The suite’s nautical theme pays homage to its Rhode Island setting, though Hayward Gatch and the Royce family avoided theming the space. For inspiration, the architect looked to the film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, based on the novel by Jules Verne.
“We wanted it to resemble a fine marine museum with a Jules Verne feel,” Gatch explains. “My idea was to create a fine yacht interior of yesteryear—more like a stateroom in a steam ship.”
The Morgan suite began as two separate units, with one located directly a floor above the other before Gatch joined the units with a staircase.
The lower level’s kitchen was retained in the redesign to accommodate the needs of an extended family.
Only new wainscoting, flooring, and small appointments were made to the bedrooms.
Gatch installed three artificial backlit skylights sheathed in frosted glass with a wire mesh behind, along with backlit, crosshatch teak gratings layered in glass on the staircase and in the dining room, living room, master bedroom, and living room to give the illusion of being between decks on a ship.
The kitchen’s highlight is a black and brass stove featuring a black hood with gilded gold trim. Custom tiles along the backsplash depict native fish. “When I design a kitchen, I always feel that it should be an attractive room you just happen to cook in,” says Gatch.
Hidden portholes, such as one in the powder room medicine cabinet looking out to the ocean, create a sense of intrigue. “It’s all about fantasy—we’re in the good times business,” says Gatch. “We want to give people an experience they’re willing to come back for.”