grisoni) remains a subtle mix of craft, know-how and 

passion for creativity. 

The collaboration with the designer Jean-Claude Delépine in the 

1970s allowed the company to evolve into manufacturing luxury 

fittings. In 1995, the designer proposed that THG acquired his 

creations. 

With 60 years experience and 223 employees, THG have expertise in 

more than 10 crafts, from casting to the end product. They export to 

more than 65 countries and offer over 40 plating finishes. 

For its 60th anniversary, THG has chosen to restyle its emblematic 

’Petale de Cristal’ collection to offer an exclusive range favouring the 

timeless curves and radiance of the fabulous Baccarat Crystal. 

Numero 60 is adorned with precious décor and features a sublime 

conical piece in lustrous crystal which appears to have been 

delicately placed on the cross brace. The pale gold tap fittings shine 

with metallic and iridescent reflections. 

60 years of design, 60 years of dreams, 60 years of expertise. 

www.thg.fr 

Which sector do you specialise in? 

As a master cabinet maker, my aim 

is to create wonderful products 

that give people the opportunity to 

experience the beauty of natural 

wood in everyday settings. Having 

worked in diverse manufacturing 

businesses in Germany and 

Switzerland, I completed my 

training over several years in both 

cabinet making and galvanisation 

- both to master level. Until now, I 

have eighteen years of experience 

in the design and manufacture 

of solid wood products especially 

for the bathroom. With my true 

experience of handcraft and with 

my knowledge of production 

management, I am able to present 

a viable commercial product with 

originality and flair that will satisfy 

the highest quality standards. 

Is the Superyacht market an 

integral part of your business/ 

large percentage of your market? 

The superyacht market is an 

important meeting point for 

the world’s leading architects 

and designers from all 

schools. Superyacht owners 

are exceptionally rare but they 

connect to influencers in all 

sectors worldwide who also 

demand the very highest levels of 

artisan skill and service. 

How long have you worked in this 

sector? 

Eighteen years ago, I qualified as 

a cabinet maker. My first job on 

a yacht was laying a teak deck. 

In recent years with my own 

company, I have been gradually 

increasing my exposure to this 

special segment of the yacht 

business and I am now receiving 

enquiries for internationally 

acclaimed and complex projects. 

Which other sectors do you work 

in? 

My work is most appropriate for 

private luxurious spaces whether 

on a motor yacht, in a home, a 

spa, or an exclusive residence or 

retreat. 

Can you please give details of 

recent interesting projects 

and your direct involvement/ 

participation in these projects? 

Currently, I am developing my 

own design for lighting using a 

combination of solid hardwood 

and crystal; and, following an 

enquiry earlier this year, I am 

working on a concept for a solid 

hardwood serving bar for a leisure 

yacht deck. For the bathroom, my 

next product is a solid hardwood 

shower combined with seating. 

My client work is always treated 

with discretion and I am delighted 

to have my solid wood bathroom 

furniture installed in private 

and commercial premises in 

Europe. More recently, I am in 

discussion with world leading 

interior and yacht designers about 

the application of my design and 

technical knowledge in class 

leading private projects. 

Working within the Superyacht 

sector must be different than 

the domestic and commercial 

markets, have you found this to 

be the case? 

The superyacht sector is a unique 

community. Of course many 

people are in direct competition 

but everyone seems to get along. 

The sector is small and open for 

newcomers, but I don’t expect the 

sector to be forgiving if I should 

deliver a substandard job. The 

superyacht sector is a hub for 

exploring and being challenged – a 

bit like the ocean itself. 

Please describe any relevant 

technological advancements that 

may have influenced your work in 

recent years. And trends/design 

directions moving forward. 

I find that solid wood is the most 

natural and honest material in 

all the fields of carpentry work. 

In my products I use mainly 

the hardwoods of black walnut, 

chestnut and ash. Their level of 

hardness and their pore structure 

are very suitable for my work - 

and their simple grain gives my 

product the desired character. I 

love the way that forests are 

sustainable: durability, longevity, 

recyclability of wood makes 

it the perfect material. The 

wood is purchased exclusively 

from sustainableforestry sources - 

includingnational forests or from 

international certified forestry 

operations. I am a partner in Wood 

Forever Pact. My suppliers are very 

aware of my demand for integrity 

in the supply chain and this is a 

learning journey for us both. 


Award Winning Outdoor Marine Fabrics: 

Jewel Fabric Collection from Extex 

Having furnished some of the most exclusive 

superyachts in the world, EXTEX’s extensive range of 

outdoor marine fabrics combines luxury with 

outstanding performance to meet the most rigorous 

demands of global ocean travel. Inspired by the alluring 

ambience of Moroccan medinas and spice-filled souks, 

Jewel offers a captivating collection of opulent chenille 

furnishing fabrics available in 12 vibrant and glittering 

options. From cool blue hues of the purest turquoise to 

majestic purple and pinks, the beautiful, textured plain 

range features a glamorous selection of four ‘sparkleinfused’ 

designs guaranteed to add a twinkle of exotic 

charm to any luxurious superyacht, season after season. 

Often mistaken for a sumptuous indoor fabric, Extex is 

the preferred choice of yacht designers for its easy-care 

characteristics. All the fabrics are: stain resistant, water 

repellent, light fast, pre-shrunk, machine washable and 

remarkably hardwearing too. The intricately woven 

Jewel outdoor textiles incorporate a shimmering silver 

thread throughout the fabrics’ fibres, guaranteed to add 

a decorative Moroccan and metallic touch and dress 

decks with a striking impact. Designed to coordinate 

with all other fabrics in the EXTEX marine textile 

ranges, the luxurious chenilles are reassuringly 

easy-care and finished to the usual high spec required 

for boat decks – ensuring they will meet any yacht 

designer’s brief. 

www.extex.co.uk 

Dornbracht 

Dornbracht is a globally active family-run manufacturer of high-quality fittings and accessories for bathrooms and kitchens. The company is one of 

the few in the sanitation industry where production is ‘Made in Germany’. With CL.1, Dornbracht presents a stunning new range of bathroom fittings 

that consistently combines straight lines and soft curves, lending it a distinctly architectural character. The advanced design language marks the start 

of a new decade in Dornbracht product design, the key aim of which is to pursue designs that are dynamic, animated and elegant. The abbreviation 

‘CL’ stands for Dornbracht’s current brand claim, ‘Culturing Life’, and the number 1 refers to the first product design to emerge from this new brand 

direction. 

Other special features of CL.1 are its new textured handles. A play of tactility, these handles sharpen the senses. Two different texture options are 

available for the handles of the fittings, giving them a luxurious and distinctive look and feel. Not only is this in keeping with the increasing desire 

for materials with a tactile quality, it is also a contemporary response to the megatrend of individualisation in areas that are often neglected when 

it comes to making bold design decisions. The two versions available, smooth or textured, which opens up possibilities for a more personalised 

bathroom design. 

It is not just the design of Dornbracht’s CL.1 that sets new 

standards; its engineering is special too. An innovative flow 

pattern boasts extremely efficient water consumption. The 

sprayface is an in-house development that gently immerses 

the user’s hands in 40 soft, individual jets of water and with 

a flow rate of just 3.9 litres per minute, water consumption is 

extremely efficient. With this new flow mode, the CL.1 considers 

a more sustainable lifestyle. The entire series comes in plated 

finishes, polished chrome and platinum matt, including a wide 

range of fittings and accessories for the washbasin, shower, bath 

and bidet. It can be combined with products from other series, 

to meet individual needs and requirements. The arrangement 

of outlets and controls can also be customised, adding to 

the possibilities for a more personal and individual design. 

A particular user-friendly option is Dornbracht’s Smart Tools 

technology. These digital control elements integrate numerous 

options for digitisation in both the bathroom and kitchen by 

networking components and simplifying the applications 

involved. With a single flick of the wrist, two control dials allow 

for precise control of temperature and water volume, and a 

simple display can call up frequently used settings or presets, 

bringing a solution elegant in both design and usage. 

www.dornbracht.com 



Innis Lawrence 

Production Manager, 

Nanz Custom Hardware 

NANZ 

At NANZ, the hardware manufacturing company, every facet 

of manufacturing is carried out with pride and dedication by 

a NANZ employee. As they have always made their products 

they are consequently experts in design, engineering, casting, 

machining and finishing. NANZ manufactures products which look 

more appealing, work better and last longer. 

Their manufacturing methods are systematic and repeatable 

resulting in high standards for casting, machining, polishing, and 

finishing. Their finishers are trained in the traditional methods of 

polishing, texturing, patination, and relieving. 

They are proud of their manufacturing facility. It is clean and 

organised, and was designed to be both environmentally friendly 

and a cheerful inspiring place for the large workforce to create 

the beautiful hardware that NANZ is known for. The factory 

exemplifies the professionalism, craftsmanship and capacity that 

are synonymous with the brand. 

Charged with the task of designing yacht hardware, NANZ 

engineers developed a highly resilient line that is nearly immune 

to the challenges posed by sea air and salt spray. NANZ created 

patented products containing rare earth magnets and pneumatic 

springs that are particularly apt for yachts by combining nonferrous 

brass and stainless steel components, with mechanisms 

that are over-engineered for long, maintenance-free operation. 

To further bolster durability, NANZ can provide yacht hardware 

in their strongest available PVD finishes, ensuring a lifetime 

guarantee. 

www.nanz.com 

Which sector do you specialize 

in? 

Custom door hardware of all 

varieties, contemporary, traditional 

and everything in between. 

Is the Super yacht market an 

integral part of your business/ 

large percentage of your market? 

Yes, the super yacht market is a 

meaningful and growing part of 

our business. 


sector? 

We have been making super yacht 

hardware for the past 8 years 


in? 

We manufacture custom bath and 

shower hardware as well. 

Can you please give details 

of recent interesting projects 



Luckily for me as the production 

manager I get to have my hands 

in all of the projects that come 

through the door. Because most 

of our projects are custom and 

involve a lot of development, 

the majority of them are very 

interesting. But recently we 

had the challenge of combining 

organic materials like mother of 

pearl into door hardware. We used 

traditional machining techniques 

to get a level of accuracy with 

the organic material that has 

never been done before. The 

private residence was a beautiful 

combination of modern geometric 

design with traditional undertones 

that blended together perfectly. 

Projects like this are always a 

welcome challenge to work on. 

Working within the Super yacht 

sector must be different than 

the domestic and commercial 

markets, have you found this to 

be the case? 

Because we manufacture at the 

highest level of quality and care of 

our products we are right at home 

in the super yacht market. Our 

private residence clients hold us 

to an incredibly high standard so 

it is nothing new for us to make 

products that are perfectly suited 

for super yachts. 

Please describe any relevant 

technological advancements that 

may have influenced your work 

in recent years. 

