Interiors Anyone?

[Terry Darga]

Hello all. Just found this site, and I'm very excited about it. I haven't been through all the notes or topics yet, but I haven't seen anything related to INTERIOR design. I am interested in notes and sharing, but also I'm looking for recommendations on software selection. I am presently conducting rendering long-hand. I'd love to scan photes and use software to conduct modifications such as materials, colors, texture, lighting, etc.

Additionally, I am still thinking hard about taking the Westlawn Lite course. Anyone taken it, and how was the exposure to interiors?

Happy Easter!

[PAR]

I'd think there would be some sort of market for interior design work in yachts, but what a limited market to peddle your gifts too. Interior design elements of yacht design really take a back seat to the other stuff like stability, performance numbers, etc.

Don't get me wrong, the marketing team really loves to fool with the innards of a yacht. Plastic wood and fabric headliners and all, clever ways to have a cup holder double as tissue dispenser in the head and the like. Trying to stuff two extra berths in a 30'er so the brochure can advertise sleeps 10 (the marketing folks love that stuff) instead of 8.

Westlawn is great, take the course.

Good Luck . . .

[Go5Go]

I would guess that most production boats have their own in house department, and with the smaller cruisers and run abouts the interior works have to be very creative with the limited amount of space. There are a bunch of Yacht Interior people here in Ft. Lauderdale, where the boats are big and interiors are more house like.

We have started to do interior support at the NA firm I work for. We are doing the CAD work for local designers for their packages to the yards. Even some 3D rendering work.

It sounds like you need to master Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro to apply different materials to a photograph. Or go 3d with Rhino/Flamingo, which is very affordable once you get into the Westlawn program and use the student discount!


Good Luck!

Peter

[dvgale]

I’ve been seeking yacht-related naval architecture and design opportunities for over two years, and it’s only within the past nine months or so that I’ve come across many recruiters that work in this area. I hope your due diligence will pay off more quickly than that. Actually, I’ve found a surprising number of yacht-specific practitioners of interior design; the challenges of the marine world (and well-heeled clients!) keep them busy.

I communicated with Patrick Knowles Design not too long ago, but my background wasn’t a match. You might give them a look, at www.patrickknowlesdesigns.com . I believe they actually had a CareerBuilder listing at the time. Incidentally, Knowles does aircraft interiors as well as yachts.

For future reference, you might try to find listings on www.careerboat.com. This site covers opportunities primarily in Florida, with some elsewhere on the East Coast. At this time, I haven’t specifically seen any yacht interior design listings, though.

A good source of yacht design companies can be found on www.megayacht.com. You need to register to use the site (choose a username and password), and it may take a couple of days to get access, but they list companies along with indications as to whether they provide naval architecture, exterior and/or interior design services. No classifieds, but you can garner an extensive list of companies that use talent such as yours.

You might also try www.transport-interiors.com. This site caters to the marine, land and air transportation interior design trades. You also need to register to read their news archives; note that I did so two weeks ago, … and have yet to receive my login from them!

Finally, Showboats International magazine (www.showboats.com ) is a likely source for names of designers and design companies. Each bimonthly issue, the magazine carries a design section featuring how a particular designer addresses a specific design challenge. This magazine primarily addresses the 24-meter (79-foot) and up (mostly WAY up) market.

This probably barely scratches the surface. Good Luck!

Don Gale
South Salem, NY

[dvgale]

Just to let you know ... no sooner did I post my last on Monday than I found my login to Seacraft Interiors in my E-mail ... and I do believe it provides some interesting insight! As a trade site, you may find it useful; most of the magazines I've come across are more consumer/owner-oriented and we in the profession find them wanting for information. Boat International, www.boat-international.com, does provide subscribers an Interiors supplementary issue along with the September issue, geared for the 30-meter-plus market, according to their site.

Don Gale