boatinternational.com • 07 2019The original plan for Project Antares – a spec project with an
interior by Francesco Paszkowski – had a garage forward on the
main deck for two large tenders accessible through gullwing
doors. Since Smith would use the yacht most often in tandem
with his sportfishing boats, large tenders were not a requirement.
What he wanted was a larger master suite.
That request barely caused a ripple, according to Peter van der
Zanden, Heesen’s general manager of design and development.
Without scrapping any major structure, they created stowage
on deck for the tenders with storage below for water toys and
moved the cabin’s forward bulkhead two frames toward the
bow, adding a vertical window on each side. The resulting suite
is 860 square feet, with additional dressing room and closet
space, plus sufficient floor area for two chairs and a table under
the nearly full-height windows on starboard and for a divan and
a vanity on port. A king-size bed on centerline is under a tray
ceiling that creates a modern canopy effect, contrasted with a
darker gloss wood overhead treatment along the windows. With
its planked oak floor, the room gets a cozy on-trend vibe
enhanced by a neutral palette of taupe, beige and gray.
The full-beam master bathroom continues the contemporary
style with polished stainless steel, glass, dark high-gloss wood
and two different stone surfaces in an identical color palette.
“The stones had already been chosen and delivered to the
shipyard but had not been cut and I was able to arrange the
placement to highlight the design,” says Elmar Benavente of BE
Design, based in Boca Raton, Florida.
Vida, as Project Antares would become, is Benavente’s first
yacht, but he had worked with the owner on buildings and
residences and knows his tastes. “I happened to be at the office
on a Saturday and Brooks called me and said he was in a design
meeting about a boat he was building,” Benavente says. “He
asked me to grab a bunch of material, wood and carpet samples
and hurry. I arrived and there were all these people sitting
around the table and as I started pulling things out of the box he
says: ‘Finally, here is someone whounderstandswhatIwant.’
That was my introduction to yachting.”
“I like contemporary, but not a white,minimalcontemporary,”
Smith says, describing his tasteas“kind ofColorado
contemporary.” Working to transformtheinteriormotifcreated
by Paszkowski and Margherita Casprini,BEDesign’staskwas
to tone down and warm up the joineryandsurfacesinthe
original package. When Smith balkedatteak,Benavente
suggested oak stained a deep taupetoneandwithamixofgloss
and satin finishes to create interest.Thesignaturedesign
element is high-gloss wood battenslaidinaverticalgrid
over other surfaces like mirror, fabricorlacqueredwood.Its
peek-a-boo effect creates interestandmovementandcanbe
used to imply separation in large openareassuchasthemain
salon and upper salon, where the battensrunupthewall,across
the ceiling and down the other side.Theslattedthemerepeats
in the leather-wrapped window blindsthatcastamatching
shadow pattern across the floors andfurniture.
The same technique dramatizesthethree-deckcircular
staircase at the center of the yachtwhereitactsasafoilfortheHigh-gloss wood battens are
a standout feature in the main
salon (left), which has sofas
by Liaigre, and the entrance
corridor to the master suite
(below), which serves as an
office space. Opposite page:
the upper salon is designed
primarily as a chill space
après fishing tournament99