classic yacht interiors

Top 10 charter yachts with classic interior

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Written by Rachael Steele

The term ‘classic’ has come to mean anything antique or ageless, and when discussing luxury charter yacht interiors it can certainly span the centuries to satisfy a variety of preferences. Dive into the world of luxury, experience the best of cruising around the world and refer to this list of top 10 incredible classic interiors aboard both motor and sailing charter yachts to consider for your next holiday.

Aboard Croce Del Sud

CROCE DEL SUD

42m/137ft sailing yacht CROCE DEL SUD was built in Istria in 1933 and underwent a three-year refit from 2008 to 2011 to maintain this elegant three-masted schooner at her finest. This graceful vessel looks impressive under sail and while at anchor guests can bask in the sunshine on the traditional seating and sun beds. The gorgeous interiors surround guests in traditional wooden panelling and overstuffed leather in cerise or plush white, depending if the upper or lower lounge. The five guest cabins to sleep up to 10 guests are painted white with accents in gold, and air conditioning throughout is one of the few modern additions for convenience and comfort.

Classic sail yacht CROCE DEL SUD – Exterior

10 Guests | 5 Crew | From EUR€ 75,000 /wk – ENQUIRE

SILVER SPRAY

33.5m/110ft Dutch schooner SILVER SPRAY is even older – launched in 1919, she is now a century old. The accommodation sleeps up to eight guests over four en-suite cabins. The indoor and outdoor dining areas offer plenty of options for intimate family meals with friends and family, and the spacious foredeck has room for sunbeds as well as yoga mats for exercise in the early morning sunshine.

Classic SY SILVER SPRAY – Exterior

8 Guests | 4 Crew | From EUR€ 28,000 /wk – ENQUIRE

Luxury yacht CLAIRE from Trinity Yachts has contemporary classic interiors with elements of art deco in her fixtures and fittings, such as the spiral staircase and frames around the artwork and mirrors. By contrast, her onboard amenities are entirely modern, among them a cinema, alfresco wet bars with widescreen TVs, a sundeck Jacuzzi and a large selection of water toys. Up to 11 are accommodated in her five en-suite guest cabins, where guests can unwind and end the day in complete opulence.

Motor yacht Claire – Exterior

11 Guests | 8 Crew | From EUR€ 139,500 /wk – ENQUIRE

Bridging the gap between traditional and modern is 50m/165ft superyacht MALAHNE. Built in 1937, she has hosted parties for the rich and famous of her era and was put to use during World War II. Guy Oliver of Oliver Laws Ltd painstakingly recreated her interiors using authentic furniture as part of a 30-month refit at the Pendennis shipyard in 2015, resulting in grand formal dining areas separate to the lounge and library, and accommodation for up to 10 guests in six beautifully appointed en-suite cabins. The only modern touch is the array of water toys available: Laser sailing dinghies, windsurfers and paddleboards are just a part of the exhaustive collection for fun-filled afternoons along the Croatian coast or the volcanic coast of Sicily and the Aeolian Islands .

Malahne – Exterior

10 Guests | 11 Crew | From EUR€ 145,000 /wk – ENQUIRE

Luxury yacht ST DAVID has travelled the world, visiting the iconic paradise of the Maldives and Seychelles , the rich cultural hub of the Mediterranean and the vibrant, ever-lively Caribbean & Bahamas . The globe at the foot of her eye-catching spiral staircase is an affirmation of her desire to travel the world with 12 guests accommodated in her six stately cabins. Warm wooden panelling and neo-classical styling surround guests as the enjoy amenities such as her large wet bar with a display of cut glass goblets. As desirable as the interiors are, the exteriors might be even more enticing, with ample space for socialising and basking in the sunshine on the numerous sunbeds or in the Jacuzzi.

ST DAVID – Exterior

12 Guests | 14 Crew | From EUR€ 325,000 /wk – ENQUIRE

36.9m/121ft Benetti superyacht NAMASTE was launched in 2013 and has a composite hull and superstructure for a shallow draft of 2.1m/7ft for navigating the shallow waters of the Caribbean & Bahamas yacht charter grounds. American Cherry wood paneling and Italian marble furnish the modern classic interiors. The volume on board is comparable with a larger luxury yacht, with a full-beam main deck Master suite among the five en-suite cabins for 10 guests. She is great for couples as well as families and conceals a large selection of water toys while proudly displaying large sunbeds, a wet bar and a Jacuzzi beneath a retractable shade.

Namaste – exterior

12 Guests | 14 Crew

Built at prestigious shipyard Lurssen to the design by Espen Oeino , the 106m/349.5ft mega yacht AMADEA is not just another vessel that features classic interior design. She is a floating masterpiece with head-spinning design elements throughout. Some of the opulent elements in her decor include rich woods, crystals, silk, and mosaic. Among her notable features are the winter garden, massive swimming pool, wellness centre with spa and a beach club with a bar. The atmosphere of real opulence onboard is present at all times, while the crew of 36 looks after everything and charter guest relax and entertain in style.

AMADEA – Exterior (© Imperial Yachts)

12 Guests | 14 Crew | ENQUIRE for pricing

Lurssen luxury yacht SOLANDGE measures 85.1m/279.2ft and spans five decks, all of it dedicated to leisure. The beautiful interiors are a combination of honey onyx stone, back-lit amethyst wall panels, rose quartz in the chandeliers and gold leaf on the ceiling, and a Bechstein piano awaits in the main salon. The Tree of Life lighted sculpture in the foyer spans all interior decks and it the centerpiece for the entire yacht. Eight stately en-suite cabins sleep up to 12 guests, who will wake up to a beach club with an on board spa zone replete with sauna, hammam, chromotherapy and spa massage room, a swimming pool, Jacuzzi and enough indoor and outdoor seating and dining areas for large quayside events.

Yacht Solandge – Exterior

12 Guests | 29 Crew | From EUR€ 1,000,000 /wk – ENQUIRE

ILLUSION V (58m/190.3ft) from Italian shipyard Benetti have timeless interiors from the shipyard’s in-house team: black and white create stark contrasts in glass and matte textures. She has a distinctive flower motif found throughout, from the welcoming beach club up to the sky lounge bar, with a karaoke system and DJ decks available for the ultimate party on board. Accommodation onboard is provided across six lavish cabins, including a master suite, a VIP cabin, 3 double guest cabins and one twin.

Illusion V – exterior

12 Guests | 13 Crew |

Built in 2014, motor yacht LIONESS V measure 63.5m/208.3ft. Her interior was created by Argent Design with soft creamy tones contrasting against luxurious dark woods. LIONESS V features a dream-like white staircase ascending among dark wooden panelling, an atmospheric cinema, a steam room and a gym, plus luscious outdoor lounging and dining areas serviced by a wet bar and shaded by large sun umbrellas.

Lioness V – exterior

12 Guests | 13 Crew | From EUR€ 425,000/wk –  ENQUIRE

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YACHT INTERIOR DESIGN

With strong experience of life aboard yachts and historic styles we design period interiors that are faithful to the original style and which offer modern day functionality.

YACHT EXTERIOR DESIGN   YACHT INTERIOR DESIGN

LUXURY YACHT INTERIOR DESIGN

From preliminary layouts through to final production drawings, our interior yacht designs are based on a clear understanding of on-board operations. These will reconcile the competing requirements of owners and guests; crew and regulations. This detailed approach allows a yacht to fulfil the full range of requirements of all who will sail in her. This translates into owner and guest enjoyment and an effective crew living and working environment that allow crew members to succeed in their area of expertise and deliver a first class service to Owners and their guests.

