Stairway to heaven: Standout superyacht staircases

The spectacular staircase on board Echo Yachts’ 84 metre trimaran White Rabbit welcomes guests to the superyacht and leads to the upper deck. The lobby splits into two lounges – a more formal one to starboard and an informal area to port.

The copper-covered stairwell on board the 50 metre Wider superyacht Stern is part of a lustrous decorative scheme. Materials with lustre and texture are used throughout, from the copper of the staircase to the oak bathtub in the master.

A large mirror creates the illusion of a double staircase on the 55 metre Benetti superyacht Ocean Paradise, while her bonsai garden adds an unusual and calming backdrop as one of the world’s few superyacht gardens. Launched in 2013, she features interiors by Adrian Lee and Mauro Izzo.

The main staircase on board the 51.1 metre Heesen is something to behold – curving Macassar with white steps glowing from within, and a sinuously carved handrail, built directly into the wall. “We had made a full mock-up [of the stairwell] to make it work,” says van der Zanden, Heesen’s general manager of design and development. The lacquered white handrail fits the hand perfectly, guiding you down or up the stairs.

Art pieces, chief among them a marquetry backdrop handmade in Wales, complete the ornate staircase and lobby on board the well-travelled 68 metre superyacht Lady Christine. Launched by Feadship in 2010, Lady Christine’s Rodney Black-designed interior can accommodate up to ten guests in five spacious cabins, while her exterior styling comes courtesy of De Voogt Naval Architects.