Berkeley Mills commissioned to build furniture for superyacht project.
“ Like it was true in the times of their forbearers, those of commercial and military sailing, yachts have to be a source of pride to their owners and captains…”—German Frers, Nautica Magazine
Berkeley Mills was recently commissioned to design, engineer and build deck and interior furniture for one of the world’s largest and most technologically advanced superyachts afloat. We started where all of our work begins, no matter how large or small: understanding the needs and wishes of our client.
The deck furniture would be used by our client and his guests. The furniture was to be simple, designed with proportions appropriate for its surroundings, comfortable and functional. Although some decks on this enormous ship would have protective glass walls, other decks would be exposed to the open sea. Oh, and did we mention that the furniture needed to be air-freighted to Europe in two months, in time for the ship’s maiden voyage?
We selected First European Quality teak as our material of choice, but had to source rare, wide, evenly grained, quarter-sawn boards. Such wood is extremely hard, and rich in water-resistant oil, making it ideal for a life on the sea. We came up with a design for single, double, and quadruple chaise lounges as well as other pieces that our client approved on the spot. Next, we specified stainless steel hardware from our favorite Japanese hinge-maker. The hinges we selected were twice as thick as necessary, made of a durable, corrosion-resistant combination of nickel and molybdenum, and machined to a polish akin to fine jewelry.
Because of the tight delivery requirement, we divided the job among several of our teams, with one team overseeing all wood selection and matching as a quality-control measure. The result? A project that met all of our client’s requirements as well as our own quality and design standards--just the way we aim to complete all of our commissions, whether for a bungalow or superyacht.
One quality. One company. Berkeley Mills.