CLASSIC YACHT INTERIOR DESIGN

With in-depth experience of life aboard contemporary yachts and a detailed knowledge of historic interior design styles we design period interiors that are faithful to the original style yet which offer modern day functionality.

With classic yachts many period solutions remain relevant today, but equally innovative approaches are required to incorporate modern services and amenities. Our designs acknowledge the often competing criteria of comfort, storage, security and owner requirements in order to deliver quality solutions that allow guests and crew to enjoy the most satisfying and rewarding environments. Our extensive knowledge and archive of classic yacht interior designs allows us to restore and recreate period interiors that are authentic to the original design. Our material choices and finishes, as well as fittings and fabrics, all contribute to creating the right period feel which may be young and vibrant or formal.

SERVICE AREAS

To respond to the catering requirements our designs will typically include galleys, pantries, other food preparation areas, cold stores, dry provision storage and wine stores. Similar attention is given to laundry facilities and storage, waste management, workshops and general storage areas. It is the design of these ‘behind the scenes’ areas and the flow between them that allows crew to deliver first class service.

G.L. Watson & Co. Ltd. 20-23 Woodside Place, Glasgow G3 7QL, Scotland

Tel: +44 (141) 501 0480

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Distinctive Yacht Design

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Welcome to annika holmberg interiors.

Bringing the mastery of design and craftsmanship to a distinguished reality, where classic design meets modern expectations. Annika Holmberg Interiors stands as Sweden’s top yacht design company specializing in custom mega yacht and superyacht interiors. Combining decades of experience in the marine industry with that of the aviation industry, Annika Holmberg’s team of yacht designers delight clients from all over the world with a rare blend of skills – exceptional creativity, relentless attention to detail, staunch commitment to on-time delivery and perhaps the most rare – the ability to listen, understand, interpret and transform ideas into results that exceed client expectations. This holds true in every aspect of the work they do, from the first client meeting through design concept, execution and delivery.

Classic & Modern Designs

Annika Holmberg Interiors has been creating luxurious one of a kind custom interiors for a local and international clientele. Our specialties include yacht interiors and decor, yacht interior refits, yacht new construction, interior design and private interior design projects. Our mission is to provide a friendly, professional, personalized approach to each and every client and project with meticulous attention to detail. We understand that it is our clients’ vision and style we are reflecting in a project, in addition to meeting their timelines and budgetary requirements. Our goal is to orchestrate beautiful, unique, and high quality interior design projects and satisfy our clients’ expectations every step of the way. Annika Holmberg Interiors accommodate the global yachting community by providing exceptional interior design services and custom fabricated yacht interiors. Expert upholstery, cushions, bedding, window treatments, flooring and carpet, as well as stylish furnishings are custom designed to enhance and compliment your yacht. Our on-site Designer Fabric Showroom boasts an extensive collection of the latest fabrics suited to life at sea. We service all varieties of luxury yachts, from privately owned, OEM/Production yachts, refits to new builds. Yacht bedding, custom yacht interiors, Yacht & Aviation Awards, Interior designer, yacht interior designer, yacht cushions, etc.

An Exceptional Approach

At Annika Holmberg Interiors, we love to turn great ideas into great interior. The know-how, experience and performance of our highly skilled team have been recognized by many clients around the world and we are eager to develop these skills further. We believe in top-quality materials, the art of engineering and superior craftsmanship.

Project Management

The Project Management team at Annika Holmberg Interiors controls and coordinates the creation of luxury yachts and homes. From the very beginning to the very end. Project management is where it all meets.

Engineering

There’s no detail too small, no technical solution too far-fetched – our engineering team makes things possible. Working meticulously on even the smallest details, they lay the foundation for the implementation of the entire project.

Manufacturing

In our state-of-the-art furniture manufacturing facility, traditional craftsmanship is combined with innovation and the latest technologies. Thanks to the passion and commitment of our employees, we can transform meticulous plans and designs into reality.

The moment when everything comes together: Trim, panels, technology, furniture. Only when everything is put in place can you see the sum of all these carefully created parts. Expertly trained fitters assemble all of the individual parts to form the complete finished product on-site.

We Love Our Work

We specialise in exclusive, highly complex interior outfitting projects both on water and on land and implement high-quality interior fittings in the premium yacht and construction sectors all over the world. With diligence and visionary ideas for every detail, we supply exceptional interior solutions that reflect our goal-oriented approach to working.

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Luxury at Sea: The Ultimate Guide to Yacht Interior Design

Introduction to yacht interior design.

Yacht interior design is an artful mix of beauty, elegance and tech . Aesthetics coupled with functional designs give a unique experience on board. Color palettes and use of space are carefully thought out for a luxe feel .

Creating yacht interiors needs close attention to detail . Colors, furniture, accessories and lighting fixtures contribute to the ambiance. Owners, designers and builders work together to bring the desired look to life.

Eco-friendly materials are a growing trend in yacht interior design. Energy-efficient lighting systems and recyclable furniture create a more sustainable environment.

Functionality and luxurious aesthetics must be balanced to make the experience unforgettable. Hidden storage areas are essential to keep necessary items on hand without detracting from the look.

Factors to Consider when Designing Yacht Interiors

To optimize your yacht’s interior design, keep in mind key factors like space, materials, and style. Aim for maximum layout optimization, while choosing durable materials that harmonize with the yacht’s aesthetics. Explore the overall style and aesthetics to bring luxury and comfort to the high seas.

Space and Layout Optimization

Designing a yacht’s interior requires consideration of multiple factors. To optimize space and create a stunning look, customizing every aspect is key. This includes functional spaces like saloons, galleys, staterooms, and communal areas .

Layout optimization calls for proper circulation flow. Designers must choose materials that are attractive, functional, and durable. Cabinetry design is also important, as it provides storage and adds visual value.

Lighting and color choices can also be used to optimize space. Lighter hues on walls give an illusion of space in low deck height ceilings. LED lighting strips can be used to show off custom features at night.

Pro Tip : Don’t overcrowd the interior with furniture; instead, opt for hidden or collapsible features that offer multiple functions while maximizing available square footage. Invest in materials that will last longer than your last relationship .

Material Selection and Durability

Material selection is key for a yacht interior that is both beautiful and long-lasting. Strength, durability, appearance, and cost should all be taken into account.

Some common materials used for yacht interiors are:

• Leather: Durable, soft, and comfortable.
• Wood: Classic look, versatile, and strong.
• Marble: Elegant, costly, and easy to clean.
• Fabric: Plenty of colors and textures.

Each material has its own pros and cons. For example, leather may be long-lasting and comfortable, but it can crack over time if not properly cared for. Water resistance and ease of cleaning should also be considered. Anti-microbial fabrics or wood finishes can keep mold and mildew at bay. High traffic areas need tougher materials. Cabins, on the other hand, can have more delicate fabrics as they don’t get much use.

Sturdy materials are ideal when it comes to yacht interiors – they should be able to withstand wear and tear and maximize space utilization. Luxury and practicality should always be balanced. After all, no one wants to slip on marble floors in high seas!

Overall Style and Aesthetics

Designing yacht interiors requires consideration of style and aesthetics . Color schemes, materials, and furniture placement all come into play. A theme or style such as contemporary or traditional can be used. It must be both functional and beautiful, yet luxurious.

