The floor often takes centre stage in the design process. This is largely a question of proportion. In a yacht’s interior, where ceilings tend to be low and wall space limited, the floor is by far the project’s most expansive surface, the perfect canvas on which to boldly establish a design concept. Of course, the floor is also one of the most critical practical features of the yacht – it is the definition of utilitarian and yet, with the right treatment, can be wonderfully evocative. Carpets and rugs are excellent ways to personalise a yacht interior; as a result, they are increasingly the foundation (both literally and figuratively!) of ambitious interior designs. From the designer’s perspective, a rug is a very inspiring and freeing place to start, since the aesthetic possibilities of a custom carpet are endless. And so the role of carpets in the design process has changed dramatically. The association with dull wall-to-wall floor covering is gone, and designers consider yacht carpeting seriously and early in the process. Today, carpet samples and renderings of rug designs are routinely a part of trend boards and initial design presentations to superyacht clients.

This translates into tremendous potential for carpet designers and manufacturers, and the leading companies are taking note. Companies that specialise in the luxury market creating carpets for boutique hotels, fashion boutiques, fine residences and private jets are clamouring to work in the area. Custom carpet companies that serve the yacht market must stay current on international maritime regulations as well as, of course, the particulars of their own custom product. Seasoned professionals must also meticulously fit and install these carpets, and on-going customer care and precise maintenance guidelines are crucial.

The rise of the hand-tufted carpet and the massive field of choice it opens up have transformed the carpet into the indispensible design tool that it is today. Hand-tufted carpets are made by artisans who insert each fibre in its place in the design; this is as close you get to painting with wool and silk. When it comes to custom carpets, the design possibilities are practically limitless: design, dimension, colour and texture can all be personalised to achieve the desired effect. Fibres can be custom-dyed. Texture becomes an expressive element with wools, silks, jute and even more experimental fibres at the designer’s disposal. Fibre mixing and hand-finishing techniques like hand-sculpting and carving – processes through which a carpet’s fibres are painstakingly shaped by an artisan’s scissors – take customisation to the next level, creating surface textures that are genuinely unique.

While hand-tufting may not yield an actual antique rug, using intricately tufted designs and delicate silks it is possible to attain the look and feel of an antique. Today carpets can be made to any scale; it is not uncommon to create carpets of 100m² and larger, made in a single piece, so there is really no barrier to commissioning fine, hand-tufted carpets for any luxury yacht project. Lead time is also a selling point for carpets: even the most complicated custom rug can be delivered to a yacht, ready to install, in under four months.

A well-designed yacht, exterior and interior, can set a boat apart from the fleet forever. Once the regulatory and practical concerns have been met, this is the essence of the yacht designer’s role: to make each project a unique reflection of its owners, and an embodiment of the glamour and adventure at the heart of the yachting lifestyle.

Xavier Bonnamy

Marine and Aviation Manager

Tai Ping Carpets Europe

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