Jonny Horsfield

In superyacht design, there is a particular kind of discipline that comes from starting at the bottom. Not with the glamorous new builds, but with the refits — the unglamorous work of reimagining someone else's vessel under tight deadlines and tighter budgets.

Jonny Horsfield spent the first years of H2 Yacht Design doing exactly that. When he founded the studio in London in 1994, he chose to focus exclusively on refits. It was not the obvious path, but it was the smart one.

That single idea — no house style — has defined H2 for three decades. In an industry where many studios develop a recognisable aesthetic and repeat it across projects, H2's portfolio is deliberately, almost defiantly, diverse. A contemporary minimalist interior for a young tech founder sits alongside classical elegance for a traditional owner on their fifth yacht. The connecting thread is not a look. It is a process.

The Refit Foundation

Those early refit years gave Jonny something that new-build-only designers rarely acquire: range. Working across different styles, different eras of vessel, different owners with different tastes — all under strict timeframes — taught the studio to listen first and design second.

By the time H2 expanded into new builds, working with leading shipyards on some of the most celebrated superyachts afloat, the foundation was already set. Every project still begins the way it did in 1994: with an intensive conversation about how the owner actually wants to live on the water.

The Process

H2's method is meticulous. Initial discussions establish aesthetic direction. Sketches follow. Then material selections — marbles, fabrics, hardware, carpets — assembled into colour boards that the owner can touch and hold. Photo-realistic 3D renders bring every major interior area to life before construction begins.

Jonny insists on personally approving all subcontractor workshop drawings before construction. It is a level of control that slows things down slightly but ensures the design intent survives the journey from screen to shipyard.

The Studio

H2 remains independently owned and based in London — a compact studio of interior designers, 3D visualisers, and project managers. In a market where many design houses have been absorbed into larger groups, H2's independence is both a statement and a competitive advantage.

Jonny's insistence on serving the client rather than building a brand has, paradoxically, become the brand itself. After 30 years and hundreds of projects — from 30-metre refits to 100-metre-plus new builds — H2 is known for one thing above all: interiors that feel like home rather than showrooms.