Details are key – moldings, lighting fixtures, and spacing of furniture. For instance, a modern-elegant, yet comfortable interior was designed for a client. Neutral tones were accented with gold finishes. Luxurious leather furnishings, custom cabinetry, and high-quality finishes completed the look.

From grandeur to minimalism, yacht interior design themes let you feel like a billionaire – in any boat!

Popular Yacht Interior Design Themes

To explore popular yacht interior design themes, we’ve got you covered with contemporary, classic, and Art Deco yacht interior design ideas. In order to give your yacht an elegant and luxurious appeal, these three sub-sections offer distinct approaches and aesthetics to inspire your yacht’s interior design.

Contemporary Yacht Interior Design

Contemporary yacht interior design is evolving with modern times. Luxury interiors are in demand and designers are coming up with cutting-edge ideas to make every corner of the yacht ooze opulence and comfort. Let’s take a peek at some popular themes:

• Minimalist – open spaces, clean lines, neutral colors;
• Nautical – blue/white stripes, sailing artifacts, wood;
• Industrial – metal accents, raw textures, exposed beams;
• Luxury – plush carpets, tufted furniture, high-end decor;
• Modern – sleek forms, innovative materials, bright lights.

To add an extra wow-factor, custom light fixtures and bespoke artwork can be included. Marble countertops or backsplashes can also elevate the look without overpowering the theme. Natural elements like greenery or organic textures bring balance and living experiences, like aromatherapy diffusers, can make for an immersive experience.

When designing a contemporary yacht interior, functionality should not be sacrificed for aesthetics. Creating an efficient use of space while maintaining charm is crucial. A classic yacht interior design is timeless, elegant and never goes out of style. There are unlimited options for creating beautiful contemporary yacht interiors. From selecting exquisite materials to blending colors, planning your dream sail-away destination has endless possibilities.

Classic Yacht Interior Design

Classic yachts feature luxurious interior designs. Rich fabrics like velvet and damask, mahogany wood, teak, leather, and silk create an opulent atmosphere. Intricate details like hand-carved woodwork, crystal chandeliers, and brass fixtures make these vessels stand out.

The Christina O is a classic yacht owned by Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis. Its interior includes a grand piano played by Frank Sinatra . Even outdoor spaces are adorned with luxurious elements like jacuzzis made from 24-carat gold tiles .

A classic yacht interior never goes out of style . It’s like having a time machine that can transport you to 1920s glamour.

Art Deco Yacht Interior Design

Art Deco is a well-known yacht interior design theme that blends opulent materials with geometric shapes for an exotic look. Chrome, oversized mirrors, glossy wood, and luxurious leather upholstery are all staples of this style. Popular in the 1920s and 30s, Art Deco has continued to inspire modern designers.

Streamlined curves, high-gloss finishes, and contrasting textures, colors, and patterns are the unique features of this yacht interior design. Ornate detailing on furniture like zebra stripes or faux fur throws add richness. Bold geometric tiles and velvet cushions create an elegant atmosphere.

For a successful Art Deco design, layer textures logically . Consider a swirling patterned carpet beneath a lampshade or aviator chairs beneath tiled tables. Exercise restraint while adopting elements. Balance texture playfulness and simplicity for a cohesive look . Transform your yacht interior into a luxury hotel suite and enjoy room service with a wave.

Furniture and Furnishing Ideas for Yacht Interiors

To amp up the interior design of your luxury yacht, check out some furniture and furnishing ideas that can make all the difference. Upgrade your yacht with better seating arrangements, smarter storage solutions, and fancier lighting fixtures.

Seating Arrangements

Seating arrangements are key for yacht interiors. It is important to pick furniture that looks good and offers both comfort and functionality. Let us check out some seating ideas for your yacht.

For a unique touch in your yacht interiors, consider adding seating like bean bags or hanging chairs . These alternative options can add a fun and relaxing feel to your space.

One client wanted a circular sofa for their yacht’s saloon. This sofa had cushions that could be changed into various shapes. This unique and versatile piece gave different seating options for the clients’ guests and also saved space on their yacht.

These storage solutions will make your yacht more spacious, or give you somewhere to hide all those empty champagne bottles!

Storage Solutions

On the hunt for storage solutions for your yacht’s interior? Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Install built-in cabinets and shelves that match the yacht’s decor.
• Make use of under-seat storage by adding custom-made drawers or compartments.
• Hanging organizers are ideal for smaller items like clothes, shoes and accessories.
• Multi-functional furniture pieces such as ottomans or coffee tables with hidden storage spaces can help you save space.
• Stack bins or wall-mounted baskets to maximize vertical space.

For a touch of sophistication, opt for materials like teak wood or stainless steel – they are both durable and aesthetically pleasing.

Don’t let clutter ruin the luxury of yachting. Put everything in its place and make your interior visually appealing. Take control of the organization and get ready to show off your yacht in style. Now, unleash your inner designer and let your yacht sparkle with these storage solutions.

Lighting Fixtures

Lighting in yacht interiors serves more than one purpose. It illuminates the space and adds to the ambiance. Different types of lighting are used for different functions.

For example:

• Overhead lighting: Main source of illumination
• Accent lighting: To highlight specific features
• Task lighting: Specific activities like reading or cooking

Installing dimmer switches is recommended for adjustable lighting intensity. LED lights are energy efficient and long lasting. Choose light fixtures that fit the style and complement the yacht’s existing furnishings. For example, modern yachts may use contemporary fixtures while traditional yachts may use brass.

Did you know that chandeliers were originally used in sailing ships to reduce the swinging of suspended lights? Now they are a staple in luxury yachts, adding elegance and sophistication. Who needs art when you’ve got the open sea?

Art and Decor for Yacht Interiors

To create a stunning yacht interior, look no further than the art and decor techniques in this guide. Enhance the look and feel of your yacht interior by incorporating painting and murals, sculptures and artifacts, and textile and upholstery design. Each sub-section offers unique solutions for creating a luxurious and personalized atmosphere on your yacht.

Painting and Murals

Artwork is essential for yacht interiors. Paintings and Murals bring sophistication and elegance . They add depth, character, and warmth to the decor. Paintings are focal points, without distracting from other elements . Murals can be customized to reflect the owner’s unique style.

Painting creates intimacy in larger yachts. Commissioned artwork allows owners to work with an artist for a personalized masterpiece. Smaller cabins can benefit from paintings that reflect each passenger’s personality. Different colors and textures help create a relaxed atmosphere. They balance the design elements and create breathtaking visuals.

Paintings have been used to transform spaces for centuries. Steve Penley was commissioned by Carolina Outdoor Recreational Equipment (CORE) for their Rinker 29QX project. When decorating a yacht, consider adding custom-made paintings by established artists. Elevate the yacht interior’s decorative style with artwork that enhances the overall mood. And, of course, nothing says ‘luxury’ quite like a giant golden sculpture of yourself!

Sculptures and Artifacts

Art and Decor for Yacht Interiors can make or break a vessel’s ambiance. Sculptures and Artifacts provide a sophisticated and elegant touch. Choosing the right pieces is key to complement the space.

Sculptures and artifacts come in many forms. Wooden carvings, hand-painted ceramics, glass sailfish sculptures, bronze divers – the options are limitless. They also make great conversation starters.

Pro Tip: Ensure the pieces are fastened securely in place – no moving around during bumpy rides! For an extra comfort level, why not try a plush velvet cushion from the yacht interior’s textile and upholstery design section?

