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DESIGNING WOMAN ARGENT DESIGN’S NICOLA FONTANELLA ON ATTENTION TO DETAIL IN YACHT AND JET DESIGN
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today’s yacht and jet owner to make updates, only the Ffinestorlooking interior architect will do. For
many, that person is Nicola Fontanella, founder, CEO, and the creative force behind Argent Design, an interior design firm launched in 1997, right before she turned 30. The British-born designer to such notables as Madonna and Naomi Campbell brings not only a unique design sensibility to her global roster of clients, but also a thorough understanding of the client briefs and the unique technical requirements needed for these superluxe projects. Her unique skills have led her to become one of the interior design world’s most sought-after designers and visionaries. We sat down with Fontanella, whose firm also has offices in the U.S. and Australia, to talk about yacht trends, why every design detail matters, and why she absolutely loves her job.
What are yacht owners seeking when it comes to design?
Over the past few years and, especially last year, we’ve seen a big move away from a traditional formulaic layout. Instead, our clients want much more of an open plan and an indoor-outdoor experience. What’s a recent example of this?
We recently completed work on a 63-meter boat for our client. Since the first yacht they commissioned, the family has grown and has three young children. They wanted us to design more multiuse spaces and outdoor lounges rather than multiple salons. Are yacht owners spending more time on their yachts than they were before the pandemic?
Entertaining and multiuse has been at the forefront of a lot of our clients’ design goals. In other words, they want
