H2ome Yacht Has A Sleek Profile, Modern Interiors & a $20 Million Asking Price.

The H2ome Yachting Villa is a 44 meter long luxurious yacht with a large open back three level deck. It's designed and furnished with stylish modern interior accomodations for guests and crew, a state of the art kitchen, stunning bathrooms, a living room and dining room divided by a 'plant wall' and teak flooring throughout.







The exterior of the sexy and sleek luxury yacht has teak wood decks contrasting with the yacht's glossy reflective finish.





The concept of H2OME was born during a long conversation between the owner of an Open 35m yacht and Mario Grasso, the owner of the Italian naval design studio Navirex. In addition to engineering, Mario Grasso, guided by the owner's taste, designed the hull and superstructure. As for the interior, it was a design collaboration between Genovese Studio A-LAB and actress/ interior designer Raffaella Berge.



The entrance is in the large main hall, designed as an open loft and includes the living area, dining room (70 sqm) and steering in one connected space. The plentiful windows create a continuum between the inside and the marine environment, filtering in the natural light. The decor inside is characterized by clean geometric lines and balances perfectly with the plant wall, the focal point of the living area. The teak flooring strips helps to create an exotic atmosphere.





In the sleeping area of the lower deck are the owner's suite and four guest cabins which total 100 square meters. Each room has a sophisticated lighting system, which runs along the ceilings, walls and furniture, creating striking effects of lightness and elegance.







The beautiful bathrooms have glass walled showers and modern fixtures :




Forward on the starboard side are the large kitchen and left the laundry room, both accessible from the crew accommodations.



The outside areas consist of a beach (15 m), a well of 50 square meters and a Sun Deck (60 sqm). And the latter is endowed with a square dining area, bar, and lots of sun exposure.






Thanks to twin 1,925hp Caterpillar diesel engines and one Vericor gas turbine the yacht can reach a top speed of 36 knots. H2ome cruises at 17 knots (with the gas turbine engine off).


H2ome Yachting Villa

If you're interested in purchasing one, Fraser Yachts has listed her at an asking price of just under 20 million dollars. $19,910,781 (€14,500,000)

Aquariva By Gucci, A Sexy Luxe Speedboat Starting At $750k

Aquariva by Gucci is the exclusive made-to-order speedboat created as a result of a collaboration between Gucci, Riva and Officina Italiana Design. The Aquariva by Gucci speedboat was customized by Gucci's Creative Director, Frida Giannini. The model was designed to take part in activities marking Gucci’s 90th anniversary in 2011 and was recently unveiled at the International Cannes Boat Show.

The made-to-order speedboats have prices starting from 590,000 euros ($750,000).



Norberto Ferretti, Chairman of the Ferretti Group which Riva is part of, commented, “The Aquariva bears outstanding witness to Riva’s natural evolution from past to present in the sphere of boat styling, through an elegance and delicacy of line that in a span of 33 feet holds the same attention to detail and love of tradition inspiring the Forever Now spirit of Gucci. I can’t wait to see this Aquariva by Gucci in the water, a project that perfectly represents the balance between tradition and modernity, destined to become a symbol of Italian style and craftsmanship.”

Mauro Micheli, Chief Designer of Officina Italiana Design, added, “We had to absorb Riva history to create Aquariva, but also forget it in a certain sense, in order to propose a contemporary product which would go beyond the legendary Aquarama, the best-known nautical icon in the world. In Aquariva, cutting-edge technologies have respected and maintained the charm, softness and clean lines of the shapes which are typical to Riva. If Aquarama has always been an icon, Aquariva is perhaps, becoming one, and Frida Giannini’s enthusiasm for this model confirms this.”


click on the two pics below to enlarge:




Respecting the DNA of the original project created by Officina Italiana Design was paramount to Gucci’s design for Aquariva. Defining the Aquariva by Gucci is a fiberglass hull and detailing painted in Gucci’s own hue of glossy white, while Riva’s signature use of mahogany with classic varnish finish – twenty coats in all, ten by brushing, ten by spraying – is also the signature material for the cockpit and walking decks and awning cover hatch.



The waterproof fabric covering the seats and sundeck features the emblematic Guccissima print, while the bed upholstery is defined by the beauty of Gucci white cotton. The iconic touch is provided by Gucci’s green-red-green web detailing which edges the floating line, perfectly complementing the unique green crystal windshield.