Textile and Upholstery Design

Aesthetics are crucial for yacht owners to increase the appeal of their vessels. Textile and Upholstery Design is one way to heighten the atmosphere of their interiors. Fabric selection is key. Pick sturdy, top-notch fabric that matches the décor. Colors should complement the scheme, cabinetry, and furniture in the area. Adding comfort with customized cushions and pillows will tie it all together.

Window treatments such as curtains, blinds, or shutters are also part of the design. It should express the owner’s style while taking into consideration the space available.

To really spruce up the yacht interior, personalize it! Monogrammed linen napkins or hand towels with embroidered initials can make guests feel special and emphasize exclusivity. Keeping your yacht interior in order is like tending to a demanding girlfriend – it takes commitment and lots of moolah!

Maintenance of Yacht Interiors

To ensure that your yacht’s interiors remain in pristine condition, it is essential that you follow the maintenance procedures. In this section on ‘Maintenance of Yacht Interiors with Cleaning and Preventative Measures, Repair and Restoration Techniques’, we will guide you through the upkeep process. We will cover the two sub-sections in detail to provide solutions for cleaning and preventative measures and repairing and restoring your yacht’s interiors.

Cleaning and Preventative Measures

Keep your yacht in top shape with regular cleaning and preventative measures! Wipe down surfaces and store items away to limit damage. Invest in protective covers for upholstery and carpets, and inspect interior components like lighting fixtures, plumbing, and appliances.

Reduce mold and mildew growth with air purifiers or dehumidifiers. Dirt accumulation can be detrimental to health, so take preventative measures to keep it clean and safe. Restore your yacht interior with the right restoration techniques – no magic wand needed!

Repair and Restoration Techniques

The interiors of a yacht play a key role in making the voyage comfortable and memorable. However, when exposed to water and unpredictable weather conditions, wear and tear is unavoidable. To keep the elegance of the yacht’s interior, repair and restoration are necessary.

Follow this 5-step guide for repair and restoration of yacht interiors :

• Assess the damage and make a list of materials you’ll need.
• Clean the existing space.
• Repair any damaged supports, fixtures, or fittings.
• Restore furniture and other elements with proper color matching, polishing, or finishing to bring back its original appearance.
• Carry out ongoing maintenance activities, such as regular cleaning, check-ups, and repairs as needed.

To maintain yacht interiors, consider unique details like keeping track of service dates for upholstery cleaning or replacing carpets to ensure they match your yacht’s style.

The National Safety Council found that 50% of boating accidents are caused by poor maintenance . So, regular maintenance is essential for a safe cruise on your yacht.

Whether luxury or practicality is your yacht interior’s goal, maintenance is the key to keeping it in tip-top shape .

Conclusion and Final Thoughts on Yacht Interior Design

Creating a yacht interior is key to a luxurious experience. Every detail matters – from materials to colors. It may seem daunting, but expert help makes it possible to get that dream yacht!

Practicality and aesthetics must go hand-in-hand. Layout and arrangement must work in small spaces and all amenities must be available. Professionals and experienced crews can help take into account safety requirements.

Eco-friendly products are important too. Renewable resources and sustainable options reduce the impact on marine ecosystems. High-quality materials from businesses committed to reducing carbon footprints help preserve our planet.

Pro Tip: Less is more when it comes to yacht interiors. Simple elegance and sophistication create a sophisticated space for everyone to enjoy!

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8 Interior Design Firms Making a Splash in the Yacht World

From patricia urquiola to ken fulk, these high-profile designers are nixing traditional yacht interiors for free flowing designs with luxe furnishings., by andrew sessa.

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Celebrated architects and decorators known for shore-side projects are increasingly taking to the water, where they’re proving they’re anything but “at sea.” Armed with high-profile yacht commissions, these designers are throwing the cookie-cutter layouts and tired aesthetic tropes of typical marine interiors overboard. Instead, they’re employing floorplans that flow more gracefully, luxe furnishings and blue-chip art that would feel at home in the most sophisticated urban pied-à-terre.

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The force of this shift could be felt at September’s Monaco Boat Show, where new designers brought an outsider’s eye to the industry. One especially envelope-pushing case in point: Oceanco recently began an initiative to reimagine the super yacht from top to bottom, tapping forward-thinking Dutch interiors studio Tank as well as former Rolls-Royce design lead Giles Taylor to make it happen. While we wait to see, and sail on, what they’ll create, we’ve gathered an elite crew of star decorators, many brand-new to the life aquatic, whose genre-changing work is on the water right now.

Bergman Design House

A rendering of the saloon aboard Bergman Design House’s Eden yacht.  Courtesy of Bergman Design House

This studio launched its superyacht arm, Njord , in 2020 to meet the needs of residential clients spending more time on the water during the pandemic. “They loved their yachts for a week or two, but the boats didn’t feel like home when you lived on them for months,” says cofounder and creative director Marie Soliman-Berglund, whose team set out to give the vessels that special ambience. Apart from adding decadent details such as decks from French flooring purveyor Oscar Ono and cutting-edge air-filtration technology, Njord created taller rooms, or the illusion thereof. The main saloon on the 249-foot Eden features a metallic fabric overhead and an opening to the floor above. Combined, the interventions give the space a “sense of height and elegance” that’s tricky to achieve in a ship’s tight quarters.

Patricia Urquiola

The deck on SD96, designed by Patricia Urquiola.  Courtesy of Patricia Urquiola

Italian yard Sanlorenzo recently built upon its award-winning aesthetic credentials by enlisting Spanish-born Urquiola for an ongoing collaboration. Featuring a travertine-encased central staircase of bronzed steel and oak and pieces from Urquiola’s own furniture collections, SD96 puts a refreshing focus on flowing spaces and open views. “I like working on projects where the client asks you to do something you’ve never done before,” says Urquiola, who notes that being “a beginner in the industry helped me propose my personal way of experiencing the boat, making sure that the usual comfort of a home is replicated in a smaller space.”

Bryan O’Sullivan Studio

The living room aboard Icon , designed by Bryan O’Sullivan Studio.  Courtesy of Bryan O’Sullivan

Lauded for his recent work with Maybourne Hotels —including London’s Connaught , Berkeley and Claridge’s —the Irish-born O’Sullivan crafts superyacht interiors that incorporate his signature mix of custom pieces, midcentury furniture, curated artworks, rich textures and colorful accents. His 164-foot Mosaique and 221-foot Icon impress with such atypical nautical furnishings as a one-ton serpeggiante -marble soaking tub, a Vladimir Kagan glass-topped coffee table and curving sofa, Pierre Chareau lighting and custom pieces from Apparatus. Currently he’s at work on the full refit of a 230-foot yacht and annual updates to Icon .

Peter Mikic

Mikic , a former fashion designer, actually made his interiors debut at sea, crafting elements for London property developers the Candy brothers’ yacht in 2006, which led Elisabeth Murdoch to commission Mikic to decorate her entire 159-foot Elisabeth F. two years later. “I designed it in a way that was like an apartment,” he recalls of the vessel, which won awards at both the Monaco and Antigua boat shows. “I had almost no built-in furniture, which is crazy.” Today he continues to buck marine norms. Combining classic elegance with playful colors, patterns and textures, he gave a 109.5-foot yacht a bachelor-pad feel, and he’s now putting sheepskin-clad Fritz Hansen chairs and tufted boucle sofas on a 195-foot sailing yacht alongside contemporary British artworks by the likes of Bridget Riley.