Recently we have been developing 

custom PVD coatings for our 

hardware and it has proven to be a 

very worthwhile endeavour. Being 

able to offer clients a very durable 

and almost limitless variety of 

finishes is exciting especially for 

the super yacht market. 

Any trends/design directions 

moving forward... 

Rose golds and copper toned 

finishes are trending heavily and I 

believe they will continue for the 

next few years. 

And now a little about you: 

The car you drive 

Toyota Prius and Toyota Tacoma 

Your favorite restaurant 

Diner, In south Williamsburg 

Brooklyn. Best burger in the 5 

boroughs 

Best way to relax 

Listening to my record collection 

The place that gives you 

inspiration 

Brimfield antique show 

Ideal holiday destination 

Maine 

The perfect drink 

Bourbon neat 

Final thoughts or words of 

wisdom 

No-one is going to hand it to you. 



Tandine Rawkins 

Design Director, Marina Mill ltd 


Luxury fabrics for private yachts and high end 

residential projects. 

Is the Superyacht market an integral part 

of your business/large percentage of your 

market? 

Yes, over one third of all our sales are into the 

Superyacht market, principally our EXTEX 

outdoor fabrics. 

How long have you worked in this sector? 

We began producing bespoke interior fabrics 

for UK production yacht companies in the 

early 90s, which led to the first prestigious 

Superyacht project nearly 20 years ago. 

Which other sectors do you work in? 

Our EXTEX luxury outdoor fabrics are 

frequently used for domestic garden furniture 

and in boutique hotels/restaurants. Our 

specialist hand-printed linens and silks are 

used by interior designers for their high end 

interior residential projects. 

Can you please give details of recent 

interesting projects and your direct 

involvement/participation in these projects? 

Many of the Superyachts that have used 

our fabrics are highly confidential and we 

are therefore unable to divulge their names, 

unfortunately. 

Every yacht is different and will have an 

individual style, so if a bespoke fabric is 

required it will need to fit the theme of that 

yacht. We work with many of the British and 

international Superyacht designers on these 

bespoke fabrics for their outdoor and indoor 

areas, as well as supplying them from our 

standard EXTEX collections. 

Because we tightly control everything we 

do, we are able to offer an exclusive service 

to special clients, whereby they can have a 

bespoke colour, weave or print, obviously at a 

higher price. This service does appeal to the 

more privileged clients! 

We work regularly with one of the most 

prominent UK yacht designers on special 

fabrics for his large yacht projects. Last year, 

he chose four of our modern print designs to 

be printed in a custom colour mixed to match 

one from his client’s favourite painting! We 

printed these patterns on our outdoor quality 

fabric and had 200 scatter cushions custom 

made for the yacht’s outdoor deck areas. 

Working within the Superyacht sector 

must be different than the domestic and 

commercial markets, have you found this to 

be the case? 

Yes, most definitely! A Superyacht is an almost 

entirely bespoke project of ultimate luxury, 

so will use only the highest quality products 

within; usually the client can have whatever 

they want, nothing is out of the question, 

money no object. 

The harsh marine environment means that 

the outdoor fabrics used on Superyacht decks 

have to perform to an extreme level and yet 

look and feel luxurious; not an easy task! The 

unforgiving elements of harsh sun, salty air, 

high humidity are not usually a requirement 

in domestic and commercial markets and this 

means that for yachts the fabrics must be light 

fast, stain- resistant, water repellent, saline 

and chlorine durable, pre-shrunk, machine 

washable and dry cleanable. Lots of treatments 

and testing are therefore required. 

Some of the larger private yachts have to meet 

strict passenger codes, as with cruise liners, 

so all the contents including the fabrics have 

to adhere to the toughest fire regulations and 

many other specifications that the private 

yachts aren’t required to. In fabric terms, 

this means high rub counts, back-coating fire 

treatment, extreme stain-resist applications 

etc.... 

Please describe any relevant technological 

advancements that may have influenced your 

work in recent years. 

New innovations in yarn technology are 

appearing all the time, increasing the 

performance capabilities of outdoor fabrics in 

the harsh marine environment. 

We always use the highest quality yarns 

suitable for the outdoor application along with 

sophisticated weave construction and design 

styling. For example, one of our EXTEX fabrics 

is woven with a specially developed deep pile 

chenille yarn which gives an exceptionally 

sumptuous and luxurious appearance with 

a velvety texture and yet is extremely hardwearing. 

Innovation is very important to us as is 

staying ahead of the game. Our in-house print 

facilities enable us to sample and develop new 

print inks and patterns at any time, as with 

our recent ‘Glow-in-the-dark’ fabrics, named 

‘Solar’! After much research and product 

testing we found an ink and designed a fabric 

that would show a subtle and sophisticated 

tonal design by day and then become a 

luminescent glowing pattern by night. The 

printing ink contains ‘photo-luminescent’ 

particles which utilise solar energy to absorb 

light when exposed and emit light when the 

surroundings are darkened. 

Our more recent research discovered a highperformance 

sparkly silver yarn, which has 

been incorporated into our latest EXTEX fabric 

collection, ‘Jewel’, only just launched. 

And trends/design directions moving 

forward... 

Being designers first and foremost, we at 

Marina Mill strive for our EXTEX products to 

be extremely innovative and design led. With 

the renewed economic confidence of the last 

couple of years, comes a more daring approach 

to colour and design and we’re getting a lot of 

recent interest in brighter colours and bolder 

patterns, which is far more fun for us as 

designers! We have a more contemporary style 

than many other fabric designers and have 

always offered a great range of colours giving 

the client an expansive choice. We will be 

introducing more printed and woven patterned 

fabrics in the near future to complement the 

ever popular plains. 

Final thoughts or words of wisdom 

We are all so fortunate to work in this elite 

Superyacht industry; to see the sights, feel 

the luxury, experience the events, and visit 

the places that most people only dream of... 

sometimes we forget that! 

14 Luxe El Al

DEFINING THE ART OF OUTDOOR STYLING 

Sorgiovanni Designs 

FABRICS FOR LUXURY EXTERIORS 

EXTEX fabrics combine a luxurious look and feel; designed to complement and 

enhance even the most exclusive exterior space, they are suitable for use on 

all outdoor furnishing applications. The co-ordinating ranges offer over 100 

contemporary colours, bringing a perfect style conclusion to any design project. 

Discover our extensive fabric collection at www.extex.co.uk 

AMSTERDAM ANTIBES BERLIN BOLOGNA JOHANNESBURG LONDON MONACO SYDNEY ZURICH

Wolz Nautic 

Yachts bring dreams and desires to life: expectations of perfection and unforgettable moments, they allow escapism from everyday life. Yachts 

combine luxury and excellence. 

Teak, iroko or synthetic are the chosen materials used in building yacht-decks. As a technological leader Wolz Nautic recognise the importance of 

work being carried out with the highest precision, irrespective of the material used and always aim to produce higher and better quality level 

than others. For this reason they specialise in the prefabrication of system elements and complete decks. This has allowed Wolz Nautic to 

establish a new international quality standard in the past 25 years. Their 125 employees annually process approx. 1,000,000 metres of strips of 

wood to approximately 3,000 pre-manufactured Teakdecks of an area of about 12,000 square metres. In addition, they also manufacture 

exclusive special orders for super-mega yachts. 

The patented Wolz Nautic Teakdecks on cork-carrier-plate for nautical use not only have outstanding sound quality levels whilst simultaneously 

significantly reducing the weight, but this unique technology also allows Wolz Nautic to reduce the production process in the shipyard to a 

minimum. So, the advantages for the shipyard are obvious: the projects can be executed in a clearer and more efficient manner. Furthermore, the 

Wolz Nautic Deck´s precision-quality and installation speed is unrivalled in comparison with traditionally laid decks. 

www.wolznautic.de/en 

Silent Gliss 

Silent Gliss is the leading global supplier of motorised and 

manual curtain and blind systems in the high quality market. 

They offer customers the very best in terms of quality, design, 

technology, service and individuality. The company’s core 

competence is innovation – inspired and driven by customer 

needs. Innovations as far back as the first ever direct driven 

motorised curtain track right up until the introduction of the 

contemporary Wave Curtain Heading System. This 

demonstrates over 50 years of industry leading firsts by Silent 

Gliss. 

With committed customer support teams, they provide an 

extensive range of services including technical advice, fitting 

services and maintenance all around the world. Projects 

cover both residential and contract, including many private 

and commercial luxury yachts and cruise liners. 

Whilst they offer all styles of window treatment, Silent Gliss 

are acknowledged as leaders in the field of motorisation. With 

the increase in home automation they have developed a 

range of motors and controls that allows end-users to open 

and close their blinds by quietly and efficiently by switch, 

remote control or by the new Move app. Their recently 

launched new electric curtain track System 5600 has already 

redefined the highest standard in the industry. 

www.silentgliss.co.uk 



André Hofmann, 

Head of Marketing and Sales Series Yachts, 

Wolz Nautic GmbH & Co. KB 


Teak decking, synthetic decking and marine 

wood solutions. 

Is the Superyacht market an integral part 

of your business/large percentage of your 


Yes indeed it is. As market leader for 

innovative products and high quality 

teakdecks our core business is the mass 

production market. Wolz Nautic is supplying 

many of the well known mass production 

shipyards in Germany, Italy, France and UK 

producing over 2000 teakdecks per year. This is 

due to the fact that the shipyards build bigger 

and bigger yachts we have also served the 

Semi-Custom yacht market for many years. 

The Superyacht market is our second business 

unit. It is also important for Wolz Nautic and 

we are working currently on very important 

projects in Germany and the Netherlands. 

In 2016 we finished 9 Megayacht projects in 

Germany, Netherlands, Croatia, Turkey and 

Greece. 

Wolz Nautic have also got first orders and 

entered the cruiser ship market. 

How long have you worked in this sector? 

Our company was founded in 1927 and since 

the end of the 1980s we have grown up in the 

marine sector developing teakdecks and other 

special solutions for our customers. 

Which other sectors do you work in? 

Due to the strong increase of business we are 

currently focusing on the maritime sector, 

but we also do projects for SPAs, Hotels and 

private villas. 

Can you please give details of recent 

interesting projects and your direct 

involvement/participation in these projects? 

There are many interesting points to speak 

about but unfortunately we are not allowed to 

give detailed information about our projects. 

Working within the Superyacht sector 

must be different than the domestic and 

commercial markets, have you found this to 

be the case? 

Yes. The Superyacht sector is mainly based on 

decisions made by a certain feeling or instinct. 

This often means a challenge for us but on the 

other hand this is the appeal of doing business 

in this sector. 

Please describe any relevant technological 

advancements that may have influenced 

your work in recent years. 

