http://www.boatinternational.com | February 2016prime entry point on the main deck. “It was clear that the owners
will typically greet their guests at the aft deck rather than at a
starboard side foyer,” says Sander Sinot, “so it was important to
create a space that says ‘welcome’ and does it with a wow factor.”
Stepping from the covered aft main deck dominated by a
huge teak table, Rock.It changes her tune. A curved onyx bar
glows via backlighting, casting a warm light on beautifully
veined Portoro marble. A mahogany ring frames a dome in
the overhead, establishing the theme
throughout the main and bridge decks.
Floor-to-ceiling panels of flame mahogany
alternate with tall wine display cabinets
bordered in sycamore marquetry bands.
Sketching an interior that relies heavily
on a single joinery pattern is one thing;
finding enough veneer to make it work is
quite another. Creating the flame look in
each panel required four sheets of veneer
that needed to be matched for the size of
the pattern being achieved. A “book ” of
veneers from a log has an average of 90 “pages”, of which at least
half are unlikely to match as the relationship from limb to trunk
changes. The semi-surrounding wall of the central staircase
features 168 individual panels that match side to side and top to
bottom through three decks. Feadship’s joiners worked through
130 books of veneer on that element alone. Each panel is set into a
grid of polished stainless bands pierced by tiny LED lights at the
intersections. As the stair surround is obviously concave, Sinot
conceived each of the mahogany stair panels as slightly convex
to reflect light. An art niche at bridge deck level displays a small
Jef Koons Balloon Dog sculpture, which acts as a metaphor for
the entire yacht: modern art on a classic background.
In keeping with the owner’s young family, there is no formal
dining room but that doesn’t mean that indoor dining has
been ignored. The forward end of the expansive main deck
saloon is anchored by a staggering Sinot-
designed light fixture hanging over an
equally stunning custom table by Pollaro
Custom Furniture of Union, New Jersey,
in macassar ebony and lighter veneers in a
sunburst pattern. There are 188 pieces in the
table top alone, each one cut by hand, which
took more than 350 man hours to complete.
Edging the table is a faceted stainless steel
band, which is finished with three small
rolled bars, a detail suggested by the owner,
who saw the mix of curves and facets on
a Graf watch strap. “The client loves polished stainless steel
and I introduced it as a contrast element in numerous interior
places,” says Sinot. At either side of the dining table, glass
bulkheads slide open, leading to terraces folding out from the
bulwarks. Interestingly, the terraces open manually but are
so nicely balanced that it’s a one-person job.
In all there are 30 custom-made Pollaro pieces designed for“When we build
our furniture
for Feadship,
we are inspired
because they
create perfection”
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