A recent refit by 212box of Monte Carlo Yachts ’ 105-foot MCY 105 that includes custom furniture in the owner’s suite.  Nick Rochowski Photography

Yale School of Architecture grads Eric Clough and Eun Sun Chun—whose projects include a 6,000-square-foot Houston penthouse and more than 150 Christian Louboutin boutiques— recently completed their first marine commission, a refit of Monte Carlo Yachts’ 105-foot MCY 105 for a client in Hong Kong. Chun and Clough selected surprisingly seaworthy fabrics from Loro Piana and Hermès , furniture by Blackman Cruz and Carl Hansen and lighting from the Urban Electric Co. One particularly homelike vignette finds classic Hans Wegner Wishbone chairs surrounding a French-walnut dining table under an abstract painting by Laurent Hours.

Foley & Cox

The deck aboard a vessel by Foley & Cox.  Xavier Lamadrid

Founding principal Michael Cox and design director Zunilda Madera bring an acute appreciation of luxe details to yacht interiors (thanks in no small part to the decade Cox spent with Ralph Lauren ’s home brands). For the 152.5-foot vessel of a client whose homes in Monaco and Austria they decorated, the duo combined custom furniture from DeAngelis —including plush upholstered sofas with a depth and a softness that defy at-sea expectations—with finds from the Paris Flea Market . These idiosyncratic pieces, they say, bring a collected, eclectic patina to the yacht, reflecting the client’s personality.

The deck aboard Halekai by Ken Fulk.  Courtesy of Ken Fulk

A consummate showman, Fulk just completed his first yacht interior, a wooden sailing vessel for longtime clients. It combines historic inspiration with whimsical contemporary twists. The ship’s name, Halekai, means “home on the sea” in Hawaiian, which points to the state of mind of both clients and design team. With Honolulu’s Iolani Palace as a jumping-off point, Fulk combined the European and the indigenous, creating such evocative details as carved teak doors and custom marquetry in teak and koa wood and embroidered headboards based on a royal Hawaiian wedding quilt.

Tara Bernerd

Known for designing hotels and restaurants from Chicago to Osaka, Bernerd first brought her signature industrial élan and masculine edge to the sea nearly a decade ago. “Yacht interiors so often veer towards the traditional,” she says. “We’ve sought to bring a fresh, contemporary, sporty feel with pale washed woods and beautiful linens mixed with textured fabrics.” On a just-completed 102-foot Sanlorenzo yacht, marble insets adorn built-in cupboards while panels of green onyx clad a bathroom’s walls and the front of the glam below-deck bar.

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Luxury yacht interiors and the creative process behind

The Art of Interior Design in Yachts: Exploring the world of luxury yacht interiors and the creative process behind designing them.

Step aboard and immerse yourself in the opulent world of luxury yacht interiors! From sleek modern designs to timeless elegance, the art of interior design in yachts is a captivating blend of style, functionality, and creativity. Join us on a journey as we explore the top trends, layout tips, material choices, furnishing styles, and clever storage solutions that make these floating palaces truly spectacular. Get ready to be inspired by the beauty and innovation behind crafting the perfect yacht interior!

Top trends in luxury yacht interior design

Luxury yacht interior design is constantly evolving, embracing new trends to create stunning and functional spaces that cater to the desires of discerning clients. One notable trend in yacht interiors is the use of sustainable materials, reflecting a growing awareness of environmental responsibility within the industry. Another popular trend is the incorporation of smart technology, seamlessly integrating features like automated lighting and climate control for enhanced comfort and convenience.

In terms of aesthetics, contemporary minimalism continues to be a favored style among yacht owners, with clean lines and neutral color palettes creating a sense of calm sophistication. On the other end of the spectrum, there’s also a resurgence of classic glamour in yacht design, with luxurious fabrics, ornate details, and rich textures evoking a sense of timeless elegance on board.

From innovative layouts to cutting-edge decor elements, staying ahead of these top trends ensures that luxury yacht interiors remain at the pinnacle of sophistication and style.

Material and design choices for yacht interiors

Choosing the right materials and designs for yacht interiors is crucial in creating a luxurious and stylish space that reflects your personal taste and lifestyle. From opulent marble countertops to sleek stainless steel fixtures, every detail contributes to the overall aesthetic of your yacht’s interior.

When it comes to materials, consider durable yet elegant options like teak wood flooring or leather upholstery for a timeless look. Incorporating high-quality fabrics and finishes will not only enhance the visual appeal but also ensure longevity in a marine environment.

In terms of design choices, think about maximizing natural light with large windows or incorporating innovative lighting solutions for ambiance. Selecting a color palette that complements the ocean views can create a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces.

Whether you prefer modern minimalism or classic elegance, the key is to balance functionality with aesthetics to achieve an inviting and sophisticated yacht interior that suits your unique style preferences.

Popular interior styles for yacht furnishing

When it comes to interior styles for yacht furnishing, there are a few popular options that exude luxury and sophistication. One classic style is the nautical theme, featuring navy blues, whites, and touches of gold or brass accents to create a timeless maritime ambiance.

For those seeking a more modern look, contemporary design with clean lines and neutral colors like grey or beige can provide a sleek and elegant aesthetic onboard. Incorporating state-of-the-art technology seamlessly into the design can elevate the overall experience.

Alternatively, an eclectic style mixing different textures, patterns, and colors can add personality and vibrancy to the space. Think bold artwork pieces paired with plush velvet furnishings for a stylish yet cozy atmosphere that feels like home away from home on the open seas.

No matter which style you choose for your yacht furnishing, creating a harmonious blend of comfort, functionality, and aesthetics is key to achieving a truly luxurious onboard experience.

How to design the perfect layout for your yacht

Designing the perfect layout for your luxury yacht is a crucial step in creating a comfortable and functional space that reflects your personal style. Start by considering the flow of the space – ensure there is enough room to move around freely without feeling cramped.

Think about the purpose of each area on the yacht – from dining and lounging to sleeping quarters and entertainment spaces. Each area should serve its own unique function while seamlessly connecting with the rest of the layout.

Utilize natural light to create an open and airy feel onboard. Large windows, skylights, or even glass floors can bring in plenty of sunlight and offer stunning views of the surrounding waters.

Consider incorporating versatile furniture pieces that can easily transform to suit different needs throughout the day. Opt for sleek designs that maximize space without compromising on style.

Lastly, don’t forget about outdoor areas! Designing a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces will enhance your overall yachting experience as you enjoy breathtaking sunsets or dine al fresco under the stars.

Clever storage solutions for yachts

When it comes to designing the interior of a luxury yacht, clever storage solutions are key. With limited space on board, maximizing every inch is essential for both functionality and aesthetics.

One smart storage solution often seen in yachts is utilizing hidden compartments beneath seating areas or within walls. This not only saves space but also maintains a clean and uncluttered look throughout the yacht.

Another popular option is incorporating multi-functional furniture pieces that serve dual purposes, such as a coffee table with built-in storage or a bed frame with drawers underneath. These innovative designs help minimize clutter while adding practicality to the living spaces.

Vertical storage solutions like tall cabinets or shelving units can also make use of otherwise wasted space, providing ample room for storing belongings without sacrificing floor space.

Overall, integrating these clever storage solutions into the design of a yacht ensures that everything has its place, creating a harmonious and organized environment for passengers to enjoy their time at sea.

