Last summer we completed a fabric makeover of the Galatea, a 43-foot Hans Christian sailboat owned by photographer Steve Mason and his wife, Teri, and moored in Olympia, Wash. One of our primary goals with this project was to demonstrate best practices, including the use of fabrics below deck.
Above deck fabric choices are often determined by the boat’s exterior color scheme. With Sunbrella, it’s easy to let that color scheme flow to your below deck areas as well. We used Sunbrella furniture weight fabrics for the Galatea interior. With durability, ease of cleaning, mold and mildew resistance of paramount importance, Sunbrella was the ideal choice. Comfort below deck was also essential, and Sunbrella furniture weight fabrics offer the same look and feel of spaces inside your home.
Color selection was the next consideration for the Galatea cabin. We knew it would be easy to improve on the dark green velvet that we found inside the Galatea. This fabric color did nothing to complement the beautiful teak inside the cabin and made the space feel smaller and darker.
We worked closely with the boat owners in making a color selection that would accomplish three goals – coordinate with the new fabrics above deck, accent the beautiful cabin teak and give the boat a more spacious feel. With these considerations in mind, Sunbrella in Linen Sesame was selected for the cushions. To add color to the space, Pam added pillows made from Sunbrella fabrics in yellow, green and red. Textillery throws contributed even more color and comfort.
The other primary consideration for the Galatea cabin makeover was craftsmanship, which Pam Tregoning of Portage Canvas & Upholstery demonstrated in abundance. When you watch the videos at galatea.sunbrella.com/webisodes you will see how Pam methodically goes about measuring, patterning and crafting the interior cushions. It’s a process that takes time and patience, relying on many of the skills and tools that marine fabricators use every day.
We encourage Tri Vantage customers to view the Galatea blog for the step-by-step transformation process. If you are already doing cabin makeovers, you may learn a few new techniques. If you are new to cabin work, we hope the Galatea will encourage you to explore profitable growth opportunities below deck.