Completing the Gucci customization is a series of exclusive Riva by Gucci accessories:


The innovative two-speed electronic gear reveals all the power of the two 380-horsepower Yanmar engines, ensuring an exceptional performance, with a maximum speed of 41 knots and a 150-mile range at cruising speed.



The Aquariva by Gucci vessel was unveiled at the International Cannes Boat Show on September 7th, 2010 followed by a special presentation on September 22nd 2010, the opening day of Milan Fashion Week. A show boat will then travel the world visiting some of the world’s most prestigious boat shows and international destinations throughout 2011. The Aquariva by Gucci will be exclusively available on a made-to-order basis through Riva’s dealer network.
press release information and images courtesy of Riva.

Classic Barcelona Chair Gets Revised As The Barceloneta By Serralunga.

This drool-worthy outdoor version of the classic Barcelona chair, called the Barceloneta, was designed by Raffaella Mangiarotti of Deep Design for the Italian company Serralunga and manufactured by the Biella Company of Italy.

The durable, but stylish, outdoor version of the modern classic chair is available in four colors; Black, Ivory, Brown (moka) and Red.

Barceloneta in Ivory:

Barceloneta in Red:

Barceloneta in Moka:

Barceloneta in Black:


The classic modern chair, of which I have always been a fan, but have yet ponied up the dough to purchase, was originally designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The tufted leather lounger with it's criss-crossed chrome steel base remains a popular and respected design icon today.

With this new outdoor version, the chair is durable, lightweight and although still pricey, thousands less than the original chair after which it was fashioned.


Colors shown above are not actually available, but were prototypes.


The Barceloneta is a respectable interpretation of the classic, made with printed polyurethane that has UV protection and sits on an aluminum base. It is conveniently stackable and comes in 4 different colors.



dimensions: 31 x 31 x 29 inches

expected to be available mid-July the Chairs cost £633.00 inc. VAT and can be purchased here.

About the Original Barcelona® Chair:

Designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, produced by Knoll®
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Chair and Stool (1929), originally created to furnish his German Pavilion at the International Exhibition in Barcelona, have come to epitomize modern design. Mies van der Rohe designed the chair to serve as seating for the king and queen of Spain, while the stool was intended to accommodate their attendants. Still produced to his original specifications, this Barcelona is of quality fit for royalty. The cushions – welting and buttons included – come from a single Spinneybeck® Volo cowhide and are supported by cowhide belting straps, dyed to match the color of the chair. To create the deep, precise tufting, individual panels of leather are cut, hand welted and hand tufted. The chromed-steel frame is hand buffed to mirror-like perfection. The Barcelona Chair was honored with the Museum of Modern Art Award in 1977. (via)

The Barcelona Chair is a registered trademark of Knoll®, Inc., manufactured by Knoll; according to the original and exacting specifications of the designer. Made in U.S.A.

Buy the original Barcelona chair and stool here.

About Serralunga:


Serralunga is a design company in Biella, Italy which specializes in outdoor furniture. Though the company's roots go back to before the Industrial Revolution, they have always experimented with the latest materials and manufacturing technology. In the 1980's the company started working with the rotating molding system, a cutting edge manufacturing process which had recently been invented in the United States. Serralunga was the first Italian design company to employ this new technology in the production of outdoor equipment such as plant pots.

Today Serralunga manufactures a range of products for outdoor landscaping applications, including pots, lamps, tables and chairs. Each item is lightweight, strong, and designed for durability in all weather conditions. And whilst most pieces are designed primarily for outdoor use, they are versatile enough to be effective indoors too, where they will create a strong focal point for any environment. However they are used, Serralunga designs can never fail to infuse a given space with an unmistakably Italian elegance.

The COL-LETTO Bed Is So Inviting, You'll Have Trouble Keeping People Out.

I've written about some super high-tech multimedia beds (the Hi-Can,the Somnus-Neu, Karim Rashid's beds for Hollandia) but this one is almost the opposite. The COL-LETTO bed, which received this year's Elle Decor International Design award, designed by Nuša Jelenec and produced by Lago of Italy is womb-like in its appearance.




The cozy bed has a turtleneck-like frame made of soft foam available in various colors that can be rolled up or down and can fasten in place with velcro. Matching side tables for the bed are also available from Lago.



It's the kind of bed that people just want to plop into.





images courtesy of Lago and Elle Decor

Find your nearest Lago store or dealer.