Luxury yacht interior design is truly an art form that combines creativity, functionality, and elegance. From incorporating the latest trends to selecting the perfect materials and styles, designing the interior of a yacht requires careful planning and attention to detail.

By following top trends in luxury yacht interior design, creating a layout that maximizes space, choosing high-quality materials and stylish designs, as well as implementing clever storage solutions, you can transform your yacht into a luxurious floating oasis.

Whether you prefer a modern minimalist look or a classic nautical style, there are endless possibilities when it comes to designing your yacht’s interior. So let your imagination run wild and create a space that reflects your personal taste and lifestyle while enjoying the ultimate luxury on the open seas.

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The Most Elegant Classic Yachts in the World Are Gearing Up for an Epic Championship

More than 200 vintage vessels of untold beauty are breaking out to compete in the 13th annual North American Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge . Panerai , the Florentine watch company, has a longtime affinity with the sea. At the beginning of the last century, Italy’s navy looked to the venerable brand to supply timepieces and precision instruments for its specialized underwater corps. Today, that relationship continues with this series, which comprises ten of the world’s most prestigious, tradition-rich yacht regattas, divided into two circuits: Mediterranean and North American. Spanning three consecutive weekends this month, the North American series includes five races along the New England coastline.

Here, AD looks at four of the championship’s most exceptional contenders.

The Hanuman is an exact replica of the Endeavour II —one of the J Class America’s Cup boats from 1937. While the J Class haven’t recently raced in New England classic regattas, they often participate in the kick-off regatta for the Panerai Classic Yacht Challenge in Antigua every year. The Hanuman is named after the son of the Hindu wind god, a symbol of strength, perseverance, and devotion.

The 32.4m Kestrel Fishers Island 31 was designed and built by famed yacht designer Nathanael Herreshoff. Although she was built in 1927, she was not delivered until 1929. She is only one of 14 of these Fishers Island 31s, which have nonetheless been widely recognized as among the greatest ever all-round yacht designs. One of her sisters is currently displayed as the featured exhibit in the Herreshoff Marine Museum. Kestrel is a regular at the PCYC Nantucket Regattas.

The Marilee is a Herreshoff New York Yacht Club 40-foot class sloop designed and built in 1926 by Nathanael Herreshoff. Marilee is one of the few survivors of this New York 40 "fighting forty" Class, named for the boats' strength and excitement on the racecourses of the early 20th century. She was restored last year with a unique interior.

Santana , Humphrey Bogart’s former boat, affectionately named “Bogie’s boat,” was built in 1935 by designers Sparkman & Stephens. It was restored last year with original interior. In 1938 it won the Newport to Bermuda Race and won the schooner trophy.

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Most people in the West have probably heard of Grozny (and this cannot be said for many Russian cities), however unfortunately its fame is mainly due to more tragic reasons - having been virtually destroyed during the two Russian-Chechen Wars in the last decade of the 20th century and the first of the 21st. 

However today Grozny has been completely rebuilt since the war and the city is now home to a magnificent mosque, which is often referred to as the Heart of Chechnya, and a business centre. Although many Western governments still advise against all travel to Chechnya, security has also been restored in Grozny and it is now considered one of the safest cities in the North Caucasus. The city has become a popular destination for a day trip from Kislovodsk and other Mineral Waters resorts, but there are also regular flights from Moscow .

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Yuri Kozyrev: Photographing 15 Years of Chechnya’s Troubled History

Yuri Kozyrev recalls the winter of 1999 as one of the most trying and tragic of his career as a photographer. It was the eve of Vladimir Putin’s ascent to the Russian presidency, and the height of the Russian bombardment of Chechnya, when entire towns in that breakaway republic were, as the Russians often put it, “made level with the earth.”

Kozyrev, a native of Moscow, documented both of Chechnya’s wars against Russia in the 1990s. The first one, fought between 1994 and 1996, had resulted in a humiliating defeat for Russia. But the carnage was far worse when the conflict resumed under Putin in 1999.

Arriving in Chechnya that fall, Kozyrev’s plan was to find and photograph two men amid the chaos of the Russian invasion. The first was Major General Alexander Ivanovich Otrakovsky, who was then commanding the Russian marines from his encampment near the town of Tsentaroy, a key stronghold of the Chechen separatists. The second was the general’s son, Captain Ivan Otrakovsky, who was serving on the front lines not far from the base, in one of the most hotly contested patches of territory.

The aim, says Kozyrev, was to document the two generations of Russian servicemen involved in the conflict – the elder brought up at the height of Soviet power during the Cold War, the younger in the dying years of Moscow’s empire. After weeks of negotiations, he finally managed to embed with the marines and to track down their general, a stocky man with a sly smile and a distinctive mole on the right side of his nose.

At the time, his command center was in an abandoned storage facility for crude oil, Chechnya’s most plentiful and lucrative commodity – and one of the main reasons why Russia refused to allow the region to secede. “It was incredible,” Kozyrev says of his first encounter with the general. “Here were these commanders living inside of a giant oil bunker.”

He recalls Otrakovsky as a kindly intellectual, nothing like the Russian cutthroats who would later be accused of committing atrocities in Chechnya. The general, whose troops referred to him affectionately as Dyed, or Grandpa, was willing to help Kozyrev. But he explained that reaching his son on the front lines would be extremely dangerous, as it would require passing through enemy territory around Tsentaroy.

That town was well known in Chechnya as the home of the Kadyrov clan, an extended family of rebel fighters whose patriarch, the mufti Akhmad Kadyrov, had served as the religious leader of the rebellion. During the first war for independence in the 1990s, he had even declared a state of jihad against Russia, instructing all Chechens that it was their duty to “kill as many Russians as they could.”

At the start of the second war, however, Kadyrov switched sides and agreed to help the Russians, causing a fateful split within the rebel ranks. While the more recalcitrant insurgents had turned to the tactics of terrorism and the ideology of radical Islam, Akhmad Kadyrov abandoned his previous calls for jihad and agreed to serve as Putin’s proxy leader in Chechnya in the fall of 1999.

That did not stop the fighting around his home village, as various insurgent groups continued attacking Russian and loyalist forces positioned around Tsentaroy. So none of the Russian marines were especially keen to move around the area unless they had good reason, and it took Kozyrev days to convince the Russian commander to allow him to reach the front lines. Eventually Gen. Otrakovsky consented, providing the photographer with an escort of about ten marines and two armored personnel carriers.

They set out on what Kozyrev recalls as an especially cold day, rumbling through fog or mist that made it difficult to see the surrounding terrain. As the general had feared, the group was ambushed. From multiple directions, Chechen fighters opened fire with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, forcing the convoy to retreat from Tsentaroy. One of the marines was killed in the firefight; three others were wounded.

When they returned to the base, it was clear from the glares of the troops that they all blamed Kozyrev for the fiasco, he says, and Gen. Otrakovsky advised the photographer to leave in the morning. “He said it may not be safe anymore for me to stay among his men,” Kozyrev remembers.

The trauma of that incident has lingered, weighing heaviest during his later assignments in Chechnya. Today, the region is ruled by Kadyrov’s son Ramzan, who took over after his father was assassinated in 2004. His native village of Tsentaroy has since enjoyed a generous stream of aid for redevelopment, including the construction of a beautiful mosque dedicated to Ramzan Kadyrov’s mother.

The rest of Chechnya has been rebuilt with similar largesse from Moscow, which has poured billions of dollars into the reconstruction of the cities and towns it had destroyed. When Kozyrev returned to Chechnya in 2009, nearly a decade after the end of the war, he says, “It blew my mind. The place is unrecognizable.”

