Design - The Saloon

So as you come in from steering the boat, you come down the steps into the galley where your eye is immediately drawn to the focal point which is a centre standing multifuel stove.I have placed some examples of how this would look, though in my final design I would place the fireplace more central and slightly narrower so the seating could run all the way up the side to the stove. In the top left picture, imagine the built in cabinet where the fireplace enabling the seating to run up to the side to the cabinet. This would be my ideal layout for a cosy saloon to take away the corridor effect. I also detest those stand alone seats you often find in saloons. Instead I would opt for a luxurious built in seating in an L shape. So the L would start from the galley and run down parallel one side of the boat to the cabinet next to the fireplace. Many of the built in seating I have seen look uncomfortable - like an old train waiting room. For comfortable built in seating you need a seat width of at least 2 feet depth. I would prolly opt for a tan leather for ease of cleaning and wear and tear. The added bonus is it provides an extra berth with built in storage.