Wolz Nautic can be seen as the technology 

and innovation leader in the field of teak 

decking. Our biggest advantages are the 

permanent development and optimisation of 

our products and processes. The use of laser 

technology has allowed us to achieve this 

leading position. 

In addition weight and noise reduction 

systems have become more and more 

important. Wolz Nautic has developed a 

special kind of levelling – done by 3D-milled 

cork – which replaces the traditional levelling 

and leads to a big saving of weight whilst 

saving time during the installation. 

And trends/design directions moving 

forward... 

We are sure that the solid wood decorative 

elements will attract more and more potential 

owners but also alternatives to teak decking 

and weight and noise reduction systems will 

be an important aspect. 



... is nice! 

Your favourite restaurant 

A small italian restaurant in my neighborhood 


Doing nothing - far away on a small island in 

the Indian Ocean 

The place that gives you inspiration 

I don’t have a special place. 


My favourites are either the Alps in Germany 

and Austria or beach holiday. 


... comes from where I live – excellent 

Franconian wine from the area around 

Würzburg. 


In Germany there is a nice saying which more 

or less says “Do not wait for wind - take the 

helm in your own hand and start rowing”. 

This is perhaps not a perfect translation but it 

shows a little bit how Wolz Nautic is working. 

Thinking progressive and trying to create new 

market standards! 



Jennifer Coleman, 

Director of Aviation Sales, 

Garrett Leather Corporation 

Which sector do you specialise 

in? 

Corporate, General and VIP 

aviation markets 

Is the aviation and/or yacht 

market an integral part of your 

business/large percentage of your 


Yes, the aviation market has 

been an integral part of Garrett 

Leather’s success. Garrett Leather 

works hand-in-hand with 

aviation designers throughout 

the world to develop new colors 

and products that meet exacting 

aviation industry requirements. 

We offer several products that 

have been developed specifically 

for the aviation market. The most 

widely specified products are 

treated during tanning to meet 

FAR requirements, so the leather 

may ship immediately to our 

customers. 


sector? 

I have been working in the 

Aviation sector at Garrett Leather 

for the past 20 years. 


in? 

In addition to the aviation and 

yachting industries, Garrett 

Leather also works in residential, 

corporate and hospitality design, 

automotive restoration, furniture 

manufacturing, and motor coach 

interiors. 

Can you please give details 

of recent interesting projects 



Garrett Leather received numerous 

requests for a product that would 

work well in contemporary 

designs. We began with a pallet 

of soft gray and taupe in a matte 

finish and used this as the 

basis for developing our Flight 

collection. Working closely with 

our tannery, we added the benefit 

of passing the 60 sec vertical burn 

to give customers peace of mind 

when specifying Flight for part 135 

aircraft. 

Trends/design directions moving 

forward... 

Customers appear to be moving 

toward the use of more texture. 

Colour choices may still be 

traditional and more subtle, but 

adding a bit of texture offers a nice 

transition on the lower sidewall. 



Audi A4 V6 ... manual, of course 


Tempo in Buffalo NY 


On the deck of my parents’ lake 

house. The sound of the waves 

against the shore is very relaxing. 


A secluded beach in the Caribbean 

Final thoughts or words of 

wisdom 

Work hard in silence. Let success 

be your noise. 

Garrett Leather 

Well-known for superior quality products and exceptional customer 

service, the USA based Garrett Leather is a leading global brand and 

preferred leather vendor for interior designers. 

Garrett Leather collaborates with elite Italian tanneries to create 

the highest quality, innovative leather products for both private and 

corporate aircrafts, as well as luxury yachts. 

The new Flight Collection is treated to pass the rigorous FAR 

60-second vertical burn test, without requiring any additional 

treatment. This full grain, Italian leather has a soft hand and 

smooth, elegant appearance. 

They are the industry leaders in woven leather. Their awardwinning 

Garrett Wovens® offer a sophisticated palette of colour, 

texture, pattern and scale for a truly unique look. All patterns are 

available in 54 inch widths, providing the industry’s widest cutting 

allowance for applications such as wall coverings. 

As a privately owned company, each customer is given personalized 

attention. With a vast inventory of over two million square feet of 

leather, in a range of 600 colours, Garrett Leather ships 90% of 

orders within two business days of purchase to meet tight 

production schedules. Additional products and services include 

Wall Panels and Wall Tiles, Tubular Wovens, leather care products, 

embossing, and perforating. 

www.garrettleather.com

Luxury yachts. 

Private and corporate aircraft. 

The preferred choice for your most prominent clients. 

G arrett 

Leather 

garrettleather.com | 800.342.7738


The leading edge achievement in 

designing, testing and building an 

innovative aircraft 

The Gulfstream G550 






“ The G550’s ability to fly 6,750 

nm/12,501 km at Mach 0.80 

has helped it set more than 50 

city-pair records. ” 

The award winning Gulfstream G550 is the 

result of an evolving design plan, initiated 

in mid 1998, which started as a flight 

deck redesign for the GV. The plan was 

to incorporate PlaneView, the first use of 

integrated modular avionics in civil aviation, 

within the existing GV airframe. The redesign 

required to achieve this would by itself create 

significant challenges. 

While the Gulfstream team, which included 

supplier Honeywell Aerospace, was polishing 

PlaneView, the Gulfstream Sales group 

stepped forward with a design requirement 

of its own: an aircraft with the added range 

to fly between New York and Tokyo, such a 

demand would result in an additional 250 

nautical miles/463 kilometers being asked of 

the GV’s already extensive 6,500-nm/12,038- 

km range. The team committed to achieving 

the range increase seemingly one nautical 

mile at a time. 

The team changed the wing’s trailing edge 

contours, reconfigured the vortex generators, 

installed a more aerodynamic fairing on 

the ADF antenna, improved the seals, 

streamlined the auxiliary power unit exhaust 

fairing, made minor engine improvements 

and replaced the GV’s outflow valve with a 

thrust recovery outflow valve, among other 

things. 

The sum of those changes helped the team 

achieve the additional 250 nautical miles of 

range. Every element incrementally reduced 

drag, which helped increase range. They had 

met their goal and exceeded expectations. 

A new aircraft program was born: the 

Gulfstream G550. 

The G550’s ability to fly 6,750 nm/12,501 

km at Mach 0.80 has helped it set more 

than 50 city-pair records. Its safety features, 

including the first use of enhanced and 

synthetic vision on a business jet, earned the 

design team the 2003 Robert J. Collier Trophy 

for “leading edge achievement in designing, 

testing and building an innovative aircraft 

while incorporating measurable safety 

enhancements and far-reaching advances in 

aerospace technology.” 

What started as a flight deck upgrade 

became a business aviation behemoth. 

The G550 has had a place on Gulfstream’s 

marquee for more than ten years and has 

served as a leader among the company’s 

stars. 

The G550’s quiet interior vastly improves 

the cabin experience. Advanced sound 

suppression techniques keep engine noise 

where it belongs-outside the aircraft. 

Fourteen Gulfstream signature oval windows 

infuse the cabin with natural light, only 

100 percent fresh air is supplied and when 

combined with cabin pressurised to a very 

low altitude the result is subtle, but effective. 

Plentiful natural light and fresh air help 

passengers stay alert and focused. Lowaltitude 

pressurisation requires less exertion 

from the body and ensures passengers arrive 

at their destination refreshed and alert. 

The Gulfstream G550 offers 12 select cabin 

configurations to satisfy a variety of travel 

needs whether it’s a two-hour hop or a 14- 

hour nonstop flight. 

Some layouts accommodate beds for 

seven people, and the option of multiple 

seating areas creates a combination of 

uses, including a dedicated crew rest area, 

a private stateroom, conference area and 

entertainment space. The G550 also provides 

the option of locating the full-size galley 

forward or aft-the only aircraft in its class to 

offer such flexibility. Choices abound too for 

interior styling. Gulfstream’s design studios 

have selected the softest, hand-tailored 

leathers, thousands of exquisite fabrics and 

dozens of unique wood finishes to choose 

from. 

The comfortable seats are covered in handdyed 

custom leather and accented with welt 

cord. The contrast of the welt cord and seat 

leather pairs well with the high-contrast 

veneer and makes for an elegant and serene 

cabin environment. The conference area 

provides a good setting for holding a meeting 

and dining. The wood is quarter figured 

Etimoe. 

The conference seating for four converts 

seamlessly into berthing, here custom linens 

make for an excellent night’s sleep. 

The galley is outfitted with ample storage 

for all epicurean needs. The countertop is 

an elegant yet durable material. An optional 

crew rest area is situated adjacent to the 

forward galley. 

The front seating area also converts to a 

single berth for an additional sleeping area. 

The bespoke carpets are custom made every 

time. Gulfstream aircraft standard interiors 

come equipped with cashmere blankets. The 

comfortable divan coverts into a berth and 

plum accent pillows allow for more flexible 

customisation and pops of colour. 

Using flight hours as productive work time 

is a key attribute of owning a business jet. In 

the G550, a fully functional office is always 

ready. 

A wireless network, satellite communication, 

Iridium phone and a fax/printer are standard 

equipment. Gulfstream also offers its 

optional Broadband Multilink with highspeed 

data connectivity. 

With more than 500 G550 aircraft in service 

around the world and the fleet exceeding one 

million flight hours, the G550 continues to be 

a highlight for Gulfstream and its customers. 

The Gulfstream G550 illustrates the 

convenience and flexibility of business jet 

travel, which allows the passenger to make 

the transition from working, dining and 

sleeping effortless while traveling the world. 

In the decade since the G550 entered service, 

the aircraft has set world records, won 

awards and made history. 


Sophisticated Styling and 

dedicated design that creates the 

perfect balance between internal 

and external spaces 

La Passion by Sarp Yachts 









“ Sophisticated and 

conventional styling will 

stand the test of time and 

have created a wonderful 

balance between the internal 

and external spaces with 

neither feeling as if it has been 

compromised to benefit the 

other. ” 

Sarp Yachts have entered the 2017 

International Yacht and Aviation Awards 

with their latest creation 46m motoryacht La 

Passion. The vessel which was completed on 

the 1 June 2016, has been designed by Tanju 

Kalaycioglu, the interior designer and stylist 

was Adam Lay. 

The intention for the design was to give 

character to this vessel in every possible 

setting she may sail to. Her exterior design 

therefore had to be comprised of sleek, 

flowing lines, with well-balanced proportions 

and a fresh look. Her shape and size are 

carefully refined to stay just below the 500 

gross tonne mark. Steel is more often than 

not the obvious choice for a strong and 

reliable hull with ample tank capacity. Sarp 

Yachts opted instead for an epoxy composite 

to construct a curvy superstructure. By 

using this composite they were able to save 

weight on the superstructure and the fairing 

compound. Composite superstructures 

reduce the weight aloft providing benefits 

to both the stability and efficiency whilst 

also decreasing maintenance. Her hull was 

analysed in depth by CTO Gdansk using CFD 

and tank test methods for low resistance 

and reduced wave profile. Watertight 

integrity was at the top of the design agenda, 

and so Sarp Yachts incorporated at least 

two additional watertight bulkheads and 

cofferdams into the hull structure. The 

design process was completed with absolute 

commitment to a faultless product with 

many hours being spent honing the styling 

with 3D design tools and any discrepancies 

were ironed out after a scale model was 

created in iron. Each of these vital stages 

of development were completed by Sarp’s 

in-house design and engineering team, they 

worked relentlessly to achieve the highest 

quality enviable even by more established 

shipyards. 

