Every boat expresses a concept, an idea, a thought. Each one establishes an almost visceral relationship with the people that live aboard it. A relationship that becomes symbiotic and goes beyond the physical. The interiors of a boat reveal the personality of the owner.
They tell the story of his or her passions, tastes and personal style, brimming with meaning and significance. But that is just the general take. Sometimes an extraordinary boat comes along that goes beyond even that. A craft that is actually unique. Just like Telli, the Navetta 37 from Custom Line.
This history of this yacht has dual links to the story of its owner. He is no ordinary joe, in fact, but Alberto Galassi, CEO of the Ferretti Group which owns Custom Line. Nelli raises the concept of what a boat is or should be to new heights of sophistication because her design focused not just on the needs and tastes of an individual who heads one of the world’s leading nautical groups but also reveals his private side.
The result? A yacht that breaks all the old rules and confirms Custom Line’s stunning technical and design skills. As is always the case with Custom Line, the project was a joint effort between the Strategic Product Department headed by Piero Ferrari and the Ferretti Group’s Engineering Department. Their deft input is clear from the beautifully-struck balance and proportions of Nelli’s exterior lines despite her imposing volumes. A further touch of elegance is added by large glazed surfaces that play both a functional and formal role.
However, it is Nelli’s interior design that reveals the sheer complexity the team had to grapple with at the design stage. The research work had to take various different factors into account, including the owner’s abiding passion for contemporary art. The furnishings, as well as the materials used for the upholstery and trim and the colour palette, were, in fact, all honed and crafted to provide the most perfect backdrops for the art works from Mr Galassi private collection.
Aside from telling a story, the hanging and display of every work has been carefully curated to specific criteria. This meticulousness creates a journey through the interiors with art playing a central role. Take, for instance, “Dark Brown Half” by Alex Katz which dominates the wall in the formal dining area on the main deck.
“We’ve had it for years and its cinemascope format seemed just perfect for this space. Maybe it’s the sunglasses but it also conjures up summer for me,” Galassi told Corriere della Sera in a recent interview. The saloon takes up the main deck and, dining area aside, is an homage to finest of fine Italian furniture design.
Minotti dominates the living area with a granite coloured West sofa paired with a Bender coffee table. The light oak floor too interacts very nicely with the woods used for the walls which also feature “Circolazioni” by Alighiero Boetti. Poliform’s Concorde table takes pride of place in the dining area and is surrounded by Minotti Aston chairs.
The master cabin is located in the forward area of the same deck. Full beam, it has a private sitting room with Atoll chaise longue and Cozy table by B&B. The large double bed with a headrest in sand is flanked by two Onda bedside tables from Poliform while a Minotti Bergere armchair is on the starboard side. Robert Longo’s “Men in the Cities” painting adds another layer of sophistication to the space. Down on the lower deck are four guest cabins adorned with photographs by Terry O’Neill.
The lounge on the upper deck centres around a vintage 1914 Louis Vuitton trunk used as a coffee table and the Flexform C-shaped Groundpiece sofa. A Sicilian landscape by the painter Salvo is a metaphor in a way for a journey into the world of art that continues aboard Telli.
