Corinthian Yacht Club

Corinthian Yacht Club has been a fixture on the Marblehead coastline for more than a century. The club came to SV Design with a plan to add a new bar to the existing dining room and enhance the social experience for its members. Inspired by its coastal location, the space recalls the feeling of a sailboat, from the ceiling design to the curved wood panels of mahogany and maple. New lighting accentuates the millwork as well as the design of the bar. Blending seamlessly with the outdoor environment, the bar features a 12-foot-long Nanawall window that opens to the exterior deck area, inviting sea breezes and a spectacular view. The new bar expands the club use, as members gather to enjoy the best views in Marblehead.

The club’s expansive deck, which hosts a myriad of events, also required structural updates after weathering too many harsh coastal seasons. Working closely with the client, we vetted numerous ideas and design iterations, finalizing a plan to safely rebuild the deck at the existing finish floor level. The design included removing the flat, low ceiling for a more capacious cathedral ceiling at the roofed porch; adding a water management system under the deck, as well as stainless steel guard rail system for safety as well as architectural interest; and new handrails and lighting throughout.

The Corinthian Yacht Club has long standing traditions. Throughout the project our challenge was to respect the past while re-engaging with the future. We updated the traditional trophy room to appeal to a younger membership while honoring and respecting the traditions of the club and its yachting history. The architecture of the room was maintained intact – the century old wood walls and floors, the wood burning fireplace nook, and the oak display cases.

The layout of the room was reconfigured to allow for multiple social groupings with flexibility to expand and contract based on the size of the gathering. Oriented towards the views, we preserved the built in benches, but made them more user friendly and private by adding ­­­­free standing benches with upholstered seats and backs.

The traditional nature of the room was emphasized by the use of oriental rugs in patterns and colors. New furniture was installed that is more comfortable, encouraging social interactions. The historic memorabilia was returned to the finished space, including photos of the commodores, silver trophies, ship models, and burgees hanging from the rafters.