M . Y . L A D Y C H R I S T I N E

I N T E R I O R S B Y

R O D N E Y B L A C K D E S I G N S T U D I O S

2

Feadship

2

Introduction 3

Main Hall 3

Stair 4

Salon 7

Dining Room 11

Bar 15

Guest Staterooms 17

Cinema 17

Owners Stateroom 18

Owners Bathroom 21

His Study 23

Her Study 25

Observation Lounge 27

Key West Room 29

Waterfall Transom 31

Lettering 32

A Work of Art 32

Acknowledgements 33

Cover photograph courtesy of Boat International Photographs courtesy of Feadship are indicated

Other photographs by Rodney Black Design Studios

R O D N E Y B L A C K D E S I G N S T U D I O S

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C O N T E N T SC O N T E N T SC O N T E N T SC O N T E N T S

3

Well into the construction of the yacht, we had the privilege to be appointed to complete the

design of the interiors. The timescale was extremely tight – release of information for the

remaining rooms was already slipping behind schedule.

We were provided with a set of ‘box’ drawings by Royal van Lent which gave the limits of the

available space. Even at the first meeting it was clear that there were a considerable number of

concerns about parts of the design and a series of design meetings was held with the Owners and

Royal van Lent. Radical changes to the existing layouts were made to enhance the spaces, both in

plan and section, to improve circulation, to create more deck space, to make more of the

available internal spaces especially in the main rooms and to provide better forward views from

the private sitting room. Royal van Lent adopted these ideas and applied themselves to the

changes, which included adaptation of completed superstructure, with remarkable energy, a mark

of their exceptional professionalism.

Design meetings continued in the Netherlands at approximately two week intervals and during

the course of our work on the Lady Christine, we produced hundreds of drawings and sketches,

many of which were full size for the creation of the interiors, including the cabinet work,

panelling, inlays, cornices, skirtings, columns and pilasters, the finishes, ceilings, carpets, light

fittings, individual pieces of furniture, glass pilasters and so forth. The glass figurines were

sculpted for casting by the Architect.

Much of the free-standing furniture was made for the boat to our designs and specification

together with special glass items and light fittings. Full size shop drawings were developed with

the manufacturers, prototypes inspected and refined and site visits made during construction.

The Main Hall is

the formal

entrance to the

boat with its

external door on

the starboard side.

Immediately in

front of this door

on entering is the

curved display

cabinet with the

model of De

Zeven Provincien,

a Dutch war ship

presented to the

Owner by Dick

van Lent, CEO of

Royal van Lent, at

the handover

ceremony.

I N T R O D U C T I O NI N T R O D U C T I O NI N T R O D U C T I O NI N T R O D U C T I O N

M A I N H A L LM A I N H A L LM A I N H A L LM A I N H A L L

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The cabinet, a triumph of cabinetry work, has rope columns and the key pattern architrave

with inlaid woods and moulded bronze shields.

The floor is a pattern of black and white marble based on Michelangelo’s Piazza del

Campidoglio, a design originally proposed by Jean-Guy Verges, as was the idea for the

balustrade.

The stair hall is a circular space supported on seven equally spaced columns. In architectural

terms, it is a heptastile rotunda! The bands and marble segments on the column shafts follow a

mathematical sequence based on the diminution of classical columns called entasis.

S T A I RS T A I RS T A I RS T A I R

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Extraordinary potential for spatial excitement existed with this space but the main pitfall was the

very thick inter-deck depth between the ceiling of the Main Deck and the floors of the Owners

split level deck. The circular drum through which the stair passes, could have been very

oppressive. We adopted a treatment of alternating materials which creates interest and lightness

using the drum as an expressive curved surface.

The staircase is a

wonder of

construction with

the stair strings

winding their way

up and onto the

drum of the

stairwell, then up

through the

different levels

until they reach

the ceiling boss

under the sun

deck. All of this

joinery is in

matched grain

veneer.

The carpets were designed especially for all of the spaces but the remarkable carved edge beads

on the stair and landing carpets astounds the imagination as it follows the complete stair geometry

all in one piece.

Feadship

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Between four of the columns on the main deck there are three magnificent marquetry panels of

iconic buildings with a fourth panel depicting modes of transport at the Owner’s Deck level.

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Feadship

The Salon was designed first and established the architectural order for much of the rest of the

boat – the use of very pale ceiling finishes to maintain the sense of height, the bead architrave, the

key pattern frieze and the beaky cornice. The fluted glass columns, part of the architectural

rationale for the boat, appear only in this highly important room, the neighbouring Bar and Dining

Room.

