“I dreamed of a place where I can be together with my family in comfort, seclusion, and style,” says the owner of the yacht Serenity. He’s eagerly counting down the weeks until his 197-footer (60-meter) is in his hands. “Serenity, with its free-flowing design and light-filled interior, promises to be that place, a beautiful home on the water,” he adds.
With the keel laying having taken place in 2022, the project is on pace for completion and delivery next year. The yacht Serenity features styling, naval architecture, and interior design all by Vripack. She’s under construction at Alia Yachts in Turkey. With family-oriented spaces spreading across four decks, she also has volume upwards of 1,000, which should make everything look and feel roomy.
More than that, though, the ambience is a seeming dichotomy of requests. According to Vripack, the owner wanted both warmth and sumptuousness. The superyacht needed to have a high “wow” factor, yet also be welcoming for his multi-generational family. Spending time together onboard after spending all day on the water was crucial. Warmth typically tends to mean relaxed and even homey. It’s no easy feat to make a room simultaneously laid-back and lavish, let alone an entire 197-footer. Vripack’s solution uses rich materials and sculpted details, along with high-gloss and highly tactile elements, to set the scene.
Take, for example, the saloon. One of the rooms where the entire family will gather together, it showcases layers of details. Underfoot, creamy Calacatta marble, with a brown marble border, extends all the way into the dining area. Deep-toned, carved rosewood cabinets sit to each side, between full-height mirrors. Arabic patterns, created via sandblasting, adorn the window mullions, with the patterns repeated in the frontage of a milled blue cabinet. The milling further has a high-gloss coating and mimics rippling water. Even with all of this, neither the saloon nor the dining area overwhelms the senses.
Another area where the décor of the yacht Serenity best displays the owner’s vision is the sky lounge (above). Similar to the saloon, it features Middle Eastern motifs, this time across the embossed leather ceiling. Amid the panels, tiny LEDs turn the ceiling into a twinkling starry “sky” come nighttime. Lighting plays a further significant role in the room thanks to angled ceiling panels, purposely to reflect light softly onto the velvet settees, which are a rich shade of green. Equally rich precious stones, plus marble and leather, adorn cabinet pulls. Whether in lounge mode or cinema mode—the room does both—sustainable sourced teak underfoot leads the family around the furnishings and into their seats.
Even seemingly less significant areas aboard are just as thought out. Every day head has a signature color, just like the en suite baths in all seven staterooms. The colors come via stitched, leather-wrapped vanities and stainless steel inlays. The floor of the elevator lobby shows off extraordinary details, too. Sandblasted glass sits atop 3D milled glass in floral shapes. If guests look closely at the handrail in the spiral stairway wrapping around the elevator, they’ll see it’s hand-hammered. Lastly, the foyer to the master suite (below) is a visual delight. Layer upon layer of hand-cut leather, high-gloss rosewood, and custom lighting make it a grand entrance.
Alia Yachts’ in-house team has been executing the millwork, steelwork, and other interior features. “Serenity is a true testament to our expertise in crafting intricate, luxurious, and custom yacht interiors,” says Aykut Berhan, the shipyard’s interior manager. Considering Bart Bouwhuis, Vripack’s co-creative director, considers the megayacht “one of our most dazzling interiors yet,” that says a lot. Berhan adds that the goal of making the yacht both relaxed and sumptuous is definitely working. “There’s a warmth to Serenity’s interior design that welcomes you and makes you feel at home,” he asserts.
Alia Yachts aliayachts.com
Vripack vripack.com
More About the Yacht Serenity
LOA: 196’9” (60 meters)
Beam: 34’1” (10.4 meters)
Draft: 9’5” (2.9 meters)
Guests: 14 in 7 staterooms
Engines: not specified
Range: not specified
Builder: Alia Yachts
Stylist: Vripack
Naval Architect: Vripack
Interior Designer: Vripack