CRN of Ancona refers to M/Y Saramour, the 46-meter steel and aluminum motor yacht launched last April, as the second yacht in its Magnifica series, after M/Y Clarena. Strictly speaking, however, it is the third; the original, M/Y Magnifica, was launched in 2001. But this yacht was three meters shorter and had different exterior lines. While Saramour shares the same clean exterior styling that Nuvolari & Lenard designed for Clarena, her interior décor—conceived and executed by the owner’s choice, Carmen Aiello and Leonardo Ferraro of Aiello International Design—is radically different.

"Having worked with the owner before, we were well acquainted with his tastes," says Ferraro, "but, most importantly, we knew he wanted the yacht to showcase his art collection. So with Saramour, we worked to provide a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing framework for these works of art. To balance the colorful paintings and sculptures, we’ve introduced vibrant fabrics, ethnic rugs and designer furniture pieces, but for the most part, the décor serves to focus attention on the art."

The result is an interior that manages to combine simplicity with elegance, discretion with opulence. Gone is Clarena’s red mahogany, replaced by bleached oak panels and parquet combined with dark walnut highlights that look almost like wengé. A cypress yellow, high-gloss resin finish on fitted drawers and cabinets complements the red and orange tones of the silk bedspreads, cushions and Persian rugs. Even the books in the cabins have been selected on the basis of the colors on their covers.

Although the main-deck layout is the same as Clarena, Saramour’s freestanding armchairs, which replace standard facing sofas in the main salon, change the look of the interior so completely that you feel as if you are stepping aboard a completely different yacht line rather than a sistership. Two Topkapi ivory armchairs by Cassina offset the austere lines of the yellow-leather bench sofa.

In the dining room beyond, you are overtaken by the first of several bold pieces of art that dominate the interior, a painting by Dutch abstract expressionist Karel Appel that hangs prominently on the bulkhead. A ceramic plate by French artist Boncopain complements the painting.

The display continues in the forward section of the main deck. The owner’s study contains an engraving, hung over the chaise, by 17th-century Baroque artist Grechetto. Paintings by De Chirico, Fiume and other artists adorn the walls of the master suite. The low Japanese-style bed fits well with the linear design and simplicity of color and form, while ever-present Persian rugs add an informal touch to the rigorous architectural lines. Decorative accents include early 20th-century Venetian glass pieces by Paolo Venini and Vittorio Zecchin, and a Murano glass sculpture created at the famous Angels Forge. Ceramic tiles by Salvador Dalí decorate the head. A stairway amidships accesses the guest accommodation below and leads immediately into an open gymnasium, which the owner specified instead of a fourth guest cabin. In addition to the gym, the deck provides for two VIP suites and a twin stateroom. The slightly larger aft VIP stateroom is dominated by another vibrant Karel Appel oil painting and features a low-slung bed upholstered in fine-grain gray leather. Each room has a character of its own, thanks primarily to the Matteo Grassi freestanding beds.

An extra bulkhead was erected in the upper-deck skylounge behind the wheelhouse and captain’s cabin with the express purpose of displaying the most important painting on board: an abstract by Wassily Kandinsky. Rather like an art gallery, the only seating is a recliner and bench corner sofa.Throughout the yacht, Aiello and Ferraro wanted the outside space to be a functional extension of the interior, so from the cocktail area on the main deck to the dining areas on the upper deck and fly deck, there is seating for at least 10 people. In addition, a dumbwaiter links the professionally appointed galley to all decks above, including the fly deck, allowing the deck’s round teak table under the roll-bar roof to be used for private dining. The fly deck also includes a bar immediately adjacent to the Jacuzzi so guests can imbibe while relaxing in the tub—a fun feature borrowed from resort hotel pools.

In terms of exterior styling, Dan Lenard believes Saramour to be one of the most balanced 46-meter yachts on the market. "All too often you see medium-sized yachts trying to look as big as the yacht the owner didn’t buy, which leads to chasing volumes, and the styling is compromised. This is an honest 46-meter yacht that doesn’t try to be anything else."

Although each of the Magnifica hulls produced to date differ from one another in many respects, they are all based on the same concept, and when the hull was lengthened after the first model, the extra three meters changed only the overhangs rather than the box volume. "CRN’s achievement with the Magnifica series," says company CEO Lamberto Tacoli, "is that we have established a proven platform, rather like the chassis of a car, where the hull and superstructure have been thoroughly tried and tested so as to guarantee a naval architecture that is functional and cost effective. The result is a well-engineered machine that can then be highly personalized to satisfy the tastes of more than one client. Magnifica, Clarena and Saramour share this common platform, but they are also three very different boats."

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