modern yacht designs

High style on the high seas is not just a fiction one finds in Bond movies. The following rundown of the best in modern yacht interiors suggests that good design sense need not be shore bound.  

When looking for a custom boat interiors pro, Art collector Dakis Joannou commissioned famed artist Jeff Koons and interior designer Ivana Porfiri to outfit Guilty (pictured above and below), a colorful 35 meter yacht that is a floating homage to contemporary art and design. 

yacht interior design

Clear chairs maintain an uncluttered aesthetic - perfect for the limited space of a yacht. Get a similar look with clear outdoor dining chairs. This set by Zuo Modern (below) are perfect for the job. 

modern transparent chairs

Set of 4 Zuo Allsorts Transparent Outdoor Dining Chairs

The Antigone 80 meter yacht (below) is a sleek concept yacht by Pama Design. In looking for a style that would integrate well with the surroundings, the designers turned to an aesthetic perhaps most suited to the flat expanse of the sea: the classic Modernist look.

Mid century yacht design

Use floor lamps and modern seating to replicate the signature style.

arc modernist floor lamp

Possini Euro White Marble Base Arc Floor Lamp

Modern white chaise lounge


A high style sense is not just limited to custom yachts. Houseboats may not be built for the open sea, but they're excellent spaces to get creative within. This houseboat (below) berthed in Oldenberg, Germany, is designed with a minimalist look. Synthetic materials can be used when possible to save weight.  

European house boat design

White lounge chair

There are those, of course, who prefer to never leave shore at all. This boathouse in Ontario, Canada (below) is a stunning reason to forgo time on the water entirely.

Contemporary boathouse design

Sustainable vacation home design

Designed by GH3 Architects, this is an efficient model. The house is sited on a granite slab, an ideal thermal mass for the solar radiation that passively heats the space. Louvers, ventilation and the lake-front location keep things cool in Summer. With a space like this, keeping your land legs beneath you just might be the best idea of all.

Images: Hok Life, Tuvie, Home Designing, Contemporist