The furniture and decoration of La Passion’s 

interior, created by Adam Lay Studio, have 

also benefited from the commitment to the 

design. The interior of the yacht blends 

loft apartment styling and mountain chalet 

influences with a combination of high-end 

natural timber and metal finishes. The 

aim was to produce a sophisticated and 

elegant interior, interwoven with the clean 

simplicity of design; the result is an inviting, 

comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. 

Adam Lay has created an interior design 

which is rich in detail, with listings of the 

numerous materials selected, and a diverse 

combination of textures and colour pairings. 

Inspiration was taken from natural materials 

and textures and represented in the open 

grained planked wooden floors, high quality 

leathers and intricate metal detailing to 

produce a distinguished colour palette of rich 

dark bronzes, silvers and greys. The same 

theme is extended throughout the yacht. 

Large screens feature in the main saloon 

entrance with petrified patterned leaves set 

between sheets of clear glass. Wall finishes 

are a balance of grey ash planking pewter 

coloured slub silk wall paper. Customised to 

suit the dècor in each cabin, satin nickel door 

and cabinet hardware by Turnstyle Designs, 

adds a touch of refined sparkle to the calm 

and comfortable backdrop. Honed stone tiles 

and flooring in the bathrooms complement 

the fine Dornbracht tap ware and accessories, 

further bathroom accessories were supplied 

by Samuel Heath. Island Stone Poppy Seed 

Pebble tiles inlaid into the bathroom floor 

adds further texture. Lighting has been 

sourced from Neoz, Taylor Llorente & Porta 

Romana, and Cantalupi. External teak deck 

furniture was supplied by Summit. 

In terms of the loose furniture and decorative 

elements, Adam Lay explains how the choices 

made for the project further customised 

the living spaces: “Well chosen furniture 

includes Minotti sofas, Glyn Peter Machin and 

Giorgetti chairs. Luxurious fabrics by Rubelli, 

Weitzner, LeLievre, Chase Erwin, Romo, 

Kravet and Armani Casa tie the interior 

together with highlights of bright colour, bold 

graphics and accents”. 

Like any professional who is deeply involved 

in his work, Adam Lay is very satisfied with 

the end result, which was achieved with a 

huge amount of commitment and focus. He 

added the further comment “Intended to 

make a sophisticated statement with a strong 

visual impact, the outcome is a combination 

of harmonious design with subtle textures, 

tones and finishes which delight the senses”. 

La Passion provides accommodation for 12 

guests in 5 superb cabins. There are two 

double cabins and two twin cabins on the 

lower deck. Both of the twin cabins have 

Pullman berths. The master suite is located 

on the main deck. This impressive suite 

is full beam, it has an adjoining study, his 

and hers bathrooms and two large walk-in 

closets. 

The yacht’s crew of nine will also be delighted 

to see that her design pays particular 

attention to operational practicality. 

Sophisticated and conventional styling will 

stand the test of time and have created a 

wonderful balance between the internal and 

external spaces with neither feeling as if it 

has been compromised to benefit the other. 

The spaciousness throughout achieved by 

the design combines with the subtle textures 

and tones of the Adam Lay interior, to provide 

a relaxed ambience, the perfect ingredients 

that make La Passion an ideal proposition for 

either private or charter use. 


WE LIVE TO BE ON THE WATER 

Sunbrella ® is a registered trademark of Glen Raven, Inc. 

sunbrella.com/marine


The World’s largest and fastest 

aluminium motor yacht 

Silver Fast by SilverYachts 








“ the real luxury with this 

interior are the furniture and 

details based on the team’s 

design and perfectly executed 

by European manufacturers. ” 

Silver Fast is the fourth and most recent 

superyacht built by Australia’s premier luxury 

yacht builder SILVERYACHTS, owned by 

Guido Krass. She is the most advanced, ecofuel 

efficient vessel in the ground-breaking 

Silver Series. Designed by Espen Oeino, one of 

world’s famous yacht designers, SILVER FAST 

retains the super-sleek contour and unique 

hull lines of her much-prized predecessors 

but with a striking new all dark silver paint. 

At 77 metres (252.6ft) with a top speed of over 

27 knots in optimal conditions, Silver Fast is 

the world’s largest and fastest aluminium 

motor yacht with conventional propulsion 

in terms of length to speed ratio. Silver 

Fast is also the fastest long range cruising 

yacht – 4,500 nautical miles at 18 knots 

and 6,000 nautical miles at 14 knots with 

an already proven capability to effortlessly 

complete long passages in every sea state. 

She is capable of crossing the Atlantic at 

approximately 22 knots cruising speed, which 

is a record-breaking performance. 

The design criteria was to create a boat 

with exceptional performance, tremendous 

range and very capable seakeeping. Espen 

Oeino created a semi-displacement shallow 

draught design that adopted the lightweight 

slender concept. A high length:beam ratio 

has traditionally been the route to high speed 

which when incorporated with an easily 

driven hull provides the benefits of greater 

efficiency and excellent seakeeping. The 

build process was kept simple – conventional 

shaftdrive, well-designed systems and large 

technical spaces. Silver yachts are subtle, 

shapely low-profile darts, distinct in their 

class by being low, narrow and very sleek. 

Clearly influenced by executive jet aircraft 

design with a rounded raked fuselagelike 

superstructure, the all-aluminium 

construction is simply finished with a single 

dark shade of metallic silver. The design 

also achieves a further comparison with 

aircraft design with its lightweight properties. 

The gross tonnage of under 1,000GT is half 

that of some yachts of comparable length, 

in part due to the aluminium honeycomb 

construction of much of the interior, but also 

because of the pared-back beam and height 

which means there is physically less yacht. 

Designed by Vain Interiors of Germany, the 

interior of Silver Fast has a matte finish 

throughout. With a colour palette of greys 

and browns and dressed with white framed 

monochrome prints, accompanied by silver 

metal painted accent panels, grey coloured 

mirrors and the natural shine of the silk 

carpet. All surfaces are chosen to get a 

nice patina which will become even more 

beautiful in time. More than using extremely 

rare materials, the real luxury with this 

interior are the furniture and details based 

on the team’s design and perfectly executed 

by European manufacturers. There is a gentle 

sense of masculinity in the design. Staircases 

are clad in stitched mid-grey leather matched 

by the handrails, and carpets are of grey silk. 

It has a timeless, inviting, cosy feel décor. 

There are three levels for guests to enjoy. Four 

guest cabins are located on the lower deck 

with three spacious VIP cabins situated up 

and towards the front, and then the owner’s 

suite is on the owner’s deck at the front. The 

main salon is a cool space and features a 

sliding glass panel that closes off the library 

from the main space. The sundeck is an 

ideal, private space. The Jacuzzi comes with 

a carbon fibre cover it can also be used as 

a dance floor. This deck also includes a bar, 

custom fridge and a TV, and there is also a 

built-in barbeque and additional storage, with 

seating at the front. There is a horseshoe sofa 

around two tables. Loose Paola Lenti furniture 

adds a little flexibility and colour. 

The next deck down is entirely for the 

owner’s use. The master cabin is vast and 

offers expansive views through the forward 

windows. An indoor sunpad, accessed up 

a few steps, sits forward of the berth. To 

the rear of the deck is the owner’s lounge, 

with sliding doors opening onto a private 

terrace. A staircase links to the VIP guest 

accommodation on the main deck. Eight crew 

cabins are found on the lower deck, along 

with the rest of the guest accommodation: 

four large en suites. Two further crew cabins 

are located on this lower-deck guest space. 

A steam room, sauna, massage area and 

hairdressing station surround an area for 

exercise. The sloping aft wall, the transom of 

the yacht, rises to reveal the large teak-laid 

swim platform complete with more Paola 

Lenti furniture. 

The key feature of the design is the long 

expanse of glass that extends along the 

majority of the upper deck. When desired, 

the air-conditioned interior can be exposed 

to the exterior by retracting the floor-to 

ceiling windows. This space overlooks a large 

working deck, which is home to a couple 

of large tenders, launched and retrieved 

by crane. Above this deck is another large 

open space, which can serve as a secondary 

helideck, while a Jacuzzi is concealed under 

the mast structure. 

Silver Fast has benefited significantly from 

the Guido Krass’ vision and commitment 

towards achieving constant improvements 

in the design, build and operation of the 

vessel. Whatever is required of this yacht, 

it can deliver: cover distance, cruise slowly, 

explore off the beaten track, sail into Monaco, 

entertain friends and family, charter. This 

yacht can do it all. 


Destined to create the world’s most beautiful bathrooms 

Mayfair I Knightsbridge I Battersea I Wandsworth I Clerkenwell I Kent I Sussex I Surrey 

For enquiries please call 0333 011 3333 

‘At Home Design Service’ available see website for details

48 Luxe Et Al 

Designers Profiled

We speak to key figures in the Yacht 

Industry about their current projects, 

design directions and their thoughts 

on future trends in the industry. 

Style Luxe Bible Et Al 49

Laura Pomponi 

CEO & Founder, Luxury Projects 

What direction do you feel design is moving 

towards in general terms? 

Keywords: space, warm atmospheres to be 

lived in, cosy feeling. 

The increasing importance been given to space 

and to the related functionalities create one 

significant change in architecture and interior 

design: focus on creating not “crowded” spaces 

with the introduction of few important highend 

design pieces and be-spoken furniture as 

lighting devices. 

Space still means luxury and luxury means 

the possibility to enjoy big spaces. In the 

be-spoken free standing furniture and tailormade 

details arereally becoming an important 

distinguish aspect of the interior design. As in 

the project of a yacht interior a not dominance 

of structural furniture and the introduction, 

where possible, of free standing pieces, give 

more an homely feeling but at the same time 

a great added value allowing a lot of flexibility 

in any eventual future changes and refits. 

Name five key themes to consider when 

approaching design. 

1. Emotion is the leitmotif that runs through 

all of our work. “Our philosophy is to 

really enter owners’ emotional worlds 

so that we can create new emotions for 

them,” 

2. Start from scratch, a unique opportunity 

to develop new concepts 

3. Art and technology combined with 

attention to detail 

4. Lighting and Entertainment Systems 

5. Research & Innovation on materials 

And key trends that we should be aware of? 

