Finding Inspiration For Your Aircraft Interior – Where To Start?

May 13th, 2024

“How do I start?” At West Star Aviation, we get this question about aircraft interiors from our customers all the time. The answer is actually quite simple: What inspires you?

When you begin to think about the interior of your aircraft, inspiration is key to how you can convey your thoughts. Inspiration can literally be found anywhere, from a simple color palette, a shape, a mood or emotion. All of these elements can be translated into your interior space in some fashion. Often inspiration is more tangible and can come in the form of examples the customer has seen, perhaps in other aircraft or even a photograph. It could be just the style of single element that captures your imagination enough to want to build your own cabin space around it.

In this case, it is always helpful to provide reference images of the element that inspires you. Having a basic color direction that you want to incorporate for the interior is also helpful. From there, we can begin the process of building your interior.

For example, the reference picture below is an image a customer provided. This was their inspiration for the seats. Inspiration is best used as a starting point. It doesn’t matter if your ideas come from a different type of aircraft, but when we start to build off that design, it may not look exactly the same in YOUR aircraft. We have to consider different seat frames and what can work for that seat frame (i.e., headrests, armrests, footrests etc.)

Once we have an idea of your desired aesthetic, we can proceed with a detailed computer rendering. This shows how the suggested seat’s style translates onto the existing seat frame for the customer’s specific aircraft.

During the foam build-up, it is a good idea to go and sit in the seat to make sure the comfort level is right for you. Ensure that the bolsters aren’t too firm, or the leg area isn’t too high, or the back is comfortable. At this time, the foam can be worked by shaving down areas or by building up areas that need more support. If you are available, sit in the seat. Upon the approval of the foam build-up, we then proceed with the pattern and first article leather review.

Once approved, all the seating for the aircraft is in full build mode.

This was an interior created by one person’s seat inspiration. Great designers will direct, advise, and suggest throughout the process to inspire you to work with them in creating an aircraft interior that is truly you. This perfectly defines the interior process at West Star Aviation

Our designers may, at times, suggest a different direction because we don’t want your interior to be too “trendy” and potentially look outdated in a year. We may advise against a certain material where we know wear and tear will have it looking worn and drab by year’s end. We may suggest a more durable material in a high traffic area, or a bit of pizzazz in a monochrome-colored interior (all of which our design teams have seen before). The goal is to use their collective experience to help avoid any potential regrets with your new interior. But the choice is always yours.

We have expert designers at each of our major locations (ALN, GJT, CHA, PCD) to help guide you through all of these decisions and more that go into creating your aircraft interior. They can help you determine how much of a role you want to play in the design. You can be a lead in the process of your interior, or you can sit back and let our designers create an aircraft interior that best conveys your inspiration and objective. The choice is always yours.

For more information on West Star Aviation’s Interior Services,
please contact one of the Specialists below: