Refits can often be like new-construction projects: Rarely does the originally planned scope of work remain unchanged when it comes to interior design. A good exception to the rule is Mysorah, the 160-foot (48.77-meter) Feadship. She received an entirely new interior thanks to Patrick Knowles Designs and a good amount of structural work by Rybovich over a nearly three-year period.
Mysorah was built by Feadship in 1988 as Impromptu, with styling and interiors by Glade Johnson Design. She measured 142’5” (43.43 meters). The yacht was lengthened in the 1990s under the ownership of famed yachtsman Dennis Washington, when he christened her Attessa. Additional ownership changes ensued, with the name Mysorah eventually gracing the megayacht’s nameboards starting in 2011.
The owner of Mysorah brought in Patrick Knowles Designs in late 2012, about a year after structural and mechanical modifications had begun at Rybovich. Among the yard’s tasks were changing piping and electrical systems, repairing the hull, overhauling the drivetrain and gensets, and repowering the megayacht. Rybovich further extended and reconfigured the main aft deck. The latter was a significant change, permitting a large dining area plus new built-in seating, both created by Patrick Knowles Designs.
According to Patrick Knowles, principal of the eponymous firm, the planning stage for his team’s portion of the refit lasted four months. The owner deciding that the existing general arrangement suited his needs prevented those plans from having to be subsequently revisited and revised. That’s not to say the interior redesign work aboard Mysorah was minor. All told, Patrick Knowles Designs spent nearly 20 months involved in the refit. Some of this was due to several rooms being gutted down to their substructures for entirely new materials and looks. Specifically, the saloon, dining room, main-deck dayhead, skylounge, master stateroom (at top), and master study received this treatment. “The balance of the rooms received fairly significant attention,” Knowles adds, explaining that most of the joinery did remain the same.
The new interior of Mysorah is characterized primarily by anigre wood, with Macassar ebony and wenge employed as accents. Macassar ebony appears mostly on doors, while wenge adorns walls and some furnishings. Anigre in particular fulfilled the owner’s desire for a light and airy look, as part of an overall contemporary atmosphere. It’s a strong contrast compared to the megayacht’s previous decor, which was more elaborate and highlighted by deeper tones. The lighter color palette helps “promote a sense of volume,” Knowles says. “Due to the era of the boat, it is a bit less beamy than if it was built today.”
The way the inlays were fashioned also gives the illusion of more space. How? The darker grains of the chosen woods flow horizontally. “The principle of this design element was intended to exploit the length and width of each room,” Knowles explains. Especially in combination with the white upholstery wall panels (further textured) in some rooms, this “projects a sense of length beyond that which actually exists.”
Mysorah has a multitude of additional materials and treatments. To break up the smooth appearance of leather and other goods, many of the overheads aboard feature woven, textured overheads. Malachite, characterized by rich bands of green, appears in the skylounge. Because the owner is strongly attracted to Lalique, Baccarat, Christofle, and similarly high-end brands, a number of accessories from these companies appear throughout Mysorah. To preserve the contemporary vibe, just two types of stone are used aboard. They’re Eramosa, a limestone with rich browns, blacks, and greys; and Geriba Beach, a granite with tones of cream and gold. The two stones are juxtaposed against each other, much as how wenge strikes a contrast with anigre aboard.
The owner and refit teams aren’t the only ones satisfied with how Mysorah came together. The yacht was further a finalist for an International Superyacht Society design award this year.
EXCLUSIVE: See extra photos of Mysorah on our Google+ page.
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