In the world of private jet travel—where passengers might spend as many as 14 hours aboard an ultra-long range aircraft, like the Gulfstream G650ER—cabin comfort is a priority. And these days premium amenities, including high-speed connectivity and luxuriously equipped galleys, are a given. Enter ultra-bespoke private jet interior design services that treat the cabin as a highly personalized environment, combining functionality, enhanced wellbeing and customization that goes beyond simple cabin configuration and color palette. It’s the ultimate reflection and continuation of personal preference and style – albeit at 40,000 feet.
Award-winning Aurora Aero Design, founded by Aurora Saboir, is widely regarded as one of the industry’s preeminent private jet design studios. The international design studio’s philosophy revolves around elegance, bespoke solutions, attention to detail and client-centric design. Project work encompasses aircraft cabin interiors, exterior liveries and full-scale on-board environmental design, integrating the newest materials, boutique solutions, beauty, on-board wellness and mindfulness, and cutting-edge technology. Saboir’s high-profile projects include a Formula 1-themed livery for a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 in collaboration with Grammy-winning artist and producer Swizz Beatz.
Read on for a Q&A with Saboir that examines her approach to design—including Schubach’s Los Angeles-based (BUR) Gulfstream G200—and insights into the highly specialized discipline of private aviation interiors. To learn more about Aurora Aero Design, visit the company’s website here.
Designing cabin interiors is very much different from designing residential interiors because I have to constantly balance between restrictions and the demand of innovations, including both technology, engineering, manufacturing and of course a timeless, elegant and luxurious interior. I can’t do what one might normally do in a residential interior—like putting a beautiful, heavy crystal chandelier on the ceiling and calling it a statement. However, I find a lot of liberation in these limits; they force me to develop outstanding, yet applicable and functional solutions, – from the layout design to the smallest of stitches
Where they are similar is the ultimate goal for private owners: a flying residence. The principals I design for spend 6 to 12 hours in these spaces, thus they want their lifestyle to continue seamlessly when they are flying and even to elevate those experiences on ground. It needs to evoke the exact same emotional connection, comfort, and serenity as their own homes, adjusted or custom designed for this very special environment of a cabin in-flight.
The focus always remains on the client—first understanding their vision and needs (how they work, rest, and interact with their environment, eating and sleeping habits, hierarchy in the cabin, passengers on boards, etc), then utilizing design to achieve those ideas. For the last two years I have been working on new completions, which means the traditional cabin design process includes and oversees a lot more areas, such as layout and configuration design, specification in collaboration with operations and management. Stepping into an aircraft completion process at this very early stage is incredibly beneficial. My background is in Industrial Design Engineering, so I approach the early stages with an analytical, methodological mindset establishing clear goals, defining and categorizing monuments and items in terms of being fully customized, modified and adjusted or off-shelf. Once the specifications and the spatial flow is established, I bring in the abstract, artistic attitude of design: bringing into life the vision, through numerous layers of design: furniture, cabinetry, tapestry, upholstery, materials, colors, finishes, technology, accessories and branding.
Privacy, personalized performance, comfort, expressivism, maintenability. Finding the perfect harmony between bold and subtle, yet always sophisticated and elegant design features. They prioritize an environment that acts as a true sanctuary—a highly controlled, discreet space where they can sleep, relax, socialize with family and travel without interruption. Timeless elegance, supreme ergonomic comfort and integrating the latest tech, CMS, IFE, connectivity are always at the top of the list. Interestingly, being able to work or having designated work areas is not part of the primary scope of work. Being able to have high-speed internet access and use personal devices on board seems just enough for passengers to decide how and how much to work on board.
An unexpected or rather unseen factor is the extreme engineering behind visual elements. Every advanced or innovative design feature, surface cover, material or finish must comply not only with the certification requirements, but also the intense realities of operational life, such as having an aircraft based in the Middle-East, with extreme temperatures, dust, a natural environment taking its toll on the cabin even before the first passenger steps on board. Many of these decisions have to be adjusted or altered based on the external environment too, thinking about rapid change of temperature within the cabin, humidity and condensation, sunshine and glare, dust sitting on each and every little trim or gap…
I haven’t designed that many cabin interiors to have signature elements yet. However, I think one of my strongest skills are the cabinetry and furniture design, allowing me to bring in residential design features to aviation monuments development and change the status quo of how normally divans, tables, sideledges look. In the future, I will definitely be showing and designing with the delicacy of high-end residential furniture design.
Any kind of natural material or any combination and layering of natural finishes: veneer, metal, stones, cashmere, wool, silk and of course one of the most versatile material: leathers.
Because of the nature of being a natural material, the touch, the feel, the frequency, and the emotional connection with these surfaces, they are superior to any of the polymer or faux materials. If needed because of weight, budget, and complexity of course I may be using and very well aware of the properties of faux materials. Still, I always prefer the natural ones.
The G200 was one of the first full cabin refurbishment projects I was working on, therefore the whole process itself was just ecstatic for me. It was also one of my first seat redesign projects, learning and understanding step by step the process. With these seats I had the chance to dive into combining different leathers, in terms of colors and look, as well as creating a well distinguishable look with the stripes.
I haven’t received outrageous requests (yet), so far all the principals I have worked with were incredibly intelligent private jet owners, therefore their requests are outstandingly complex and difficult to achieve (such as OEM monument modifications, layout optimization, integration of technology which is still not widely used or known by OEMs or completion facilities). Perhaps, because these owners I’m working with already have owned and operated multiple jets before- they really know what they need and what works in flight. They have a clear vision and support getting rid of any excess solutions which are not needed, in order to give space to innovation.
