Even the aft deck, which we had to raise because of the
tender garage below, is a destination spot and, with a
fold-out TV, a great outdoor area to watch sports.“
The interior was a true collaborative effort as well
between Marshall, interior outfitting company Yacht
Next and the yacht’s owners. Some of the color scheme
is repeated from the family’s previous yacht and the
underlying Asian influence comes from Heatley’s
home. The family wanted to achieve a feeling of
relaxation to go with the name Serenity. Interestingly,
the colors grow gradually darker as you move up from
lower to upper deck. The sky lounge is quite masculine,
“more of a man cave,” says Heatley. Here is a nice bar
with stools, a central credenza containing a humidor
and a cozy lounging area facing an electric fireplace
that puts out a lovely glow in the evening. It’s a subtle
change that works well, particularly since there is
continuity in the materials, including a wall finish that
resembles a wood veneer from Maya Romanoff.
Although Marshall designed most of the furniture on
board and suggested an interesting leitmotif found on
doors throughout the boat – a stylized swan – Yacht
Next selected the fabrics from brands such as Rubelli,
the wall finishes, and many lighting fixtures. Yacht
Next’s owner, Joanne Lockhart, worked closely with
the Heatleys, aptly navigating between the son’s desire
for a more contemporary feel and his mother’s
preference for a more classic look, evident in the choice
of material and colors in the master stateroom on the
main deck. “I think Joanne and my mother did an
excellent job,” says Heatley.
Still, many of the yacht’s
standout features were his idea.
“I gave Evan a strong vision for
the concepts I was looking for,
the design of the spa pool, the
wading pool, the skylights, the
table that adjusts, the waterfall,
the rock floor, the backlit
columns, the full-beam
stateroom downstairs that
converts according to the needs
of the family or charter guests. It
goes on and on. When you walk
through the boat, you can see a
lot of different details,” he says.
It’s an accurate statement.
Exploring Serenity is like playing
a puzzle game that reveals
surprises at each turn. I took
great pleasure in getting more
acquainted with thisdesigner who doesn’t want to play it safe,” he says.
“From the outset he said he really wanted to have
balconies.” Heatley wanted to be able to step outside
to take in the views and the sea air, like you can on a
cruise ship, an experience he remembers fondly from
his childhood. Neither of them
wanted complicated contraptions
that require a crew member to
intervene any time someone wants
a breath of fresh air.
So Serenity has three fixed
balconies – two off the master
stateroom forward on the main
deck and one off the sky lounge – all
easily accessible through
automated sliding doors. These
permanent fixtures added to the
project’s complexity. The new
Serenity, which flies the American
flag, was built to comply with RINA class and MCA
regulations and, naturally, surveyors had to sign off on
everything. The build captain had some reservations
from an operational point of view, particularly when it
came to the lower balconies. However, where there is
a will, there is a way. Ballistic-grade glass, watertight
seals and a steel banister, which is painted light gray to
match the yacht’s hull, were part of the solution.
A custom-designed inflatable bumper can be fitted
beneath the lower balcony to protect it during mooring.
In addition to the balconies, a “bay window” built
into the superstructure on the top deck extends the sky
lounge over the water. Large enough for two armchairs,
this special little corner is one of many interesting
spaces on board. “It’s my favorite place to sit. You can
look at the whole length of the boat and see the waves
at the back,” says Heatley.
This nook is a short distance from the elevator,
which goes all the way to the sundeck. An elevator on
a boat of this size was a design challenge in itself, says
Marshall. It opens on two sides, the galley side on the
main deck and the corridor, allowing it to function not
only as a guest elevator but also a food lift. There was
no space left for stairs in this central location, and so
they were moved to the aft part of the deck, on the
starboard side. Marshall designed them in such a way
that they would not obstruct views, which was
important to the owner.
Marshall is very pleased with the results, not only
with the sleek and original styling but also the interior
design. “It’s very relaxing and with so many places
connected to the water, you can really enjoy the sea.“He is really an
interesting guy, full
of ideas and willing
to take some risk,
which is always fun
for a designer”
Above and right:
A painting of a swan
in the dining room
was the starting
point for the interior
design; another
yacht provided Chris
Heatley with the
inspiration for the
LED-lit pebble floor
that leads to the
master suite with a
bathroom in green
marble; the motif on
the door represents
a stylized swanAbove:
A bay window off
the sky lounge, the
owner’s favorite
place to sit, mirrors
the main deck
balconies that flank
the master suiteMAY 2017 MAY 2017PHOTOGRAPHS: THIERRY DEHOVE0123456789126 1270123456789ART
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