Snow Goose Upholstery Refresh: A Timeless, Durable Interior for a 1986 Grand Banks 32

When Onne and Tenley van der Wal purchased their 1986 Grand Banks 32 in late 2020, the boat needed more than mechanical work — its interior fabrics were worn and dated. The couple tackled most of the renovation themselves, but they turned to professionals for the upholstery and textiles, trusting Tenley’s design sensibility and Katie Bradford at Custom Marine Canvas in Noank, Connecticut, to deliver a durable, attractive result.

Tenley led the interior selection. With a degree in interior design from the University of Texas at Austin and two decades of experience in commercial interior design, she also runs a photo gallery on Bannister’s Wharf in Newport, Rhode Island where she represents Onne’s work. Onne, who is gifted with woodworking and mechanical projects, was happy to hand off the decor choices. “I had nothing to do with that,” he said, allowing Tenley and the upholstery professionals to shape the look and feel of the interior.

They chose Custom Marine Canvas because Katie Bradford had already done excellent work for the couple on other vessels: the van der Wals’ 1972 Pearson 36 sailboat, Snoek, and Onne’s RIB, Onnesignment. Katie and her team know how marine fabrics must perform — resisting sun, salt, mildew and heavy wear — and the van der Wals wanted materials that would last and look classic.

Sunbrella became the obvious fabric choice. Sunbrella offers an extensive range of durable, marine-grade fabrics and the large sample books Katie referenced made it straightforward to assess texture, weight and color performance. Tenley aimed for a strong contrast with the boat’s abundant teak surfaces. The salon’s teak cast a warm, orange tone, so she selected a navy palette to create visual contrast while preserving a traditional maritime aesthetic that would complement the refinished parquet cabin sole Onne had restored.

The primary salon fabric is Sunbrella Luxe Indigo, chosen for its deep navy tone and subtle yellow fleck. Katie suggested accenting that yellow with Sunbrella Buttercup throw pillows to pick up the fabric’s small highlights and bring warmth to the seating area. For private spaces forward, Tenley selected Sunbrella Royal Navy, a simple, solid navy suitable for the tighter cabin cushions. On the flybridge exterior seats, they used a classic navy-and-white stripe — Dickson Paris Navy/Natural — to add a clear nautical statement that reads well from a distance and holds up under sun and spray.

After finalizing fabric selections, Katie and Custom Marine Canvas associate Donna Ingram made a winter visit to the boat in the yard to take careful measurements and create paper patterns. Those templates ensured the cushions, backrests and pillows would fit the unique contours of the Grand Banks 32. All sewing and finishing, including piping and tailored corners, were completed in the shop to professional standards and then reinstalled aboard.

The boat already carried the name Snow Goose when the van der Wals purchased her, and Tenley kept it. The name resonated: Onne had noted that “goose” is slang for “girlfriend” in South Africa, while Tenley, originally from Minnesota, appreciates the association with snow and the bird. To reinforce the boat’s identity and give the interior a personal artistic touch, Tenley commissioned snow goose imagery from her friend Clemens van der Werf, a Dutch photographer. She had the photos produced as matte aluminum dye-sublimation prints — a lightweight, low-maintenance option well suited to marine environments — and placed one over the forward bunk and another in the salon.

The completed interior combines practical considerations — long-wearing Sunbrella fabrics, professional patterning and marine-grade finishes — with a confident aesthetic: deep navy tones against warm teak, lively buttercup accents, and classic striped exterior seats. The collaboration between Tenley’s design direction and Katie’s upholstery expertise produced a cohesive result tailored to the Grand Banks 32’s traditional lines and active use.

For the van der Wals, the upgrade delivered the intended result: a refreshed, resilient interior that feels both nautical and personal. As Onne summed up the outcome succinctly: “Happy wife, happy life.”