Playing with interior design

“I always like to lay materials out on a table to touch and see them,” explains Silvia Margutti of Luca Dini Design and Architecture and lead interior designer for Heesen Yachts’ 55-metre Project Agnetha. “It’s usually our starting point when developing an interior concept. With Agnetha, we began with veneers and then looked for complementary finishes.”

She is holding court at the Luca Dini Florentine headquarters, an oasis of design and creativity in the heart of the renaissance city. Laid out before her is an array of woods, marbles and textured leathers in an assortment of colours and finishes. They’re reflective of the variety of materials that feature in the four defined design themes conceived by Margutti for Project Agnetha’s interior.

“What’s interesting for a client stepping into a yacht that’s been built on speculation like Agnetha is to understand what level of customisation is possible when the interior layout is set,” she continues. “So, we prepared several interior proposals with different lighting, furniture and décor to show how even an interior that is almost complete can be transformed and tailored.”

For Agnetha—a go-anywhere blue water motor yacht and the newest addition to Heesen’s popular 55-metre Steel series—Margutti proposed four individual themes based on renowned Shakespeare plays. The primary design agreed with Heesen takes its lead from As You Like It, and centres around a warm, homey ambience with light wood veneers, metal trims and a hint of the exotic, such as upholstered ceilings in the main salon.

“The scheme is elegant but subtle, with solid, comfortable furniture ideal for families to enjoy the space with friends,” says Margutti, noting how full-height windows on the main deck fill the interior with light. In the owner’s cabin, amber mirrored surrounds frame the windows to create an increased sense of height, while a private balcony—a unique feature on a yacht of this size—brings the outdoors in. It’s reinforced in the sky lounge with a backlit bar, as well as in the teak-clad beach club where textured lamps and lounge seating showcase this theme’s “everlasting style.”

The second design theme—inspired by The Winter’s Tale—introduces darker, more earthy tones for those cruising in colder climates who like to feel safe and cocooned. In the beach club wellness area, luxurious wool throws and a bioethanol fireplace bring warmth. In the main salon, the inclusion of “hugging” armchairs and tactile carpets give a cosy vibe.

“This scheme illustrates how the use of lighting and a change of furniture can really impact the onboard ambience, even when the fixed elements and finishes remain the same,” affirms Margutti.

The ethereal woodland plot from A Midsummer Night’s Dream comes to life in the third nature-infused interior using maroon tones, floral patterns and organic shapes. Bubble ceiling lights in the main salon and dedicated spaces for statement artwork shift the focus entirely. Flexible sofa arrangements in the sky lounge lend themselves to both casual and formal set ups, while the altered direction of the desk and sofa in the owner’s study introduces alternative lines of sight.

“Just the introduction of colour, a change of layout and the use of irregular shaped lamps to create a dreamy atmosphere with engaging light effects on the walls is enough to inject a personalised sense of liveability,” explains Margutti, whose use of plants and lush foliage in the beach club breathes life into this scheme’s nature-led vibe. A freestanding telescope invites budding astronomers to stargaze by the water’s edge.

Of course, as with all great things, Margutti saves her favourite scheme—or in her view, the best—until last. Serving up drama from Taming of the Shrew, the fourth interior proposal is a riot of feminine fun. Purples, pinks and creams are paired with funky-shaped chairs, decorative lighting and statement mirrors in place of art. In the beach club, deckchairs on the swim platform and a daring colour scheme illustrate how clients can effectively put their own stamp on a space without making drastic changes.

“My daughter likens this process to playing with Barbie, but it’s even more fun when I have a client in front of me looking to really make an interior their own,” says Margutti. “The true measure of success is when they remain happy with their yacht years after its delivery, as that means we wholly delivered what they were asking for.”

Margutti’s inventive interiors are complemented by Agnetha’s striking and assertive exterior form penned by Omega Architects, which incorporates contemporary design elements that make her a modern marvel on the water. Delivery is scheduled for Q2 2025.

Written by Julia Zaltzman