The Chechen capital of Grozny – which the U.N. deemed “the most destroyed city on earth” in 2003 – is now a gleaming metropolis. Its center is packed with skyscrapers, sporting arenas, shopping plazas and an enormous mosque, the largest in Europe, dedicated to the memory of Akhmad Kadyrov.

His clan now rules the region unchallenged, having sidelined all of its local rivals with Moscow’s unflinching support. Throughout the region, portraits of Putin and the Kadyrovs are now plastered on the facades of buildings and along highways. Among the more ostentatious is a gigantic picture of Akhmad Kadyrov astride a rearing stallion, which adorns a building at the end of the city’s main drag – the Avenue of V.V. Putin.

The strangeness of the transformation, and of its architects, still seems astounding to Kozyrev, who last went on assignment to Chechnya for TIME in April. The trips always remind him of Gen. Otrakovsy, who died of a heart attack while commanding the marines in southern Chechnya, about four months after the young photographer had shown up to ask for his help. The general’s son, whom Kozyrev never did manage to find, went on to become a right-wing politician in Russia with close ties to Orthodox Christian conservative groups.

These were the men who executed the war that helped bring Putin to power. “But it was all the decision of one man to bring Chechnya back under control in ‘99. Putin decided to do that,” Kozyrev says. “And it’s incredible, when you think about it. But the men of Tsentaroy turned out to be his most loyal helpers.”

Yuri Kozyrev is a photojournalist and a TIME contract photographer. He is represented by Noor . In 2000, he received two World Press Photo photojournalism awards for his coverage of the second Chechen war in 1999.

Alice Gabriner , who edited this photo essay, is TIME’s International Photo Editor.

Simon Shuster is a reporter for TIME based in Moscow.

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The Deportation of 1944 – How It Really Was? – Umalt Chadayev

February 23 this year marked the sixty-fourth anniversary of the mass deportation of Chechens and Ingush to Kazakhstan and Central Asia. In a matter of a few days almost half a million people, mostly women, children and the elderly, were loaded on to special trains and sent into the unknown.

To this day, in spite of two extremely brutal military campaigns which have recently claimed the lives of tens of thousands of civilians in the Chechen Republic, those who witnessed it at first hand remember “Stalin’s deportation” as one of the most terrible tragedies in their lives. Chechens consider that their thirteen long years of exile in the steppes of Kazakhstan and Central Asia caused a great many changes.

“Not only were the Chechens, like many other peoples of the North Caucasus, deported from their ancestral homeland – they were also subjected to a process that was intended to deprive them of their historical memory. I’m told that for several days after February 23, 1944, ancient Chechen manuscripts (teptary) were burned in Grozny. In the mountains, centuries-old historic towers were dynamited: in the Argun Gorge (southern Chechnya) alone, some 300 of them were destroyed. Our ancestral cemeteries were razed to the ground, and the gravestones (churty) were used for the construction of various buildings and roads,” says the Chechen State University professor Sharani Dzhambekov .

“February 23 is one of the most tragic dates in the history of the Chechen people. It will be remembered by our children and our children’s children because it affected every Chechen. More than half of our compatriots were left in unmarked graves on the way to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia, and also when they got there,” he adds.

“About a month before the deportation Soviet soldiers came to the mountain villages. They said that the troops were getting ready for some sort of major exercises. But people were doubtful because there were already rumours that the Kalmyks and Karachays had been deported, ‘to Siberia ‘, as it was said at the time. But no one wanted to believe it, or that the same thing could be done to us,” says 78-year-old Grozny resident Salavdi Khadzhiyev . “At the time, we were living in the Vedensky district of the Chechen-Ingush Republic.”

“On the morning of February 23 all the adult men were called to some kind of meeting in the centre of the village. There they were surrounded by soldiers, and then a decree was read out to them. It said that the Chechens were being deported, and then they were ordered to immediately get their families ready for a journey. Soldiers went to each house and gave the families twenty minutes to make preparations. They were told to take warm clothes and food for three days, but no further explanation was given. I was just a teenager at the time, but I can still hear the crying and wailing of our women. It was horrible. No one knows exactly how many people died on the road of hunger and cold, or how many perished when they reached their destination. There were many thousands of such people.”

“Women, children, old folk, men from various families were herded into a single wagon. There were no toilets. The menfolk cut a hole in the corner and draped it with a blanket and a sheet. That was the toilet. But many people, especially young girls, were too embarrassed to use it, which damaged their urinary tract and even led to their death. In our wagon a 14-year-old girl died. There were also a lot of such cases in the other wagons. February 23 and the days that followed it were a road to nowhere – they were the most terrible shock of my life. Now, after the two wars that have been here, I realize that there are things worse and more terrible than the ones I experienced back then,” says 75-year-old Nepisat Akayeva , a female resident of the republic’s Itum-Kalinsky district.

“My father told me that when a trainload of Chechens arrived at one of the railway stations in the Aktyubinsk Oblast of Kazakhstan, they tried to find out where they had been taken. There were a lot of Kazakhs standing there. They’d been specially sent with horse-drawn sleighs to take the deportees to their places of accommodation. Well, one of the Chechens, who had previously worked as a teacher at a school, knew several languages and decided to talk to the Kazakhs. He began in Russian, but they were silent. He said a few words in Chechen, but they didn’t understand. He tried some other language as well, but again there was silence in response. Then he turned to his fellow countrymen and said: “We’ve probably been taken to Mongolia. They don’t know any language but their own,” another resident of Chechnya, 48-year-old Ayub Ishanov , relates.

“Of course, there were various different attitudes towards Chechens in those days. There was a lot of meanness and nastiness, but quite a lot of decency, too. For example, my grandfather who fought at the front in 1944, was forced to emigrate to Kazakhstan, as all frontline Chechen soldiers were. For several years he tried unsuccessfully to find out what had happened to his brothers and sisters, of whom before 1944 he’d had nine. In the end it became clear that only one sister had survived. She was living with her two small sons on a collective farm somewhere near Alma-Aty. And my grandfather was living in the Gurevsky district [of Western Kazakhstan] at that time,” 30-year-old Chechen resident Shamkhan told Prague Watchdog’s correspondent.

“He decided to go there and bring his sister and nephews back with him. He also learned that his sister was seriously ill with typhoid. At his own risk he went to Alma-Aty, hiding on the roofs of rail cars – at that time Chechens were forbidden to leave their places of settlement, a crime for which they could be sent to a labour camp for 15-25 years. Somewhere near Alma-Aty he was arrested and taken to the local commandant’s office. On learning that my grandfather was a Chechen, had fought in the Second World War and was going to fetch his sister, the commandant, a Ukrainian by nationality and himself a frontline officer, let him go. Moreover, he gave him some sort of pass which provided him with immunity from arrest. My grandfather always remembered that man with gratitude. He found my sister and his nephews, and took them home.”

“And in one of the other districts of Kazakhstan, I don’t remember now exactly where this happened, there was another commandant who was in charge of the ‘special contingent’. He would even let Chechens leave the auls [villages] where they lived. There were two villages next to each other, separated by a small river. Several dozen Chechen families lived in one of them. But the only cemetery was on the outskirts of the other aul, where only Kazakhs lived. When a Chechen died, the commandant would not allow the family to cross the river to bury the body in the cemetery. Chechens had to carry the deceased person on a stretcher to the middle of the river, and the Kazakhs would come out from the other side. They’d take away the corpse and bury it in their cemetery. Those are the sort of ‘customs’ there were then.”

