Moonen 122 Martinique

Moonen 206 – Dutch design

The design is anchored by three key materials—wood, leather and brass—to create a calm and unfussy ambience that appeals to a broad audience. It’s evident in the warm mid-century colour tones of light taupe and grey enhanced with a satin lacquer finish. It’s reaffirmed in the deep, rich hues of polished walnut furniture and bespoke cabinets crafted in-house at Moonen. In the main salon, it’s complemented by an antique bronze mirrored ceiling that plays with light in the spirit of the 17th century Dutch masters and gives a sense of height. It’s also found in the various shades of blue—a colour that is traditionally used in Dutch design—from the moody blue of the dining room chairs to the elegant Delftware-inspired mural on the dining room wall.

“The white and blue of Dutch Delftware porcelain is iconic and instantly recognisable,” says Hoekstra. “We used hand sketching techniques combined with artificial intelligence to create a scene that is rich with feeling, from the lush forests and deep bodies of water that we have in Holland, to the bird in flight which could be interpreted as the project’s namesake Moonbird.”

Noting the mural’s ripped upper section, Hoekstra adds: “We didn’t want to make it neat and square but highlight the quirkiness of Dutch design by ripping the corner off. It’s been made using revolutionary software, but guests are free to imagine the rest themselves. That itself is very Dutch.”

The main deck lobby features a central staircase serving all three decks, with a punchy shade of glossy turquoise walls, light taupe treads, a second mirrored ceiling and antique bronze finishes. Forward of the main deck is the owner’s suite, with White Emperador marble walls with ash bleached oak floors and Belvedere quartzite basins in the ensuite. The key difference between other Moonen Martinique models is the position of the aft-facing king-size bed that capitalises on the 180-degree views.

“It seems like a minor detail to flip the position of the bed, yet this gives owners clear sight lines out to sea when they wake rather than looking onto the bow which impedes the view,” explains Hoekstra. “In fact, the owner’s suite was the most challenging aspect of the interior. The amount of work required to balance heights, sight lines, dimensions and light went beyond what we had anticipated, but working through that process made the final design even more beautiful.”

Moonen 206 – Dutch design

A further four guest cabins—two VIPs, one double and a twin with a Pullman berth—are found on the lower deck, each with beds wrapped in soft taupe leather and en suites that feature chunky Belvedere quartzite basins. The Delftware mural is echoed in a custom wallpaper, and the VIPs enjoy an integrated desk area/vanity table nook. Another welcome tweak is the two full-height storage cabinets that Vripack introduced in the VIP cabins. Additional storage for service ware is also artfully built-in on the main deck, concealed behind the signature main salon mural.

The 17th century theme is continued in the sky lounge—the social hub of the yacht—where a framed TV ideal for displaying Monet-inspired artwork sits above a cosy bioethanol fireplace with a cream marble surround. It’s flanked by two inset cabinets for displaying books, objets d’art and trinkets and full-height bi-fold doors that fully open to draw the outdoors in.

“What always impresses me about the small but dedicated team at Moonen is their ability to understand and facilitate what we’re trying to achieve as designers, which is underpinned by their in-house carpentry division,” says Hoekstra. “They put a lot of thought into the evolution of their yachts, which makes a project like this feel more like a co-creation than a collaboration. Each step of the process is a journey, transforming inspiration into a beautiful reality.”