Yacht Project 111.11 to Have “Otherworldly But Inviting Environment”

An interior design inspired by the moon and Mars is unusual. Admittedly, designer Carla Guilhem says she strove for something different for the décor of the yacht Project 111.11 with the owners. But, she emphasizes, despite the futuristic feel, “the interior will be very much grounded in real life” and have a sense of elegance. We’ll have to wait until late 2024 to see the real thing, a custom yacht from Van der Valk Shipyard with tremendously tailored touches.

The shipyard revealed the contract inking earlier this year, indicating more details would follow after interior-design finalization. The owners, with three decades of cruising experience, wanted to leverage a proven full-displacement hull form but have four decks entirely infused with their own ideas. Van der Valk ultimately suggested the engineering platform from the yacht Lady Lene. It suited the owners’ desires for five staterooms, a combination toy garage and beach club, and more. “The layout we ultimately developed revolves around entertaining large groups of people in style on a 34-meter vessel with a genuinely impressive degree of volume,” says Yoeri Bijker, head of sales and marketing. Furthermore, the yacht Project 111.11 will meet RINA classification for charter usage and feature commercial 750-hp Volvo Pentas. Top speed should be just over 14 knots.

The technical side settled, the owners turned to Guido de Groot for styling. An abundance of straight lines, something the owners quite like, characterize the 111-footer. Plus, bulwarks are lower by the saloon to maximize the views out the floor-to-ceiling glass. The port-side glass door by the dining area opens, too. Choosing a chase boat versus a tender allowed the transom to have a fold-out platform and beach club/gym/PWC garage. There’s even a windbreaking system of doors and panels on the sundeck. Notably, it supports the large hardtop and was challenging to integrate into the design. Suffice it to say the owners gave de Groot clear wishes based on what they couldn’t find elsewhere. “Four decks on a 34-meter yacht is no small feat, and every deck has its own specific requirements,” he explains.

It took many conversations to settle on the final results styling-wise and similarly for the interior of the yacht Project 111.11. Carla Guilhem says that the owners’ initial desires for hard lines went out the window. “When I shared other ideas for a cozier approach, they got excited,” she recalls. “’You have carte blanche to do whatever you want, Carla; let us see some reference images at the start, and then you lead the way with your imagination.” Three days of sketching later, Guilhem presented the owners with what you see here. Neutral tones set the scene, along with varying round shapes for windows, overhead details, and furnishings. “We have opted for a futuristic feel,” she says. “Those who step onboard Project 111.11 will feel like they’re being embraced in an otherworldly but inviting environment.”

The shapes inspired by the moon and Mars will flow from the accommodations for 10 to an asymmetrical sky lounge. Rooms will be practical, too, of course. The owners intend to cruise for weeks at a time. Therefore, the office in their main-deck suite will support all their work needs. From another practical standpoint, they’ll have a laundry chute in their suite leading to the ample laundry below decks. Crew will have a door (watertight) from their quarters directly into the guest quarters for servicing.

Ultimately, “This will be a fun boat for all who step aboard,” de Groot says, including the crew. “The owners are happy for guests and crew to regularly mingle, and they like being in the country-kitchen galley while entertaining.”

Carla Guilhem Design carlaguilhem.com

Guido de Groot Design guidodegroot.com

Van der Valk Shipyard vandervalkshipyard.com