Paweł Kuligowski
Sky Residences: Interior Design at the Service of Private Aviation
February 13, 2026
Designing private jet interiors is one of the most demanding disciplines in contemporary design. Architects must balance extreme luxury with stringent aviation safety regulations. Every piece of equipment—from the seat to the coffee machine—must pass 16G g-force certification and be made of non-flammable materials. At the same time, the aircraft's gross weight is crucial to its range, forcing designers to employ advanced technologies, such as millimeter-thick stone countertops reinforced with a honeycomb structure. Three design studios are leading the way in this niche space: Alberto Pinto Interior Design, Harrison Eidsgaard, and Pierrejean Vision.
Alberto Pinto Interior Design: Parisian tradition in a wide-body version
The design studio founded by Alberto Pinto, who passed away in 2012, remains a reference point for owners of the largest aircraft, such as the Boeing 747-8 and the Airbus A380. The studio's style stems directly from luxury residential construction, as evidenced by the scale and grandeur of its sky-high designs. Pinto's team specializes in creating spaces that completely erase the feeling of being inside a metal tube fuselage.
Their projects are dominated by rare materials: inlaid exotic woods, delicate leather panels, and densely woven silk carpets. The furniture, although based on certified structures, visually evokes the classic furnishings of Parisian apartments. The company places great emphasis on concealing technology – screens and control panels are often integrated into the built-in space, only becoming visible when needed. In the kitchens and bathrooms, Pinto emphasizes classic craftsmanship combined with modern appliances, adapted to work under pressure. Every detail, from the cabinet handle to the light fixture, is individually designed, making the aircraft interior a unique collector's item.
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Harrison Eidsgaard: Light and Functional Elegance
London-based studio Harrison Eidsgaard brings a fresh, lifestyle approach to private jet interior design. The architects often collaborate with clients for whom they design both homes and yachts, ensuring aesthetic cohesion across the different spheres of their lives. Their designs are characterized by a high degree of spatial discipline and a commitment to maximizing daylight, a particularly challenging task in aircraft.
The studio is renowned for its innovative booth layouts, which forgo the traditional division into tight rows of seats. Instead, they offer open, multi-functional zones where modular furniture allows for the quick transformation of a living room into a conference room or bedroom. Harrison Eidsgaard's furnishings emphasize modernity. Audio-video equipment is integrated so that sound spreads evenly through wall panels (so-called invisible speakers), and LED lighting seamlessly adapts to the time of day. Their furniture features modern, lightweight forms, often finished with matte wood and fabrics with distinctive weaves, lending the interior a cozy yet professional feel.
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Pierrejean Vision: Ergonomics and the Psychology of Space
Jacques Pierrejean, head of Pierrejean Vision, is a designer who has been shaping standards for VIP cabins and government fleets for decades. His approach is based on a thorough analysis of ergonomics and passenger psychology. Pierrejean avoids unnecessary frills, focusing on clean lines and smooth transitions between aircraft sections. In his designs, the studio integrates not only material selection but also a complete redesign of the fuselage architecture to give it a more modern, architectural look.
Pierrejean Vision's designs demonstrate a commitment to futuristic aesthetics that go hand in hand with functionality. The furniture often features sculptural forms that, despite their technical advancements ( full-flat ), appear very light. The company is known for designing innovative kitchen and bar modules that, despite their compact size, offer the functionality of full-size restaurant kitchens. Multimedia systems are treated as an integral part of the interior structure, not an add-on. This allows passengers to access the latest entertainment solutions without feeling overly technological. This approach makes Pierrejean Vision interiors considered among the most ergonomic and user-friendly in the aviation industry.
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Designs by the studios of Alberto Pinto, Harrison Eidsgaard, and Pierrejean Vision demonstrate that aircraft interiors can be as comfortable and aesthetically pleasing as luxurious apartments on land. While each team represents a slightly different philosophy—from classic luxury, through modern functionality, to futuristic ergonomics—they share a common goal: creating a space where travel time becomes a value in itself, not just a necessity.
Hero photo: stockcake.com
