16 CARPET DESIGNS FOR WORLD’S LARGEST CRUISE SHIP

In March 2022 Wonder of the Seas set out on her first cruise with 16 stunning carpet designs by Creative Matters. Clémence Hardelay - our Director of Design and Marine Division - managed this complex project. Because she is currently based in Marseille (where the ship received its final touches) establishing Creative Matters’ new satellite studio for European clients, Clémence was able to go on board in January to appreciate all the designs in situ and take these super photos. Her favourite pattern (above) was for Coastal Kitchen. “I love its movement and the combination of blue accents with the gold and vice versa. Two complementary colourways were developed for this space to highlight particular areas of the dining room,” said Clémence.

Note the eye-catching intersection of the two colourways for the Coastal Kitchen designed to delineate different lounge and dining areas.

“The design is reminiscent of a marbling technique where ink spreads across the surface to create dappled colour and organic lines with continuous movement and direction,” said Clémence. Danielle Darling from the Architectural Design department at Royal Caribbean Group was our partner throughout the project that ran from November 2019 to March 2021. “It was challenging as we were working remotely and with pandemic restrictions most of the time but with the amazing orchestration from Danielle, the result is quite outstanding.”

The Creative Matters design for the main lift lobbies throughout the ship skillfully channels the surrounding ocean.

For the main lift lobbies, we developed a design evocative of a water current with crystal clear sand below. To create this effect, we used 10 colours in ultramarine blues, warm neutral sand and an accent of sky blue for freshness.

The outlook area design is the perfect complement to the lift lobby design.

The pattern for the lift lobbies worked in tandem with a transition carpet that indicates the lift lobby location. The team imagined a coral-like texture in the deep ocean water. Such a project required the skills of five designers at Creative Matters: Kayla Bortolotto, Ana Diosdado, Anna Panosyan, Mengting Shen and Sophie Williams.

A diagram to show the complex relationship between the various patterns for the corridor, vestibule, border, transition and lift lobbies.

For the corridor, vestibule and stairs - main areas where people are continually walking - we received varied design directions and succeeded in making them work harmoniously in colour, scale and design style. “Royal Caribbean comes to us for our colour expertise and our ability to create contemporary designs, and these were achieved beautifully for all the areas we were invited to work on,” said Clémence. “On board, I was impressed by the patterns’ scale and how they flow nicely into each space as well as by the lovely soft colour transition achieved with delightful marine palettes.”

The living room carpet for the Loft Suites is our contemporary take on watery texture and sand.

The cruise ship is divided into eight “neighborhoods” to make it easier for guests to navigate their way around. The Suites Neighborhood is the most exclusive area of the ship. Within that we were responsible for multiple carpet designs for the Loft Suites and the Royal Suites.

The Loft Suites staircase and living room patterns interacting perfectly with each other.

The Royal Suites staircase carpet is a thoughtful gradation of pattern and colour.

The Royal Suites bedroom design suggests water flowing across ridges of rock which we achieved with soft transparencies and smooth transitions of neutrals into blue tones.

Our final designs were for the corridors where we designed both the main guestroom corridors as well as the corridors for the Suite Neighborhood which had to distinguish this exclusive enclave.

The floorplan for the Suite Neighborhood corridors.

The complex arrangements and arresting designs for Wonder of the Seas are yet another success for the Creative Matters marine division. A further project is in the works, and we look forward to meeting clients old and new at the Cruise Ship Interiors Expo on June 7 and 8 this spring.