Fortunately Luxury Projects studio is generally 

not so influenced by the current “trend”, 

thanks mainly to our Clients challenging us 

with different and incredible requests, coming 

firstly from their cultural background. For 

the just mentioned reason Luxury Projects 

interiors are characterized by a cross-over 

of styles and the research of materials. We 

see yachts rich of colours and warm, joyful 

atmospheres in wide bright spaces where 

there is no contrast between living inside and 

outside. 

What projects are you currently working on? 

I’m currently working on various residential 

interior design projects in Qatar, Geneva, 

Shangai and Malaysia and an architecture and 

interior design project in India. Commercial 

projects include Floating Suites & Restaurants, 

2 yacht interiors, 1 interior and exterior and 

5 refits throughout Europe. I’m also looking 

forward to some private jet and helicopter 

projects which are on their way. 

If you could offer one piece of advice when it 

comes to design schemes, what would it be? 

Listening to the Clients, we approach every 

project with a scratch mind, starting from 

the real beginning, considering the first aim 

entering into their emotional mind-set so as 

to be able to create a new emotion for them, 

with a unique opportunity to discover new 

concepts and learn about new “savoir-fairs”. 

Each design should reflect a different taste: 

it’s all about a crossover of styles and always 

respecting the diversity. 

A designer’s work is so diverse – how do you 

manage to hold down a career and a life? 

Simply merging dominant common passions: 

traveling, discovering new cultures, curiosity 

for details. My approach is eclectic, using ideas 

picked up in both my work and leisure time. A 

really helpful and totally different professional 

background as engineering creates the 

perfect mix of creativity with a very organized 

approach to job and life. 

How important are The International Yacht 

and Aviation Awards as recognition of talent 

and achievement? 

The International Design and Architecture 

Awards are a so well-known and recognized 

Award, that we are really pleased already to 

have been shortlisted and 2015 Winners with 

our MY YOLO, best Power Motor Yacht under 

35mt. 

What are your aims and goals for the next 

twelve months? 

Getting some innovative projects we are 

working on, that will allow the LP team 

to express their creativity and innovative 

approach to them. 

Final thoughts; tell us a little more about 

yourself… 

The car you drive... 

JEEP. 

Your favourite place to travel to in the 

world... 

I’m so lucky to have been in my life in almost 

100 countries, therefore my favourite place is 

simply to discover a new special and hidden 

location! 

Your favourite hotel/ restaurant/ bar... 

Hotel Shangri-La and Six Sense Spas. 

Restaurant... I love food and cooking, therefore 

always a special trattoria as well as a gourmet 

restaurant! 

The place that gives you the most energy... 

BEING in front of the SEA in any season! 

And the place that enables you to totally 

relax... 

Relaxing? Simply reading books and writing 

poems better close to the beach or staying 

with friends & family. 

Your favourite food and drink... 

Pasta & Pims, obviously not together!!! 

Anything else interesting... 

Bringing my SMILE and happy positive 

approach to life everywhere I go! 

www.luxury-projects.com 


Bill Dixon 

Founder, Dixon Yacht Design 


We have two sides to our business, production 

boats and custom boats, with these categories 

split into power and sailing yachts. 

Currently we are working on a number 

of large production motor boat designs, a 

95 footer, 108 footer and 115 footer. We also 

have a number of custom projects including, 

65 metre & 36 metre “Exploration” vessels, a 

performance 25 metre sailing yacht, and a 

very large sailing yacht project. 

What projects have you recently completed? 

We have just completed the design of a very 

modern production motorboat, the Pearl 95, 

our last significant large sailing yacht launch 

was the 45 metre “Heureka”. 

What companies have you worked with for 

the above projects? 

We work with a number of the major 

production boat companies, including Hanse 

Group & Azimut, as well as a number of 

builders in Asia. Heureka, our last sailing 

Superyacht launching, was built by Holland 

Jachtbouw. 

Where do you feel super yacht design is 

going in terms of interior schemes? 

My company is involved in the whole design, 

from Naval Architecture, primary engineering 

to styling and interior. On Superyacht projects 

our interior work is primarily space planning. 

This ability to be able to look at the project as 

a whole is our strength, particularly in large 

production boats, sailing Superyachts and 

smaller custom superyachts. We are involved 

with different markets around the world, for 

instance in Asia, where the nautical lifestyle 

is very different. We are designing the interior 

to reflect the way the client will use the yacht. 

Are there any key design directions you 

would like to discuss? 

I think as far as sailing Superyachts is 

concerned, there has been a trend to the 

smaller end of the market with performance 

orientated designs. The middle market is 

quiet and then there are some large sailing 

yacht projects which are very exciting and 

challenging. 

In Motor yachts I believe there is a trend for 

some owners to downsize to smaller high 

volume designs that retain the quality and 

service of larger Superyachts without the 

level of crew and management seen on large 

vessels. This is an exciting opportunity for 

the designer to be creative in a much smaller 

volume, something I would say my office is 

very good at. 

What are your favourite recent schemes - 

please describe key elements. 

I am looking forward to seeing the completed 

Pearl 95. The space planning and layout of 

the interior has been done by my office. But 

the interior design has been done by Kelly 

Hoppen. Kelly has introduced a unique fresh 

approach to the interior, which really reflects 

the lifestyle of the prospective clients. The 

end result is a wonderfully harmonious, 

beautifully detailed interior with a unique 

blend of textures. 

What products/services could you not live 

without when designing? 

As a design company we have to have the 

tools to be able to present our designs in an 

exciting and realistic way to our clients. It 

is fair to say that our clients’ expectations 

go beyond a 2D plan; we have to bring the 

project alive at an early stage. 



A Mini Cooper Convertible and a Range Rover 

Evoque. I have the privilege to be able to walk 

to my studio, so boats are a more important 

part of my life than cars! 


For me, any coastal restaurant that can 

deliver Crustacea and fish directly from the 

sea; my idea of heaven. 


Being on the water is the best environment in 

which I relax, whether it’s using our own boat 

or chartering in beautiful locations. 


Being on the water really is the place of 

inspiration, being surrounded and living 

within this environment and observing fellow 

boaters. 


This is getting repetitive, but I would like 

more time to explore the more remote boating 

environments, the South Pacific Islands is on 

my “bucket list”. 


A chilled Provence Rose for lunch, and a 

medium bodied quality French red for dinner. 


Please come and challenge us to come up 

with new and exciting designs! 

www.dixonyachtdesign.com 


Evan Marshall 

Founder, Evan K Marshall Limited 

What projects are you currently working 

on? 

MARINE PROJECTS: 

• 65M Explorer MY for a repeat client in 

collaboration with Vripack (project out to 

tender at the moment) 

• 50M SY building at Neta Marine in 

Bodrum Turkey 

• 133’ Custom MY “Serenity” Built at IAG 

Yacht en route to US for delivery 

• 90’ Production MY (New Model) for Ocean 

Alexander 

• 45’ Series Production line of outboard 

boats (3 New Models) for Ocean Alexander 

LANDBASED PROJECTS: 

• Makarova Apartment Complex Moscow 

-Two 26 story luxury apartment buildings, 

we are responsible for all the public space 

interior designs 

• Makarova Apartment Complex Moscow - 

Five Show Apartments- interior design 

• Makarova Apartment Complex Moscow 

- One 29 story and one 24 story luxury 

apartment buildings, we are responsible 

for all the public space interior designs 


• COCOA BEAN-74M MY (delivered 2014 but 

only allowed to be shown in the press this 

year) 

• KING BABY-140’ MY 

• Ocean Alexander 112’ New production 

Boat Model introduced in February 

• Ocean Alexander 70’ New production 

Boat Model introduced in February 

• Double Down-210 MY Interior Refit 



IAG Yachts 

Neta Marine 

Ocean Alexander 



I feel the interior and exterior designs of 

motor yachts are continuing to get more 

and more innovative and are now on a par 

with the best high end residential design for 

interiors and automotive design. 



I very much enjoy being inspired by and 

drawing influences from high end residential 

and automotive design. I also have a healthy 

respect for the rich history of America yacht 

design that also influences my work. 

Trends going forward? 

Creating design features that enhance the 

lifestyle choices on board yachts 



Creating open and enclosed balconies on 

board yachts 

Creating expandable deck platforms to 

double the exterior space on board small 

boats 

What could you not live without when 

designing? 

My laptop 

Are there any product companies that 

you’ve worked with that you would be 

happy to recommend? 

THG-France 

Serdanelli-France 

Grafton Furniture-Miami USA 

EG Cody-Fort Lauderdale USA 

Majilite-USA 



Aston Martin DB4 (1960) 

E-Type Jaguar (1966) 

Audi Q3 S-Line 


El Faro’s (NYC) Unfortunately they are closed 

now and I’ve not found anything that can 

replace it in my affections 


Playing with my children 

Drawing 

Sailing 

Driving 

Listening to music 


Everywhere 


A white sandy beach with crystal clear blue 

water (preferably in the Caribbean) 


A very sweet Mojito or a vintage rum 


Don’t be afraid to tear up the design you’re 

working on if it’s not singing on all cylinders 

and start over again. 

www.evankmarshall.com 


Paul Waring 

Principal, Stephens Waring Yacht Design 


The past year has brought us a range of 

smaller projects from conventional monohull 

cruising boats to concepts in sporty 

powerboats. We also conducted an extensive 

‘proof of concept’ for a very interesting 

cruising catamaran of 60 feet LOA. 

Currently, we have a custom 20 m Spirit of 

Tradition sloop in process and heading to 

construction this fall. This is a classic inspired 

vessel; she will be highly bespoke, fit in the 

finest craftsmanship, fully customised and 

tuned to suit her owners to their exact needs. 

To be built in Maine at Lyman-Morse boat 

builders. 


Most recent, I’d point to the launch of our 

custom designed 24 ft speedboat, Stella Blue. 

This exciting project is akin to building a 

super-car, leather and wood, a finely tuned 

beast that awaits the drivers every response. 

She was initially inspired by the gold cup 

racers of the 20’s and 30’s of the upstate New 

York region, around Lake George. The owner 

came to us for our tight grasp of translating 

classic design elements into a highly 

functioning modern craft that will attain a 

level of performance and bespoke appeal that 

is fitting to the detail built into such a craft. 

At 24 ft, she attains top speeds of 60 mph via 

fuel-injected V-8. 



We work with many builders in the US, 

especially here in Maine - this state is a 

powerhouse for boat building and provides a 

spectacular location to suit the many yachts 

that come from here. 

It’s extremely important to us to find ways 

in which to empower our domestic yacht 

industry, yet equally important is our growing 

relationships in Europe and the UK, as we 

continually look for opportunities for bringing 

a project online. We will work directly for a 

builder, or for the private individual seeking 

our assistance in the design, as well as 

guidance through the process of construction. 