Cherry panels with

maple inlay form the

background with the

fluted glass columns

backed onto antiqued

bronze mirrors to give

depth and infinite

reflections. The glass

columns are paired to

provide baroque

boldness without

losing the sense of

elegance and between

them there is a full-

height niche each

containing a statuette

of a nymph cast in

glass. The columns

also support the petals

design on the ceiling.

S A L O NS A L O NS A L O NS A L O N

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After much discussion with Royal van Lent and de Voogt Navalarchitects, we managed to achieve

greater head height and a very large, oval-shaped recessed ceiling. A Vitruvian scroll made from

inlays of ebony and maple stretches seamlessly around the massive perimeter. The curved sofa

tables, sofas and coffee table fit exactly within the oval shape of the ceiling which is repeated in

the design of the carpet derived from the margin design on the main doors. The curtains and

swags are made from a glorious Liberty fabric.

The key to success in this room was to achieve a sense of intimacy without losing the drama of

the large space. The layout is therefore bold and, in contrast, the detailing very fine. The curved

sofas are positioned at the ideal conversation distance allowing generous space around for

circulation, appreciation of items on display or simply for casual conversation.

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The doors, bookcases and

cupboards have the unique motif

developed for the yacht which is

composed of hundreds of

marquetry parts resembling a

pyrotechnic display streaming in

parabolic shapes from a geometric

base. Opposing grain direction in

the inlays is used to achieve

variation in the way the light is

reflected off the patterns

The book shelves were designed to

house some of the Owner’s book

collection including many large

leather-bound photograph albums

and the glass shelves are edged

with fiddles using the Vitruvian

scroll motif seen in the ceiling

frieze.

The sofas, unique pair of sofa tables with mirror polished stainless steel scrolled harp legs, coffee

table, side tables and petrified wood entrance table were all made especially for the room.

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Feadship

Two large paintings were

commissioned for this room based on

paintings by Stefan Norblin, the

originals of which are in the Umaid

Bhawan, Jodhpur where they were

admired by the Owners. These sit

above exquisitely proportioned built-

in wall cabinets within their own

arched niches. Feadship

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Feadship

The very large external doors in the Dining Room and Bar open fully onto an extending side deck.

The curtains and swags are a bold pattern of circles in delicate shades of fawn and gold.

The dining table

with a bravura

centre of ebony

inlay and chairs

with marquetry

veneered backs

were designed

especially for

this room.

D I N I N G R O O M D I N I N G R O O M D I N I N G R O O M D I N I N G R O O M

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Feadship

The Dining Room features an exquisite pair of sideboards with fine inlays of amboyna, macassar

ebony and maple with antiqued wall mirrors set in a key pattern architrave and frieze of inlaid

woods with a tall niche for statues in a quarter rotunda engaged onto the wall. The sideboards

soften the corners of the room and mould the space for the table and chairs.

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The mirrors flanking the niches give the niche drums the appearance of a full rotunda when

viewed from certain angles and this gives the room the effect of greater space. The architectural

regime follows on from the Salon but this time with single glass columns, a different ceiling

treatment and the use of fabric panels to back the owners’ paintings.

The key pattern

architrave is embellished

with quartered mother-of-

pearl on the architrave

either side of the huge

engraved glass doors

separating the bar from

the Dining Room.

The same key pattern

design is used as a border

in the sculpted carpet

and this is embellished at

the corners with a

geometric flourish.

Feadship Feadship

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The engraved design

on the sliding doors is

a free-form version of

the chair backs and

door motif with

interlacing effects to

give a sense of depth.

Feadship

Above the dining table, the special alabaster light fitting, also seen in the bar and main salon

ceilings, features antiqued mirror glass surrounds and lacquered silver bands. Air extraction is

concealed within the recessed ceiling with vents for clean air positioned within the ebony squares

of the key pattern frieze in the cornice.

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The new piano case of the refurbished C. Bechstein mini grand piano was inlaid in a

complementary pattern especially for the Bar.

B A RB A RB A RB A R

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Feadship

The bar itself features a series of spectacular engraved glass panels illuminated by an LED strip set

on the top edge. The images for these came from the owner and a professional photographer

companion who took the photos while on safari. A stylised antelope design has been used as a

theme to separate these images; it is repeated on the bar wall cabinet doors and also, to great

effect, in the Owner’s Bathroom.

The engraved glass coffee table has polished stainless steel legs and sits on an inlaid stepped

hexagonal pyramid.

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The Guest Stateroom corridor is a simplified form of the design scheme for the rest of the boat.

