Luiz carries the tall, tapered candles from Denmark in his
Kyureo shop along with the candlesticks. They’re dripless, he says, except in
drafts and hurricanes. Luiz also offers multi-colored faux grapes, which he has
tied to the stems of the glasses. The grapes let each guest know whose glass
belongs to whom. "It’s one of those things that brings a smile, starts a
conversation," says Luiz. Because the seashell theme is very hot this year, says
the designer, he brought along napkin rings made of polished shells embedded in
stamped sterling from the Philippines.
 The Paraffin
crew establishes a bond between the food
and the serving ware. Photograph by Dana Jinkins. (Click image to enlarge)
The silver on the table is Italian and stainless. The stylish handles come in
12 different ABS (plastic) colors, including a copper and a blue (until very
recently, Neiman Marcus had a lock on the pink). Luiz readily demonstrates their
perfect balance upon an outstretched finger. To keep things looking fresh
over the course of a charter voyage, there’s necessarily a lot of mixing and matching going on, which makes this silver with
its array of colored handles very attractive. "You can mix different colors as
long as you have some matches," says Luiz, "like a blue charger, a blue dish,
blue glasses and copper candles. After all, blue is the dominant color of the
universe."Every dinner is special on a yacht, but some are more special
than others. "For a seven-year-old’s birthday party, for example, I’d want to
bring in animals, but in an upscale, not childish way: some whimsy, some elegant
animal candleholders perhaps," says Luiz. "And for an anniversary, I think
diamonds, sparkle, icy crystal shapes, diamond napkin rings, tassels,
fringe….For New Year’s I might try Venetian masks, masks at every place setting,
and sensual finger foods like chocolate-covered strawberries.
Every meal is special on a yacht. The best
settings are "thought- stoppers" that create lasting impressions. Photographs by Dana Jinkins. (Click images to enlarge)
"No matter what the occasion, I like contrast as well as
elements of interest. Anyone can create something that’s pretty, but I like
people to stop and say, ‘What is that…how did they do that?’ Often it’s a matter
of taking just one extra step, the adding of a few extra touches that mean so
much to people. It’s like wrapping a gift: the bow, the card." In Luiz’s design for the table set for lunch on the aft deck,
there are a number of his "elements of interest," or what Luiz interchangeably
calls "thought-stoppers." The candleholders are silver sea urchins on linen
tablecloths with matching runners, which are patterned in a floret
print—"seaweedy but not too seaweedy." The real flowers are ginger and glossy
pink anthuriums from Hawaii. The pop of color energizes the scene. The chargers
on the aft-deck table are covered in faux leather that, Luiz says, makes them
easy to wipe down with a wet cloth. On top of the chargers are metal-rimmed
dishes that he recommends covering with clear glass plates; again, for easy
cleaning. The blue-and-brown color palette here is one of Luiz’s favorites.
 Photograph by Dana Jinkins. (Click image to enlarge)
We found innumerable "thought-stoppers" on other megayacht
tables as well—too many to detail in this space. Memorable among them are the
cheery gold-tasseled napkin rings on Crystal Sea that play
off seriously red linens, which take their cue from a bird-of-paradise
centerpiece and red and gold chairs. Blue candles and blue in the plates and
wall painting add the necessary punch. We found a fiery dragon that has a
walk-on part as a centerpiece on the aft deck of Seven Sins, and on Zoom Zoom Zoom we found what are arguably the world’s
tallest, most glittery glass goblets. (Click image to enlarge) There is much more to tell, but clearly the moral of this story is that all
of these "elements of interest," when tastefully arranged, create the glamorous
dining rituals that are so central to the yachting experience.
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