The very recent list of builders include: 

Van Dam Custom Boats, Boyne City, MI. 

Brooklin Boat Yard, Brooklin, ME 

Tumblehome Boat Shop, NY 

Morris Yachts, Trenton, ME 

Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding, Thomaston, ME 



The Superyacht industry continues as 

a vibrantly changing space for design 

opportunities. Interior design focus is more 

engaged than ever, and is providing more on 

the scale for the human condition. We all 

want the most comfort and accessibility in 

a world of ever growing interests for outdoor 

activities and connectivity. But it is the spare 

approach that attracts me, and that ‘less is 

more’ treatment that I believe can be most 

successful when considering the ‘feel’ of a 

space. 

I believe we’ll continue to explore just how 

we can connect to the environment through 

materials and sustainable practices, and 

hope the tech side of things will help enable 

the evolution of smarter use of energy and 

management of power to streamline the costs 

of building and owning these yachts. 



I am fascinated by alternative energy systems 

and emerging propulsion technology. My 

partner, Bob Stephens, and I believe electric 

propulsion design is obvious as the next-Gen 

solution and we’ll continue to play with ideas 

for how to best utilise current tech and how 

to take that into products that suit a modern 

family seeking to enjoy time on the water. 

On another front, the way in which we 

conceive designs for newer yachts helps look 

to our future. We like finding smart solutions 

for features that can offer protection from the 

elements while keeping us connected to the 

water. I believe this is important, becoming 

more of a demand from the market, and will 

provide keys to success for bringing young 

folks into boating 


1. Refining integration of smart tech into a 

yacht’s systems and user interface, along 

with the creation of more entertainment 

features built for guests/owners. 

2. We continue to focus on connectivity to the 

environment; ease of communication and 

uses between spaces, indoor and outdoor, 

which in some way blurs the lines between 

- this is where big rewards can be found for 

the overall enjoyment of a yacht. 

3. Innovations in materials technology and 

manufacturing are constantly evolving 

and will help us tailor newer solutions to 

the many hurdles we encounter during the 

design process. 



During the design process of the aforementioned 

60 ft LOA catamaran, the concept 

took on very special aesthetic qualities. 

The shaping of the hulls included the 

use of decorative and functional creases 

bring dynamic shaping and impart a very 

automotive look and feel. 

The most daring part of this design was not 

necessarily the top speed performance targets, 

but instead with the design concept of the 

sailing rigs arranged in a tandem, or bi-plane, 

sail configuration. On all counts, our CFD and 

VPP models produced incredible positive data 

in thorough analysis. A sail plan configured of 

2 identical main sails - like windsurfer rigs of 

a free-standing mast and sails situated each 

side of the cat, in each amma-- proved to be 

equal or significantly better performance on 

all points compared to a sail plan of more 

conventional Main and jib fractional sloop. 

This design encompasses much of our 

current philosophy for connecting with our 

environment and keeping indoor/outdoor 

spaces in communication to provide greater 

user pleasure and accessibility, all packaged in 

a truly great looking design. 



A simple pencil and a piece of paper are 

priceless! 

Obviously, the advancements of 3D modelling 

and rendering technologies have given the 

design world some extraordinary powers for 

problem solving and communicating complex 

design ideas. Tough to see how we’d want to 

go backward from that! 


My father always advised me to find 

something I like to do, and to pursue that 

with a passion. I was lucky I found this at a 

young age. Growing up on the ocean provided 

me with sailing experience and work in 

boatyards as a young kid. I learned how to 

build all kinds of boats and by my twenties 

had become a seasoned craftsman in all ways. 

Along with education, this translated to my 

becoming a self-made designer by age of 26. 

My knowledge and experience building boats 

and managing complex projects continues to 

inform the work I do with my partner today. 

Among the biggest things I’ve tried to learn 

and continue to work towards over the years: 

listen to clients, and think ‘outside the box’. 

Take chances, have conviction. Do not be shy. 

Love what you do. 

stephenswaring.com 


Tony Castro 

Founder, Tony Castro Yachts 

What projects are you currently working 

on? 

We have a mix of one-offs and Series 

Production yachts, ranging from 10m to 53m. 


We have recently completed several 

Powerboats around the 15m mark, one 

of which won the World Yachts “most 

innovative yacht of the year 2016” in the 

category of less than 24m at the recent 

Cannes Boat Show. 

prospects of glory and huge profits (?), more 

shipyards many ill-funded distorting the 

market, hundreds more Designers being 

produced by Universities every year all 

fighting for a fairly small market, some 

agreeing to work for nothing or very little, 

against distorting the market and spoiling it 

for everybody. 

Many in our Industry don’t know if they are 

“good” or just “lucky”. The business is losing 

its serenity, its pleasure and “sheen” and that 

is a worry. 



The above was for a company called 

GALEON, but I am fortunate to have a rich 

list of Clients and Boat companies. 

What do you feel is the future for super 

yacht design? 

This is a very difficult question. Super 

Yacht Design will have a future for sure 

but whether we will continue to have a 

stream of ultra rich owners ordering the 

very large yachts is doubtful. The emergence 

of “spectacularism” in Yacht design in general 

is polluting the art-of-design and replacing 

it with ever more stupid boats, which will 

no doubt lose their value very fast and not 

last very long. The insatiable appetite for 

the shockingly spectacular by the media is 

fuelling a bad series of Designs and frankly 

corrupting the profession. 

One already sees fairly new (large) Yachts 

being put back on the market not much 

more than a year or two after launching. 

Owners don’t keep their boats like they 

used to. Why?? Are they just frivolous 

temporary owners that have dreams bigger 

than their pockets or is there something else 

happening?? 

The Industry has to address these issues, 

understand them and do something about it. 

And what do you feel are the biggest 

challenges we will have to face in the 

future? 

One of the biggest challenges is to find 

enough Owners to keep the Industry 

alive. The other is to turn this “hazardous 

occupation” into a proper “industry”. 

In the last 20 years there has been a huge 

increase of “industry players” lured by the 



One obvious direction is to attempt to make 

the boats less expensive, less extreme, less 

complicated and more economic. This is not 

an easy task. 



The trusted computer is nowadays critical as 

is Internet and broadband speed. Times have 

changed and our tools are very different. But 

so long as we have a pencil and paper we can 

continue to design, to innovate and to deliver. 



Range Rover Supercharged 


“BeiraMar” in Cascais 


Go flying in my helicopter 


The Ocean, being at sea… 


“Comporta” in Portugal 


35 years old “Springbank” Malt Whisky 


Don’t leave for tomorrow what you can do 

today. 

www.tonycastro.co.uk 


Scott Blee 

Owner, Founder and Chief Designer, 

SABDES Yacht Design 


Right now I am completing an 85 metre 

Superyacht project that suits engineered 

platforms available from a select few 

Northern European Yacht builders. We are 

also developing arrangements for a 145 metre 

design as well as thinking about ideas for a 

new and very exciting 110 – 120 metre design. 

At the other end of the size spectrum, we have 

a few boats being built ranging from 24 metres 

down to a range of 8 to 15 metre production 

sportsboats. 


We have recently launched two yachts; a 

24 metre Explorer and a 21 metre Navetta 

of which hull number two has begun 

construction. We have completed two new 

designs for separate clients; one is a 40 

metre Explorer Yacht, the other is smaller 

at 28 metres but is very similar in style. Also 

a 39 metre Superyacht custom concept we 

collaborated with Feadship on. 



Our 85 metre started as our own speculative 

design, but we are now working with Icon 

Yachts of the Netherlands developing the 

design and general arrangement to make it 

suit their engineered platform. We are also 

talking with other builders I can’t mention 

just yet. The Explorer yachts are for Bering 

Yachts, the Sportsboats are for a US based 

manufacturer. We have also worked on a few 

other confidential projects which pushed our 

boundaries in terms of industrial design skills 

and are translating back into having a much 

broader range of ideas and skills to draw our 

latest yacht designs from. 

Where do you feel super yacht design is going 

in terms of interior schemes? 

In defining the exterior I am responsible 

for creating the ‘canvas’ that allows the 

interior designer to create their interior 

schemes. Interior schemes are becoming very 

transparent to the exterior, the line between 

what’s inside and outside is blurring. Interiors 

are really connecting with the interplay of 

the sea and the outside light. Yachts are being 

unwrapped so to speak. 



The influence coming from car styling entering 

into yacht design in terms of more complex 

surfacing appearing has gradually but firmly 

taken hold, mixed with an architectural style 

that has also entered modern yacht design 

due to the influence of large glass areas. Yacht 

design that’s currently trending feels like a 

balance between the disciplines of automotive, 

architectural, and naval architecture. Moving 

forward, what excites me about the direction 

yacht design is going in are the owners 

wanting to take much more risk with their 

project; for example this can be the exterior 

styling, a hybrid propulsion system, etc. It’s 

being helped by Brokers and yards seeing the 

value in innovation and fresh style. 


Projecting forward then environmental 

concern should be at the forefront of 

trends in yacht design. Explorer yachts are 

continually growing in the marketplace and 

simultaneously their styling is evolving by 

merging yacht styling with a more resilient 

look. Faster explorer yachts are also becoming 

the normal with semi displacement hulls. 

‘Explorer’ style yachts are yet to drive the 

yacht industry forward the way SUV’s have 

done in the car industry, but there’s undeniably 

a growing trend for environmentally friendly 

yachts, ‘SUV’ style, big and small. 

What are your favourite recent schemes? 

I have been gradually reducing the detail 

in my designs, which in turn makes them 

harder to determine their scale. Also I’ve been 

integrating classic design ratios to find nice 

proportional balance. I also like long unbroken 

lines, which the eye can follow, and not only in 

profile. 



A pen and paper, good coffee, a fast computer, 

good 3D design, render and graphics software, 

and of course the internet and Skype! 



My daily drive is a VW, but I own two other 

cars which in terms of design; one is styled by 

Pininfarina the other is by Bertone. 


Sitting in a lounge chair onboard my 47 foot 

classic motoryacht losing myself in Superyacht 

and Design magazines, or alternatively sitting 

in the driver’s seat finding some good winding 

roads! 


Australia; its vast, its remote, its beautiful. It 

has space around its ‘stuff’, you can move 

about without bumping into things, and you 

can see the real colour of the sky. 