The alabaster light fitting and carpet were designed especially for the space.

Feadship

The artwork for the 3.6 metre long painting of the film stars was produced at full size for copying

by the artist, as were the Norblin copies in the main Salon and Owners Stateroom.

G U E S T S T A T E R O O M SG U E S T S T A T E R O O M SG U E S T S T A T E R O O M SG U E S T S T A T E R O O M S

C I N E M AC I N E M AC I N E M AC I N E M A

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In the Owners Stateroom, the aim was to achieve a light, airy and spacious room with all of the

finishes combining to achieve a sense of civilised calm. The shallow arches and piers in this room

describe an exact square in plan and they are inlaid with a delicate maple inlay guilloche pattern.

A little device was used for the design of the ceiling where the inner octagon is supported on a

facetted ceiling, the corner facets reducing to a point. This gives the ceiling a floating appearance.

The circular dome within the octagon is achieved by beads which convert from one shape to the

other in layers. The bed head has a fan of silk matching the aft wall panels.

Feadship

The carpet has an octagon of identical size to the dome and pattern taken from the coffee table in

colours to match the curtains. The curtains and swags are a watery blend of pale turquoise and

gold. This fabric perfectly complements the sheer curtains, bedspread and upholstery.

Two intricate sideboard cabinets flank a

curved, sleigh sofa.

O W N E R S S T A T E R O O MO W N E R S S T A T E R O O MO W N E R S S T A T E R O O MO W N E R S S T A T E R O O M

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Feadship

Entrance to the suite of rooms is by the ante room with a raised, top-lit alabaster ceiling. The

octagon shape is repeated in the carved and subtly coloured carpet design.

The sofa has with delicate inlay and ebony bead volutes and gilt leaf fans sprouting from the

volute interstices.

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Feadship

The aft wall is curved to provide a feeling of infinite space through the arch; its centre panel has a

third Stefan Norblin copy and the two side panels are of embroidered silk.

A glass coffee table with mirror polished stainless steel legs of harmonious but demanding

geometry is fixed down in front of the sofa.

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The walls are finished with book-matched cream onyx and the

vanity unit has a yellow onyx inlaid top with inlaid cherry

cabinet doors and curved panels.

A generously sized dressing

room is reached from the

Bathroom. It has cherry joinery

and an ottoman which serves as

a laundry box. Feadship

O W N E R S B A T H R O O MO W N E R S B A T H R O O MO W N E R S B A T H R O O MO W N E R S B A T H R O O M

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The glass wall panels have a silver mirrored backing that gives a glow to the glass, engraved with

the formalised antelope motif seen in the Bar, a large lobed petal design, a contrasting geometric

design between capped by a chevron frieze in contrasting marbles.

The lobed

design

appears

on the

floor in

different

coloured

onyx and

also on

the

ceiling.

Feadship

The shower is lined in the same book-matched

onyx with a seat surrounded by a trefoil arch. Feadship

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Here the theme is refined masculinity using the Owner’s favourite flame mahogany in panels

within triple ebony beads.

Feadship

The curved corners of the wall panelling and cabinet work soften the whole atmosphere of the

room. Macassar pilasters and rope columns are the basis of the architectural order and Vitruvian

scroll fiddles edge the glass shelves in the bookcases.

H I S S T U D YH I S S T U D YH I S S T U D YH I S S T U D Y

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The owner’s

catamaran desk is

made of rosewood

with brass inlays and

a leather trim to

match the room’s

leather dado. The

complex curvature on

the legs, curved in

plan and tapered in

section, confirm this

desk as a cabinet

maker’s tour de force.

Another delightful piece is the small round side table also in rosewood with polished brass legs

and inlay. The curtains are made from a striking geometric fabric and complement the bold

upholstery on the chairs.

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Feadship

Flamboyant femininity with mother of pearl wall panels and the same architecture dressed in

completely different clothes – this time with ebony inlay in a delicate double chevron and gilt

shell capitals for the pilasters and flanking fans in amboyna burr.

Feadship

H E R S T U D YH E R S T U D YH E R S T U D YH E R S T U D Y

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The astonishing glass cantilever desk

is supported on a stainless steel

structure veneered in amboyna with

matching gilt column shell capitals.

The glass desk and the side table, as

with His Study, were designed for the

room.

The curtains and swags are a

fabulous show of embroidered silk

fabric also lined in silk.

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Feadship

Designs found in other areas are also used here including the motif on the door, bookcases and

sideboards and the rope columns seen in the Main Deck Hall and His Study. The ceiling has a

circular maple recess with an alabaster light fitting. The remarkably realistic electric fireplace has

a marble surround and is bordered by bookshelves.

