MAIN SALON VIVACITY

The main salon is the first indoor area on a yacht where you get to sit back in a sumptuous sofa, switch on the flatscreen and chill with a mocktail and a bowl of nibbles. In layout and style, the main salon has always been pretty formulaic, but not all main salons have been created equal, as our trio of luxury lounges prove.

Yachts

Azimut Grande 35 Metri

Go back through the Yachts archives and you’ll find most main salons are set up in a similar fashion, featuring a symmetrical layout with regimented sofas, tables and accessories. It’s all very horizontal, vertical and perpendicular, but not so with Azimut’s Grande 35 Metri. Here, the Italian shipyard turned to Achille Salvagni, a master of residential interior design and a man with a dislike of the set square. Sensuous curves and flowing arcs define Salvagni’s asymmetrical execution, with straight lines few and far between. Even the light fittings flow from the ceiling from their circular bases. It’s a couturier’s approach to design and a refreshing change from the orderly, straightedge main salons of the last decade.

Heesen’s Ann G

When it comes to full custom builds, working with an Owner who has a clear idea of what he or she wants is essential. It can also be a liberating experience for the chosen design studio, as it was for Reymond Langton during the design process of Heesen’s Ann G. The Owner’s brief was that he wanted an Art Deco theme and the rest was up to the creative heads, Pascale Reymond and Andrew Langton. Ann G’s main salon sets the tone for the rest of the 50 metre superyacht, as here, Art Deco fundamentals such as the tiered chandelier and lampshades set the decadent tone, while contrasting with the macassar ebony – the most glamorous of heartwoods. Mirrors add an extra dimension to the lounge, while also housing the hidden TV screens. Rich, lavish and luxurious, it shows exactly what you can do with a strong idea and a world class studio.

Benetti Seasence

We like Benetti’s Seasense main salon, as technically, it hasn’t got one. Heading aft from the main deck foyer, you do indeed walk into what initially appears to be the lounge, with a dining table and space for 12 guests. However, the clue here is under your feet. Instead of the usual deep carpet, Seasense has a teak floor. This extends aft, and where the lounge would normally be is the area named ‘The Benetti Beach Club’ by its creator, Cor D.Rover. Yes, the main salon on Seasense is an umbrella-lined deck with a 10×4 metre swimming pool at its heart. Turning the main salon into an outdoor area means that guests can now relax under the sun with a book, rather than sit and watch a DVD under a roof. It’s a fun, informal treatment and one that sets Seasense apart from her floating peers.