A recent request by a client to redesign the interior of their yacht provided the perfect opportunity to test the sea-worthiness of our design work. While many of the design fundamentals used in a more conventional, land-based project remained the same, we encountered a whole new set of challenges unique to nautical design.

As with all of our projects, our first step was to get a sense of who our clients were and what exactly they wanted from their boat. They explained that when they bought Aries, a 1996 Bayliner, they hoped to use it as an unconventionally elegant way to entertain friends and business associates.

When we first saw the yacht, we weren't surprised by the plain-looking, standard design of the interior. More function than form, the boat was in desperate need of some personality. To achieve a richer, more elegant look, we focused our efforts primarily on cosmetic enhancements to the interior, and other changes that wouldn't compromise the structure of the boat (we're certainly not shipbuilders).

When choosing design materials for a boat, our main considerations were the moisture and temperature changes the interior of the fiberglass yacht would have to endure. Also, the unique shape of a boat implicitly presents certain design challenges. In order to ensure the long-term quality of the yacht's interiors, we chose fabrics like chenille that were both durable and visually pleasing. And the boat's unique shape required each piece of the granite used for countertops and drink rails to be cut onsite.

In the end, adding granite countertops, replacing the carpet, fabricating new window treatments and reupholstering the furniture transformed a plain, “factory-spec” boat into a distinctive and luxurious yacht. For Martin Perri Interiors, this project was challenging, enjoyable and a great example of how our design team is just as comfortable and capable at sea as they are on land.

To see more unique Martin Perri design projects, click here.

Take a photo tour of the completed yacht project.