The coffee table, scroll-leg side table,

superb single-legged dining table and

alabaster light were made especially for

the room.

O B S E R V A T I O N L O U N G EO B S E R V A T I O N L O U N G EO B S E R V A T I O N L O U N G EO B S E R V A T I O N L O U N G E

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Feadship

The Observation Lounge has over 180-degrees of windows giving panoramic forward and side

views.

The centre of the scroll-leg coffee table has an

interlaced antelope design in antiqued mirror

glass.

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Feadship

The Key West room has panoramic views and opens to the sun deck and the helicopter deck.

The idea was for a relaxed and yet elegant

atmosphere and to provide an informal dining area

with its own bar and servery.

Architecturally, the room is based on a circle with six

octagonal columns and six alternating pilasters. This

recalls the columns arranged in a circle in the

entrance hall. The circle gives an overriding

rationale to the space.

A decorative highlight of the room is the recessed ceiling lined in faux ostrich to a stylised

cascade design. The twin bands of antiqued mirror on the ceiling create a sense of great height

whereas actual headroom is quite low.

Feadship

K E Y WK E Y WK E Y WK E Y W E S T R O O ME S T R O O ME S T R O O ME S T R O O M

30

The treatment of this space changes gear a little with teak being used for the joinery following

from the teak root table.

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The green, etched glass waterfall features swallow shapes and is visible when the aft swim

platform is lowered. The waterfall can be illuminated and has a very distinctive appearance,

especially for tenders returning to the yacht.

Feadship

Behind the waterfall is the infinity pool with teak cladding, stone top and coffered ceiling.

W A T E R F A L L T R A N S O MW A T E R F A L L T R A N S O MW A T E R F A L L T R A N S O MW A T E R F A L L T R A N S O M

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The lettering for the Lady Christine was designed especially for the boat and appears on the

waterfall, the superstructure sides and throughout the yacht.

Feadship

The interiors presented here for the

Lady Christine are a radical

departure from other super yacht

interiors. They are modern but

rooted in the classical system of

the orders and proportion, fresh

and light-hearted but based on

timeless principles of design,

taking design forward with style

but bringing the elegance and

subtlety of previous periods. The

build quality achieved by Royal

van Lent and the specialists

involved is exceptional. The

involvement and passion for this

project by the Owners was the

fundamental reason for the

project’s success. Feadship

The interiors of the Lady Christine have been described as a masterpiece, we think of them as

works of art in their own right.

L E T T E R I N GL E T T E R I N GL E T T E R I N GL E T T E R I N G

A W O R K O F A R TA W O R K O F A R TA W O R K O F A R TA W O R K O F A R T

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S H I P B U I L D E R SS H I P B U I L D E R SS H I P B U I L D E R SS H I P B U I L D E R S

Royal van Lent, Feadship Builders and interior fit out

De Voogt Navalarchitects Naval Architects

A R T I S A N SA R T I S A N SA R T I S A N SA R T I S A N S Bill Cleyndert and Company, Norfolk: Dining table, sofas, sofa tables, coffee tables, side tables,

bed head, entrance table, His desk, Her desk, light

fittings

Michael Schryver Antiques Ltd., Surrey: Dining Room chairs

Aryma Limited, Wales: Marquetry panels, table and chair marquetry

Andrew Moor Associates, London: Glass columns, bar front, table tops and casting of

nymph figurines

Phil Giddens, Lincolnshire: Curtains, items of upholstery and bedspreads

Barrington Bramley, Northamptonshire: Stefan Norblin copies in oil

Tai Ping Carpets, London: Carpets

S U P P L I E R SS U P P L I E R SS U P P L I E R SS U P P L I E R S Loher Silk panels

Società Cooperativa Artieri Alabastro, Italy: Alabaster parts of light fittings in Bar, Dining Room, Salon,

Owners Stateroom, Observation Lounge, Guest Corridor

Decored, Gloucestershire: Mother of Pearl wall panels and key pattern inlay

Galerie JP Art, Cannes: Cinema painting

Period Art, London: Bar paintings ‘Tango’ and ‘Lempicka interpretation’

1066 Pianos, Cambridgeshire: Bar piano

Feadship

C O M P A N I E S I N V O L V E D I N T H E R E A L I S A T I O N :C O M P A N I E S I N V O L V E D I N T H E R E A L I S A T I O N :C O M P A N I E S I N V O L V E D I N T H E R E A L I S A T I O N :C O M P A N I E S I N V O L V E D I N T H E R E A L I S A T I O N :