In the not too distant future, designing yachts 

might be about feeding the computer a whole 

lot of parameters and statistics, and letting 

an algorithm sort / deduce, project advances 

in engineering, hull design, and materials... 

then we can sit back with our VR headsets on, 

and watch decades of styles evolve in mere 

minutes! 

www.sabdes.com 


Multi-Functional Design 

Airbus A320 by Comlux America 









“ This is one of the finest 

private A320 on the market 

today, but it can also boast 

about having one of the 

lightest weight cabins, which 

optimizes the overall range 

performance of the aircraft. ” 

This Airbus A320 marks the 9th VIP 

interior completed for Comlux America, 

the Completion and Services center of the 

Comlux Group based in Indianapolis Indiana, 

subsidiary company to Zurich, Switzerland 

based Comlux Aviation Services. This is one 

of the finest private A320 on the market 

today, but it can also boast about having one 

of the lightest weight cabins, which optimizes 

the overall range performance of the aircraft. 

Other achievements include an unparalleled 

noise level measuring a staggering 45.4 dBSIL. 

This is Comlux America’s 4th ACJ interior 

completion overall since becoming an 

authorized service center for Airbus in 2010. 

The project flourished as a result of the 

Comlux creatives working with Fiona Riddle, 

for the collaboration of this beautiful interior. 

Each piece of this interior was specifically 

selected to make sure the aircraft is up to the 

highest standard. The carpets from Tai Ping 

add a soft elegant touch complementing the 

rest of the interior. 

Chief Designer, Lauri Church, said that the 

overall design inspiration came from the 

customer’s needs and wants. “The customer 

was heavily involved, probably more so than 

most. The overall flow and usage aspects 

were exclusively designed for him. Many of 

the rooms are multi-functional and have the 

ability to transform the aircraft from having 

one bedroom to three with queen sized beds,” 

said Church. “Most of the materials used 

were guided by the direction of Fiona, the 

interior designer, and the specific design style 

that she expected. The overall style can be 

classified as Modern European. It was very 

important to her that it be a very warm and 

inviting environment.” 

The aircraft is licensed to carry up to twentyseven 

passengers, and has the capability of 

transforming the VIP areas into individual 

sleeping compartments which provides 

guests optimal sleep comfort. The owner also 

has his own private quarters in the Master 

Suite. For business meetings and long trips 

the aircraft includes Business class seating 

and forward there is a lounge and a Staff 

area. With the use of the In-flight System 

from Rockwell Collings, this aircraft is truly 

unique. The IFE system displays real time 

map and flight information and allows the 

passengers to stream movies wirelessly onto 

IPADs that are available upon request. In 

addition to IFE, throughout the aircraft there 

is Quasar lighting which offers an infinitely 

variable color pallet to choose from including 

mood lighting. This aircraft truly comes 

equipped with everything a guest might 

want or need while travelling; no detail was 

overlooked. 

This timeless interior features a modern 

balance between classic European flare and 

traditional designs. The elegant interior 

has various shades of cream and taupe 

that contrast beautifully against the dark 

veneer and hand crafted carpet, which flows 

harmoniously from tip-to-tail. From the 

moment guests enter they are immediately 

impressed with the warm and comforting 

atmosphere of the cabin. It was important 

to maintain comfort for the customer while 

serving also as a travelling office. The entire 

interior comes together for both business and 

personal needs to create a home away from 

home for the owner and their guests. 

“Since day one, we have been very engaged 

with the customer at every step on this 

program. We were able to meet their 

individual tastes and needs while delivering 

a one-of-a-kind, modern, ACJ 320 interior on 

time and at the highest level of quality. We 

continue to demonstrate that Comlux has a 

major worldwide presence in the completion 

industry.”says Scott Meyer, Comlux America’s 

CEO “The completion of this aircraft, 

along with the arrival of our first VIP wide 

body aircraft, an A330 last month, further 

demonstrates the continued progression of 

our enterprise worldwide.” 

Comlux developed its own VIP cabin design 

office Comlux Creatives, which has been relocated 

to the Comlux facilities in the US. 

With a strong portfolio of a dozen 

successfully completed projects, Comlux 

Creatives can share their unique ability to 

convert customers’ needs into reality beyond 

the creation of the customer’s vision. 

For VIP customers who wish to make their 

own aircraft totally unique, Comlux Creatives 

can provide dedicated customised services 

including Exterior design (aircraft livery) 

,Interior design and architecture, Cabin 

systems selection and integration, Cabin 

equipment, Art concept and Design liaison 

support. 


Luxury 

Defined 

BESPOKE BRITISH 

CRAFTSMANSHIP 

By choosing Heirlooms, you can be sure 

everything from your table and bed linens 

to bathrobes and towels meets the most 

exacting standards. Yours – and ours. 

+44 (0) 1243 820252 

enquiries@heirlooms-linens.com 

www.heirlooms-linens.com 

A Passion for Excellence


Seven Sins Refit which creates 

Balance and improves Performance 

Seven Sins by Balk Shipyard 






“ The owner and her architects 

had always had mixed 

feelings about her previous 

bow, feeling that it did not 

have quite the right aesthetic 

feel for a yacht of Seven Sins’ 

calibre. After the rebuild 

process was completed, the 

yacht offered a great deal more 

space for the crew, water and 

storage. ” 

This luxurious tri-level 41m Heesen Yacht 

was launched in April 2005. In 2015, when 

it came time for a re-fit Heesen called on its 

Dutch neighbour Balk Shipyard to complete 

the job. This was the sixth collaboration 

between the two companies. 

This refit has been one of the most complex 

that Balk Shipyard has ever undertaken. And 

yet, it only involved around a third of the 

actual yacht. It is believed that no other yard 

has ever attempted to remove a bow section 

in order to extend the yacht by nearly two 

and a half metres. Seven Sins’ bow was cut 

off and replaced by a completely new bow 

of 15 metres, which added 2.3 metres to the 

yacht. 

When Seven Sins came to the Balk premises, 

her new bow was ready to be attached. It 

took six men an entire month to attach the 

new bow to the existing hull and it fitted 

perfectly. 

There was more to the refit than just adding 

a new bow. Within the interior of the bow 

Balk built four brand-new crew cabins, 

multiple storage areas, a crew mess and a 

laundry. Everything was prefabricated and 

fitted in the hall, then taken apart again in 

order to get it on board. 

The extension added a total of 2.3 metres 

to Seven Sins, giving her a total length of 

43.60 metres. Balk’s dedicated paint division 

ensured that Seven Sins looked as good as 

new when she left the yard. An interesting 

project by any standards, the fact that 

Seven Sins also had to comply with the new 

Large Yacht 3 code by the time she was relaunched 

speaks volumes for the expertise 

required and the enormous cooperation 

between all the many parties involved. 

Frank Laupman of Omega Architects said “ 

Seven Sins was 40m and extended to 43m 

at the bow. The owner wanted to update 

her exterior to contemporary proportions. 

We wanted to update her exterior with an 

extended foredeck, and pleasing overall 

proportions.” 

“The extended hull length, as a result, 

brought the fuel consumption down by 15%. 

Extra interior space in the bow is always a 

benefit appreciated by the crew. And last but 

not least: her top speed increased from 13 to 

14.5 knots. The owner loves his yacht, which 

charters in the Caribbean.” 

“Designers at Omega Architects, naval 

architects at Van Oossanen Naval 

Architecture and the builder Balk Shipyard 

closely collaborated, making Seven Sins a 

great example of what the Dutch can deliver 

together.” 

Seven Sins is now more in balance. Her 

former bow was relatively small compared to 

the yacht itself. She now has a bulbous bow 

which allows her better fuel consumption 

and better overall performances. Her brandnew 

bow makes Seven Sins look better 

than when she was first launched in 2005. 

The owner and her architects had always 

had mixed feelings about her previous 

bow, feeling that it did not have quite the 

right aesthetic feel for a yacht of Seven 

Sins’ calibre. After the rebuild process was 

completed, the yacht offered a great deal 

more space for the crew, water and storage. 

The interior design features beautiful 

semi-gloss cherry wood panelling and a 

teak and ebony parquetry floor, whilst 

Makassar furniture adds an exotic 

touch. From stepping on board via the 

aft deck the spacious main saloon, fitted 

with comfortable sofas and tables, also 

offers a bar area as well as a sitting area 

incorporating a 50inch Plasma TV screen. 

The open dining room can seat 10 guests 

comfortably around the oval table. Ten large 

side windows allow an exceptional exterior 

sea view throughout. 

The circular foredeck owner’s stateroom 

includes a study with internet connections 

and printer, a walk-in dressing room, 

bathroom with Jacuzzi bath and separate 

large marble shower and toilet. The 

atmosphere of the master suite is fresh and 

harmonising beige, maple and cranberry 

themes. Two full beam VIP, plus two 

comfortable twin staterooms, all with en 

suite shower and/or marble bathrooms, 

complete the accommodation. 

The upper deck interior saloon has an 

Oriental feel and can be used as an 

extremely comfortable cinema saloon with 

60” plasma TV. Lunch or dinner can be taken 

either on the upper deck (table for 12) or on 

the Jacuzzi sun deck (table for 10), which is 

also equipped with sun pads. All tenders are 

stored in the garage which houses a sauna. 

Cutting of the bow was a key aspect of 

the Seven Sins project. It was exciting and 

frightening as well. Daan Balk CEO, of Balk 

Shipbuilders commented: ‘The moment 

we finished grinding through Seven Sins 

and I could see the wires and pipes of the 

stateroom suspended in mid-air, it reminded 

me of that moment when you come home 

and find the dog has trashed the entire living 

room!’. 

Furthermore the end result is just 

astonishing and puts Seven Sins to a whole 

new level. 


Intelligent and Stylish Design 

NIMIR by Aegean Yachts 







“ She is arguably one of the 

best and very few motor 

yachts currently available 

on the market that can 

comfortably accommodate up 

to 12 guests across six lavish 

staterooms. ” 

Turkish Based Aegean Yachts have been 

shortlisted for the Power Yacht over 25 

Metres Award for The International Yacht 

& Aviation Awards 2017 with NIMIR, a 28 m 

striking steel semi displacement motoryacht 

built in 2015. 

This beautiful superyacht is a sister ship 

to the 2012-launched luxury charter yacht 

Alpha 1. They share the same hull shape 

and dimensions; however, NIMIR features 

classic interiors, dark blue hull colour and 

an extra stateroom on the upper deck. The 

yacht boasts generous exterior deck space 

over three expansive teak decks, as well 

as amazingly impressive interior volume 

compared to similar size motor yachts. She is 

arguably one of the best and very few motor 

yachts currently available on the market 

that can comfortably accommodate up to 

12 guests across six lavish staterooms. Her 

elegant exterior and interior styling are the 

work of Aegean Yacht, who is also responsible 

for her engineering. 

The choice of materials was driven by the 

owner’s desire to totally relax on board in 

natural, low-key ambiance with a hint of 

tradition. Her elegant interior features ivory 

toned super glossy wooden panels, oak 

floorings, and fine Italian soft furnishings 

in beige, with large windows which allow 

an abundance of natural light to flood in 

throughout the entire yacht. Particular 

attention was paid to the upholstery 

detailing and textiles. A combination of 

linen, alcantara, and leather was used 

throughout the yacht. 

