Aurelia’s interior decoration - highly personal and extremely original - is the work of the Florentine designer Francesco Paszkowski in collaboration with Margherita Casprini. It is like nothing else ever seen aboard a yacht. A peculiar interior. It had to reflect the owner’s personality,” says Paszkowski. “He doesn’t like a boat interior furnished with famous brand furniture, he likes objects and furniture which have a special feeling and vibe, which tell a story and have a flavour.”

Brown and charcoal grey hues and an industrial style are the red thread throughout the yacht. Brushed oak floorboards underfoot are cut to different widths to give an irregular, repurposed look. Panels of plywood bearing a thin coat of concrete butt up to steel girders overhead. There is concrete on the walls and ceilings – a thin coat of concrete on panels of plywood - as well as steel framed-furniture and shelves, and sofas upholstered in vintage leather. Antique Persian rugs add warmth to the atmosphere. The wiring for the lights on the boat is carried through brass piping fixed in plain sight to ceilings and bulkheads, even the light switches are old-fashioned industrial boxes that stand proud on every wall. “A feature that is likely to win over even the hardest-hearted of modernists is the wine cellar,” says Paszkowski. It spans two decks - Main and Upper deck - and is meant to be a remarkable design feature as it occupies the entire stairwell. It is composed by two separated wine cellars accessible from the main and upper deck. Each rack (a sort of square column) rotates on a swivel base. The racks rotate manually to give access to all bottles. They contain 44 bottles each. It has been designed by CdM in conjunction with Romagnoli Inox. “We are very proud of the iron staircase with the steps covered with leather surrounding the wine cellar,” adds Paszkowski. “We like it, as it fits with the industrial vibe, but the leather gives a special sensation under your feet.” Every major item of furniture has been rescued from a previous life, or at least inspired by a vintage piece: daybeds and benches resemble old wool mattresses, recreated in precious Ralph Lauren fabrics; there is a lamp whose mantle once adorned an airfield as a landing light, discovered in a flea market in Florence; the model of a Spitfire and a few exquisite pieces of art and paintings hanging on the walls.

“This design gave us the opportunity to explore unprecedented design solutions on board.”