Serenity: The Peace of Home

We were given the project of designing the interior of the 100’ Nordhavn Serenity at the onset of the yacht’s conceptualization, when the builder referred the owner to our firm.  As designers we were pleased to have the confidence of the builder, meet such an endearing owner, and design the interior for this brand-new yacht. We began, as we do with most designs, by communicating with the owner to get an idea of his expectations and design preferences. Above all, this owner was the quintessential family man. He made it very clear to our team that he wanted the yacht to be a haven for family; he wanted large spaces for them to enjoy time together comfortably. After visiting the owner’s home and discussing his overall wishes for the design, it was clear he appreciates modern, clean lines; rich deep grained woods contrasted with light accents, luxurious, spa-like finishes, and splashes of color.  He wished for a yacht that was unique and differentiated, and he gave us the creative license to bring his vision for Serenity to fruition.

To accommodate his large family comfortably and seamlessly, we first designed a layout that was a break from tradition. For example, the room that is typically the Sky Lounge was made into the Master Suite. The room that is usually designated as the Master Suite, was transformed into a second Master Suite for the owner’s daughters. We also expanded the Galley due to the owner’s desire to ensure his family could congregate there; we extended the Galley aft into the dining space, and were still able to accommodate a large, 12-person dining table in the adjoining Dining Salon. The Main Salon was fitted with large, comfortable sofas and a drop-down television to fulfill the owner’s wish to lounge together as a family.  We accommodated whole-family dining and seating space on the Fly Bridge Deck and designed a fire pit and seating for the owner and his wife to enjoy on the Master Suite Aft Deck.

The owner’s home included statement architecture and rich, deep woods that anchored the home’s design. His spaces were simple and clean with fine, polished details. To achieve this in Serenity, we designed a focal staircase comprised of contrasting, light woods and stainless-steel accents that offer a unique and rich architectural statement.  To achieve a richness and depth, we used Walnut throughout the design contrasted with Zebra and Maple accents. We further modernized the design by employing contrasting, white fabrics as wall coverings along with the dark wood in the Staterooms, creating a lighter and more contemporary feeling. We varied the direction of the veneers’ grains throughout the yacht to add to the unique details of its design.

Other design enhancements we created for Serenity are stainless steel accents throughout the yacht, high gloss white painted ceiling accents in the staterooms, and high-gloss light gray painted ceiling accents in the Main Salon. In the Heads we incorporated a variety of finishes including white, pale gray and pale blue stones, countertops with stainless-steel inlaid aprons, mosaic tile accents, and polished chrome hardware and plumbing, thus achieving the spa-like quality of the spaces, a quality that was prevalent in the owner’s home bathrooms.

In preserving the clean and modern feel of the owner’s home, color in this design was achieved subtly through textiles and artwork. The owner of Serenity was instrumental in the creation of our color palette; he was very decisive regarding the hull color of Serenity, for which he chose Stars and Stripes Blue. All our accent colors and hues are reflections of his decisiveness. We incorporated blue hues in accent fabrics throughout the yacht. Also, we placed pieces of the owner’s home artwork in Serenity lending color to the design.

The artfulness of Serenity’s design can be attributed to a combination of the skill of our team, and the owner’s constant push to make his yacht uniquely styled. Although Nordhavn specializes in customized and elevated interiors, this yacht owner also demanded uniqueness beyond the standard customization. The result is Serenity– a yacht designed for the comfort of the whole family, a yacht designed to reflect the owner’s modern style and his desire to travel, entertain, and relax with his family in surroundings that are as unique and comfortable as home. Thus, Serenity was designed, a beautifully aesthetic and livable, home away from home.

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About the Author

About the Author

Destry Darr Pethtel is an award-winning interior designer based in Florida. Her designs have been featured in several luxury yacht publications such as Showboats, Boat International, Yachts International, Yachting, Luxe Magazine to name just a few! Read More About Destry >>

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