The yachts comprises of a main deck which 

houses a beautifully appointed full beam 

master bedroom, galley, a very spacious 

salon featuring a glass dining table and 

comfortable seating area. Her leisurely 

furnished aft deck offers al fresco dining. 

Both tables can seat up to fourteen guests. 

Another master stateroom is located 

on the upper deck with fully private 

facilities including a vast sun bathing 

area. Additionally two VIP and two twin 

guest cabins, all of which are exceptionally 

spacious, are positioned on the lower 

deck. All cabins have en-suite bathrooms, 

enormous Corian shower compartments with 

tempered glass doors and TECMA toilets. 

The exterior decks offer great relaxation area 

for guests and storage area for tenders and 

toys. She sleeps up to 12 guests and 5 crew 

members, to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht 

experience. 

NIMIR has a helm station equipped with 

the most advanced navigational and 

communication systems by Simrad, and is 

positioned on the upper deck forward. Her 

twin YANMAR 700 HP engines consumes 40% 

less fuel than most engines with the same 

power. She ensures a cruising speed of 11 and 

a maximum speed of 13 knots in comfort. 

She is built to RINA rules and complies with 

MCA REGULATIONS. 

The intelligent and stylish design of the 

vessel offers exceptional exterior deck space 

as well as tremendous interior volume 

compared to similar sized motor yachts. She 

provides great space inside and outside. She 

is a very stable boat suitable for long cruises 

in the Mediterranean, perfect for the owner 

who wants to spend all summer on the 

yacht. 

Timeless styling, beautiful furnishings and 

sumptuous seating feature throughout 

to create an elegant and comfortable 

atmosphere. NIMIR’s impressive leisure and 

entertainment facilities make her the ideal 

charter yacht for socialising and entertaining 

with family and friends. 


Dornbracht 

Culturing Life 

Design Icons 

dornbracht.com/designicons

Awards News... 

A brief look at some of the projects shortlisted 

in The International Yacht & Aviation Awards 2017 

Gosling Marine - Blue Straw Marquetry Cabinet 

Gosling’s brief was to design a signature blue straw marquetry collection for the dining room. The cabinet is custom fitted to accommodate the 

crockery and cutlery. The intricate detailing requires highly skilled craftsmanship. Straw marquetry, was first used by the early twentieth century, 

French designer, Jean-Michel Frank. The particular straw Gosling uses today is grown in the South of France, worked into panels in Normandy and then 

sent to Gosling’s cabinetmakers in Yorkshire. 

Gosling’s brief was to make a fluid transition from the nearby white carbon fibre, exterior deck furniture to the interior space. The highly polished, 

white lacquer echoes the white carbon fibre and the depth of the blue straw marquetry the surrounding seascape. The bronze detailing is made in 

brass and hand patinated to a bronze patina. The internals and shelves are a soft-limed oak finish. 

The straw marquetry detailing grew out of the Greek key pattern design, with intricate interlocking square panels of straw marquetry seamlessly 

jointed together to form a beautiful vibrant pattern. The frequent change of direction of the straw fibres refract the light, throwing it from the various 

boundaries and creating a dramatic visual effect, which alters as you move. The stripped back design has no handles, operating on push catches. 

The minimalism of the design creates a stunning, visual statement piece with an inimitable aesthetic. Together with the other pieces of the Gosling 

collection, the blue straw marquetry echoes the azure colour of the sea, which combined with the brilliant white, provides the perfect Superyacht 

signature pieces. 


Eva Mechler – Wooden Bathtub 

Eva Mechler has been shortlisted for Bespoke Cabinetry Award in The International Yacht & Aviation Awards 2017. Her collection of 

wood for the bathroom comprises of pieces manufactured to the highest level of craftsmanship with the simple designs selected 

to reflect the charismatic properties of the wood. The construction is also designed to work with the wood’s natural technical 

qualities so they are very strong. 

The concept of a wooden bathtub or washbasin is not new. In Japan for example, there is a long standing tradition of people soaking 

in wooden tubs known as “ofuro” for pleasure, health and relaxation. Stepping into a warm bath where the scent of wood combines 

with gently steaming water is regarded as an essential ritual at the end of every day. Making such a bath takes great skill. For the 

cabinet maker there is a challenge to ensure that the wood is not adversely affected by its contact with water. However, using a hand 

applied multi layered oil and wax combination in the surface finishing provides a protection which with proper care can be durable 

for well over twenty years of everyday use - at least as long as a conventional bath. 

Eva Mechler commented “Wood is a strong, pliable and aesthetically pleasing raw material that can be produced with less energy 

and pollution than artificial materials such as steel and plastic. Wood has natural properties that can enable elegance to be present 

in a variety of settings, such as the confined space of a yacht or small home, but wood is equally impressive when displayed in a 

large bathroom, a spa, hall or gun room, or as part of an integrated living and sleeping area.” 



Left and Above: Wolz Nautic - Solid wood decorative elements for indoor and outdoor floor surfaces 

Decorative elements made from wood are known as decorative trims or veneer marquetry, which are limited to their range of use. Wolz Nautic offers 

a new solution made from solid wood which makes it possible to produce new individualised floor surfaces with the same precision as is the case with 

filigree veneer marquetry. The innovation is to have solid wood decorative elements, maximum production precision due to laser cutting method and 

an intelligent expansion joint system. 

The application areas are outdoors on terraces or on Yacht decks and indoors in Spa areas or other floor areas. The system is resistant to salt water 

and UV. 

The combination with different wood materials (e.g. teak, wenge or purple heart) together with other materials like stone and/or synthetic offers the 

possibility of achieving unusual designs and creating visual highlights. 

For the care and spare parts management each component is provided with an individual code by means of innovative technology. The ability to 

exchange individual components is thus guaranteed in the long term. Furthermore, a useful thickness of up to 12 mm means that the decorative 

surfaces can be refreshed several times over. As a result, sanding down can be performed in one pass with the teak deck sanding for example. 

Using the laser technology in the production of the single parts enables Wolz Nautic to undertake filigree work right down to the tiniest detail. 

Implementing slender decorative elements and designs – such as those familiar from interior fixtures – is possible thanks to the high-tech suite of 

machines. Decorative floors with a size over 100 sqm can be created without problems. 

The design of this product works so well because it is a system based on the depth of knowledge of maritime teak decks, and this advance in product 

development allows for individualisation of the floor of outdoor/wet areas, now designers are not limited in their work with respect to the floor in 

outdoor/wet areas. 


Gosling White Carbon Fibre Lounge Tub Chair 

The brief behind Gosling Marine’s product ‘White Carbon Fibre Lounge Tub Chair’ was to create an iconic piece of carbon fibre 

furniture which works both in the interior or exterior of a Superyacht. A comfortable, durable and lightweight piece for easy 

manoeuvre. 

With an increasing requirement for lightweight and durable interior and exterior furniture, Gosling Marine focused on pushing the 

boundaries of the use of carbon fibre. With its unique property of strength-to-weight ratio, resistance to corrosion and maintenance 

free, carbon fibre is a welcome move forward from the more bulky teak, and echoes the key elements of Gosling’s client’s design brief. 

The Gosling Lounge Tub Chair was designed for the interior, with the potential to provide additional deck furniture. Art Deco 

architecture and the luxury liners of the 1930’s inspire the strong, fluid ergonomic design and exquisite detailing. The polished, 

marine grade stainless steel lines around the chair reflect the technique of architectural quoins used in buildings. 

The combination of cool to the touch carbon fibre, with the more tactile teak arms gives the chair a modern look with a hint of the 

classical. The black carbon line, which runs around the chair, shows the complex carbon weave, whilst revealing the raw material, 

which is instantly recognisable as carbon fibre. 

The piece is upholstered in the sunbrella marine grade fabric and works beautifully with the external collection of Gosling Marine 

deck pieces. 

The designer’s success in rising to the challenge of pushing the boundary of the use of carbon fibre in furniture design and to 

incorporate it with the more traditional teak, was a well deserved triumph The ergonomic design incorporates Art Deco architectural 

detail on a small scale. The use of the thin, black line reveals the material of the piece without it having to shout ‘carbon fibre’. 

The Lounge Tub Chair is an iconic shape, with historical inspiration but a very modern, ergonomic, striking interpretation. The piece 

is comfortable, tactile, lightweight and versatile. The Gosling Marine carbon fibre collection is pioneering the use of carbon fibre, 

which involves highly skilled craftsmen to work with the sheets of composite. It has taken over two years of prototyping, mould 

making and technical research to develop the range. 


Samuel Heath’s Style Moderne 

Elegance and glamour redefined, Samuel Heath’s iconic Style Moderne is a highly distinctive collection of taps showers and bathroom accessories 

inspired by the grace and glamour of the Art Deco period. The elegance of this collection is an authentic reflection of the era yet its individual identity 

is secured with a modern interpretation. The collection is available in 7 stunning finish options including the recently launched non-lacquered brass 

which will develop its own natural patina over time. Leaving the brass untreated means that through repeated use and exposure the metal will react 

to moisture and touch to develop a distinctive character. There are also 3 different control options to choose from: classic lever or cross tops as well as 

the opulent Luxe. 

Samuel Heath commissioned bespoke designs from an artisanal glass designer and hence Luxe was born, a stunning collection of individually cut 

controls which are available in two shapes: a faceted barrel lever and a flat roundel. The complementary accessories, many of which are available 

in freestanding or wall mounted options, can be ordered with either black or white ceramics. With the Style Moderne collection, Samuel Heath has 

reinterpreted one of the most dynamic and influential design periods in history. 

A newly built Georgian style mansion overlooking Barnes Common features Samuel Heath bathroom fittings throughout. Black and white marble 

bathrooms feature pieces from the Art Deco inspired Style Moderne collection in particular the ‘his and hers’ en-suite bathrooms with Swarovski 

crystal handles, signifying the opulence and individual charm of the property. 


Applications are now being accepted 

for The International Yacht & Aviation 

Awards 2017. 

All successful entries receive an 

extensive Marketing and PR Package 

in addition to guaranteed coverage in 

Luxe et al and associated publications. 

For further information, contact: 

+44 (0)1244 346 347 

awards@design-et-al.co.uk

NEXT ISSUE 

Experts speak out

At Embraer, we find inspiration in the greatest of challenges. The creation of entirely new aircraft, 

and categories. And the inclusion of technology previously unavailable in aircraft this size. The 

better way. The efficient way. The unconventional way. You see, we’ve never been ones to settle 

for the status quo. And we’re looking for those who share a similar mindset and are willing to act 

upon it. Because we believe for those who do— doing the impossible is just the beginning. 

Rethink Convention. 

EmbraerExecutiveJets.com

Luxe et al - DESIGNER SPEAK OUT

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