“Though it has to be said that the things that happened during the deportation were as nothing compared to what happened here during the two recent military campaigns. In those days there were no mass bombings of villages, no large-scale abductions, there was no brutal torture of detainees, no selling of corpses and killing of hostages. Though in my opinion both the 1944 deportation and the two military campaigns (the 94-96 military actions and the ‘counter-terrorist operation that began in 1999) were acts of genocide,” Shamkhan is convinced.

Just 64 years ago, on February 23, the mass deportation of Chechens and Ingush to other regions of the Soviet Union, primarily Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, began on the orders of the Kremlin leadership. The large-scale operation, codenamed “ Chechevitsa ” [ Lentil ], was personally supervised by People’s Commissar Lavrenty Beria . Archive data from the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (ChI ASSR) indicates that 478,479 people were deported, including 387,229 Chechens and 91,250 Ingush. According to various sources, in the early years of their exile about half of the Chechens and Ingush died from hunger, cold and disease.

In 2004 the European Parliament recognized the 1944 deportation of the Chechens as an act of genocide . The Kremlin leadership has so far taken no real steps aimed at the rehabilitation of these repressed peoples, despite the fact that in November 1989 a law to that effect was passed in the USSR. In “compensation” for their forced exile, Chechens (as victims of deportation, and their children born before 1957 – the first year in which Chechens were allowed to return to their historic motherland) are being offered payments of 10,000 roubles (about $400) per family. In Chechnya this is viewed as just more mockery of the Chechen people’s memory, and the vast majority of Chechens do not plan to take these miserable sums from the government.

Umalt Chadayev Prague Watchdog – 2008

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Grozny, and Chechen history, being reconstructed

• Oct. 19, 2008

GROZNY, Russia — This is the year, according to an order from a president whom few dare to disappoint, that the architectural scars of war in Grozny, Chechnya's capital, will be removed.

That the order has nearly been fulfilled is a feat.

Not long ago, Grozny (the name means "terrible" in Russian) offered a panorama of sagging husks of buildings and unmarked graves, scenes that eerily resembled the ruins left by the most destructive urban battles of World War II.

Grozny today is less a battlefield than the renovated seat of a new police state within Russia's borders, led by Ramzan Kadyrov, the republic's young and exceptionally violent president. And Kadyrov, a Chechen who has professed loyalty to the same Kremlin that many of his fellow Chechens fought for more than a decade, has decreed that by Dec. 31 his capital will bear no more of the marks of war that made Grozny worthy of its name.

As the makeover nears completion, and at a pace recalling the fear-driven public works of Stalin's time, Grozny's new look summons questions. The ruins are vanishing. How will the city remember the forces that destroyed it?

The answer, in short, is very carefully. And partially. If the task of writing a war's history falls to the victors, then Kadyrov is busy with a selective first draft.

Throughout the city, memorials have sprouted, but they are as censored and as celebratory of the republic's latest rulers as are the contents of Chechnya's state-run news media.

Russia elsewhere is a nation with a well-developed sense of its enemies. It is also densely populated with memorials, many of them statues of thick-limbed Soviet soldiers standing against invading Germans more than half a century ago.

To this day, on significant war anniversaries the Kremlin broadcasts messages of Soviet victory over Germany to its population and the world, just as it still celebrates the Nazi surrender in military parades at Red Square.

But here in Grozny, public discussion about the forces that flattened this city is complicated by the fact that those forces were not foreign. They were Russian. And so in the urge to memorialize the war, Grozny has become an outdoor shrine to the president's father, Akhmad Kadyrov, who was killed by a bomb in 2004 at a ceremony, as fate would write it, commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany.

In the government's version, Akhmad Kadyrov, a Sufi religious leader and former rebel, had grown so disgusted with separatists and the Arab jihadis who joined them that he led an armed countermovement, steering Chechnya back to the fold of a beneficent Moscow.

These days the weary face of the deceased Kadyrov looks down from ubiquitous posters. His name adorns everything, including weight-lifting centers and the city's huge new mosque, the largest in Russia. Official remembrances of the wars are used to recall his civic-mindedness, judgment and courage.

The only images that compete with him are, in order, pictures of one of his sons, Ramzan, and portraits of the Kremlin's most recent occupants, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President Dmitri Medvedev.

The problem with the Kadyrov cult of personality that the younger Kadyrov has sponsored is that it requires both selective forgetting and an awkward balancing act for former rebels now courting Kremlin favor.

A visitor will not find official acknowledgment that by the time the elder Kadyrov rose to prominence, Chechnya and Russia had been at war, off and on, for nearly 10 years. Or that an accumulated mass of evidence has documented Russian human rights violations against Chechens on a grand scale.

Nor does anything indicate that it was not separatists who destroyed Grozny, but Russian artillery, aircraft and armor.

Such subjects are officially taboo. The current government has decided to let time try to heal what words and memorials cannot yet salve.

"We understand perfectly well people who have no history of their own, who do not respect the memories of their ancestors - this nation is doomed," said Salavdi Jamiyev, Grozny's deputy mayor, who is coordinating much of the reconstruction. "But we are in a difficult time.

"It is now maybe a time to bypass some controversial issues," he continued. "Maybe it is better not to discuss the political mistakes of Russia's leaders. Later, maybe, the task can go to future generations. But not now."

And so all across Grozny, there are signs of the airbrush.

A memorial to dead journalists does not list their names. On the day the monument was unveiled, a list of killed journalists was read aloud.

But it did not include some of the most prominent killings, including that of Cynthia Elbaum, a young American photographer and the first journalist to die in the war. Elbaum was killed by a Russian airstrike in 1994.

"It was a ceremony for those who died in the name of freedom of speech," said one person who attended but asked not to be identified out of fear of retaliation. "But those who suppress freedom of speech held it, and they left out names that did not fit the message. It was farce."

As the noncontroversial monuments rise, monuments that more fully explore the darkly intertwined histories of Russia and Chechnya lie fallow. At one intersection, a small, rebel-made monument is overgrown and in neglect.

The memorial is an assemblage of grave markers. The stones had been dug up by Soviet laborers after Stalin ordered in 1944 that the Chechen population be deported to Central Asia. The Soviet Union later used the gravestones for building foundations and curbstones.

After Stalin's death, Khrushchev allowed the surviving Chechens to return.

After the Soviet Union dissolved, Chechens collected the tombstones and arranged them in an outdoor park. From one pile of stones, a muscular arm rises. It is holding a dagger.

It was a sure mark of rebellion, and over the years, as Russian patrols have passed it, they have fired into the monument repeatedly, leaving it pocked with bullet marks.

Jamiyev, the deputy mayor, said a contest was being held to design a new memorial to deportation. The gravestones are sacred and will be moved to a better location, he said.

The winning entrant for the replacement monument, he said, will probably not include that defiant knife.

Sitting at his desk in a new city hall, where the lobby bears a stone mural of Akhmad Kadyrov, across the street from a mosque named after Akhmad Kadyrov, Jamiyev allowed himself a warm, silent smile.

Most everyone here knows that Russia made rubble of this city. Most everyone knows the history of cycles of war between Chechens and Slavs. But today, officially at least, Russia is an ally. Jamiyev recited a Russian proverb. "The one who recalls the past," he said, "will banish his eyes."

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