Yacht décor is a highly specialized arena requiring specialized talent—and never more so than in the post-MCA era. If you are going to do anything more serious than reupholster the dining room chairs, it’s best to call in the pros—that means people with lengthy yacht portfolios. Even skilled do-it-yourselfers have been embarrassed to find the $30,000 sofa they had delivered to the dock won’t fit through the aft-deck door.

But for those in search of a simple beige-lift or those trying to narrow their options, read on. We asked pros about the above scenarios—changing the look without reconfiguring the spaces.

The Florida-based team of Anita and Bill Unger at Anita’s Interiors (www.anitasinteriors.com) have rescued more clients than they can count, and last year won an Interior Design Excellence Award for their refit of Christine, a project that turned a commercial vessel built by Oceanfast into a 132-foot (40.2-meter) yacht (SBI Nov. 2005). "The first thing new owners need to do is decide direction. I encourage people to stay with the genre [of the yacht]. I don’t think a trawler should have the interior of a megayacht or a speedboat. The next consideration is chartering; it will affect the fabrics and carpets choices," Anita says.

If you want to keep the carpet but you don’t like the sofa, restyle it, she adds. "We can change the arms and back while reupholstering. You can cut down a traditional tuxedo sofa or add big rolled arms to a contemporary grouping and still keep the pieces that will fit the existing furniture tie-downs."

If you aren’t willing to change the carpet—an item that can cost $75 to $250 per yard—consider overlays with area rugs. Take a tip from Ralph Lauren Home and pick an area rug bound in leather or contrasting fabric for a chic way to tie a new seating area together. In the skylounge, you might want to replace the old wall-to-wall with a wood or environmentally PC bamboo floor and area rugs to create a more relaxed, youthful décor.

"A lot of what we are doing today is transitional rather than traditional, and a number of my clients want a more tropical look," says Anita. "I use this opportunity to remove a layer of window treatment and suggest shoji styles or grass-cloth shades."One quick way to alter a look is to change hardware and light fixtures. "Changing old-fashioned gold and glass knobs and door handles to sleek silver or polished nickel is an easy start," says Anita. "You can often completely change the tone of a bathroom by just changing the sconces and the accessories."

The Ungers recently tackled a dated, limed-oak finish on a 140-foot (42.7-meter) Christensen now called Daydream. The main-deck paneling was resurfaced with sapele veneers. Down below and in the skylounge, the pickling stain was chemically removed, sanded and the oak was re-stained a cherry tone and finished with satin varnish.

Browsing comprehensive furniture gallery Websites will help you narrow the possibilities—or at least help define what you like and what works with the boat. The larger the space, the easier it is to blend styles, especially if the woods are similar in tone and finish. A good way to browse boat-sized furnishings is to visit IK Yacht Design online (www.ikyacht.com). For a great collection of accessories and sources of antiques and nautical prints, try the Ralph Lauren Home Website at www.rlhome.polo.com.

When it comes to the galley, burnished copper is the new stainless steel. Make the galley look state-of-the-art by simply changing the face panels to new copper-look surfaces. Update your counters with the look of granite with much less the weight and price with "engineered stone." Rocksolid Granit (www.granitetransformations.com) can be installed directly over existing countertops. This remarkable product is 95 percent stone and 5 percent polymer and comes in quarter-inch-thick "slabs" in 19 colors. It is less porous, more flexible and more scratch and impact resistant than natural granite. Try pairing it with a Mosaics backsplash, a pre-grouted, pre-assembled mosaic surface of transparent glass veined with enamels and aventurina stone that also lays down over existing galley or bath surfaces.

Scenario No. 1: You found the love of your life at a boat show. Her smart sun deck and great new mechanical features attracted you. Her neutral beige interior was a big plus, the dealer said, because it would be easy to personalize. Months later you are still looking at beige-on-beige and temporary furniture.

Scenario No. 2: You found the brokerage boat deal of your life. She had the right number of staterooms, updated electronics, and her paint and engines were in great shape. Best of all, the price was right. The broker suggested her interior might grow on you. Months later, you are positive that pickled oak still nauseates you. The decorator you used for your last apartment politely declined to work in uncharted territory, and every designer you talk to is looking to you for a firm direction for how you want to refurbish the spaces. What’s a boat owner to do?