Stairway to heaven: Standout superyacht staircases

With its plush red carpeting and handrail of varnished wood, the spiralling staircase on board the 106.1 metre Amadea looks like it could have been taken from inside a grand palace. Designed by François Zuretti, the gold finishes on the stairwell railings and the fleur-de-lis pattern underfoot add to the palatial feel of this Lürssen superyacht.

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.

The design approach on board the 30.48 metre Wally sailing superyacht Tango follows the theme of the cockpit-less deck, with staircase-less steps down to the saloon. Floating treads, their ends angled not unlike spoilers on a Formula One car or wavelets on an otherwise smooth sea, are suspended from the saloon’s aft bulkhead.

The head-spinning wooden staircase on board the 40 metre Conrad flagship features a grand hanging crystal light fixture created by Masiero. It is a partner to three others found on board in the saloon, the dining room and the master bedroom.

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.