The essential interior design guide to on board entertaining

Co-ordinating tableware and linens in a cohesive theme – or to complement the yacht’s décor – will bring a table to life. “For breakfast, we recommend 100 per cent pure linen,” says Ruth Douglas, of Heirlooms, “with coloured borders, piping or embroidery to reflect the tableware design, which adds elegance and vibrancy to al fresco dining.” Heirlooms’ Garden Rosa collection (above) delivers a vivid combination of turquoise, pale blue, and gold trim.

End the meal on the right note. “A carafe or teapot are essential,” says Vanessa Sitbon, of Haviland. Comprising two tea cups, a teapot and a tray, the Japanese inspired Cérémonie du Thé set (above) is a masterpiece of porcelain craftsmanship.

“Consider a pillow menu for your guests to suit different tastes,” says Thomas Batty, of Glancy Fawcett. “Pillows that offer different support levels are good to accommodate a range of guests. You can get ones that have different fillings on each side or that come with extra filling for the crew to self-stuff. A hollowfibre option is also worth having for guests with allergies.” A mitre on the reverse of a pillowcase corner is considered a sign of good quality.

Designers and linen providers will work with owners to match linens to what you have at home – or at your favourite hotel – and have them custom made to fit each bed on board. “Don’t always take thread count at face value,” says Batty. “You can still have lower quality fibres made into high thread counts by twisting two together. Egyptian cotton is used to advertise many items, but most aren’t true Egyptian cotton. Look out for ‘ELS’, which stands for extra-long staple cotton: this is a true sign of quality where good raw materials are being used.”

“There are new materials for mattress protectors and bedding that can regulate the temperature of the body when sleeping,” says Douglas, from Heirlooms. “For sailing yachts, we tend to recommend Tencel wood fibre for the duvets and pillows as these have good moisture management properties. For motor yachts, white goose down at a medium tog weighting still tends to be the most popular choice.”