The breathtaking interior of Blue Jeans

BUILDING BESPOKE

Whether part of a series or fully-custom, the exterior profiles of every Van der Valk make a striking impression on all who watch them sail by. What far fewer people get to see is the superb work done by our interior craftsmen. A fine example is the recently launched 34-metre Blue Jeans, one of the most complex superyachts created to date by the artisans at Van der Valk.

The totally-bespoke Blue Jeans was built for clients who knew exactly what they wanted both outside and in. Guido de Groot’s stylish exterior design features an attractive blue hull livery and an innovative use of exterior glass. Al fresco delights visible to onlookers include dive-board balconies on the main deck, glass bulwarks and a recessed chill-out zone in the forepeak with a pop-up table. But the private world found inside this raised pilothouse, also from Guido’s boards, is equally impressive.

Intricate challenge

The Van der Valk craftsmen had to pull out all the stops on the intricate interior of Blue Jeans which features a fusion of Northern European and Asian styles. The owners pushed the window of what is possible on a yacht this size with amazing lighting and the widest variety of materials. “We were given free rein to make something truly special,” says Guido. “The owners challenged us to surprise them with ideas and it was great fun to work with such adventurous clients. On various occasions we offered a range of options, keeping the most radical until last, and that’s what they went for.”

‘THE OWNERS PUSHED THE WINDOW OF WHAT IS POSSIBLE ON A YACHT THIS SIZE WITH AMAZING LIGHTING AND THE WIDEST VARIETY OF MATERIALS.’

The design team and yard went the extra mile in terms of creativity and sourcing the marbles, metals, woods and furniture. “Highlights include the liquid metal and copper walls and an exclusive use of small wooden teak slats for the walls and ceilings,” adds Guido. “The rare lapis blue marble in the master stateroom is magnificent as is the Nero Marquina and Fior di Bosco in the dining area and the wonderful white Carrara in the saloon entrance.”

Metal gurus

Van der Valk’s Bram Kooltjes gives a glimpse into the work involved. “Various walls, light elements and furniture accents are made of copper, which corrodes in maritime environments. We used a special clear-coat paint for protection as a primer would have obscured the exquisite patterns in the metal. Placing liquid metal required us to make bespoke wall panels of a specific size onto which the alloy was poured and transformed into a pattern prior to solidification.”

The use of reconstituted teak in small wooden strips for the walls and ceilings was an immense job for the yard’s carpenters too, demanding far more time than normal as well as meticulous joinery skills. It is a fine example of how the owners refused to compromise on costs once inspired by an idea from Guido.

Quietly does it

The wooden slats also improved the acoustics on what is a very quiet boat despite her powerful engines. “Virtually the entire salon is made of wood with glass on three of the four sides,” explains Bram. “The sound and vibration from the AV system had to be attenuated.

In-between the wooden trims in the ceiling we placed eight-millimetre sound-absorbing felt which looks like black strips of wood. Unlike in a music studio ashore, this material is cleanable in a salty and humid marine environment.”

Further insulation comes from the floor sandwich panels which feature aluminium sheets, rubber and honeycomb glued onto the structure. The ribs are insulated with dampening materials on top of which is a 10-millimetre strip of foam, underfloor heating and then the parquet floor itself. It doesn’t come more custom than this.

High life

From the outset the interior concept for Blue Jeans revolved around having significantly higher-thanaverage ceilings throughout the main deck, reaching 2.50 metres in the main salon. Versatility is the name of the day in terms of furniture and layout. The main salon sofas can be rearranged into three seating groups or removed to create a groovy dance floor. The lower deck layout allows one of the VIP suites to be used by day guests, another part of the multifunctional, multigenerational concept that makes Blue Jeans equally ideal for large groups on day trips as extended stays onboard.