Champagne and Caviar: The Design Inspiration for the Four Seasons Private Jet

   
March 12, 2015,
Toronto, Canada

What would a Four Seasons hotel be if it were an airplane?  This simple question opened a world of possibilities for the team of designers who created the interiors for the Four Seasons Private Jet Experience.

“In our hotels, spaces are conceived as settings for great experiences,” says Dana Kalczak, Four Seasons Vice President, Design.  “When designing our first jet, along with the core objectives of comfort and functionality – and strict aircraft safety standards – we really wanted to create an exceptionally luxurious ambiance, so Champagne and caviar became our inspiration.”

The look is light and fresh, with a bit of an edge in the form of carefully placed contrasts in colour palette and texture. With a concept board as a central reference, swatches and samples were tested against the entire spectrum of elements on board – from the hand-crafted Iacobucci flatbed seats and hand-woven woollen carpets to the fine tableware, cosy Mongolian cashmere blankets and even the cabin crew uniforms.  Bi-colour lighting was critical to both enhance the look and create a serene environment for passengers. Even the subtle scent of toiletries in the custom-designed lavatories was carefully chosen.

The challenge?  Where the team really broke new ground was on the question of space.

“Even the most luxurious private jet has only so much room to work with.  At Four Seasons we are obsessed with space – giving our guests as much as possible physically, visually, and in many ways, emotionally.  Now we were trying to replicate that feeling, only with 52 passengers in the same room! We learned a great deal about how to make an environment feel spacious, no matter the physical dimensions. We want our guests to be able to spread out and feel at home whether they stay with Four Seasonson the ground, or in the air.”