ICON - The magazine of the American Society of Interior Designers - (Page 50)

DESIGN: NB DESIGN GROUP Suites designed for Holland America Cruise Lines feature textured fabrics such as wool, ultra-suede and chenille, and the warm tones of the draperies and bedskirt contrast with the dark wood, bringing richness to the space. To further soften and illuminate the cabin, a sheer curtain is used in front of a champagne blackout curtain. Interior cabins are “lightened” by utilizing maple wood, silver toned carpet and soft grey and blue. Bright red and orange accents add a burst of color to the serene palette. This custom fabric was designed speciﬁcally for the Alaska Railroad Corporation's Aurora Cars. The pattern is based on Alaska's natural beauty, representing clouds, sun, the aurora borealis, fog/atmosphere lines, mountain and sun reﬂections on water and the phases of the moon. The colors are inspired by glacial rivers and the state’s many garnets. The textile content is Trevira CS, selected for its ﬂame retardance, abrasion resistance and cleanability. and color combinations, the designers created a fresh, tailored look intended to allow guests to relax and rejuvenate between onboard activities. To open up the smaller interior cabins, the recessed areas behind beds were painted sky blue and covered with sheer curtains, allowing hints of color to show through suggesting a vista beyond. It’s not every day that a project like this comes in over the transom, so Burfiend was delighted to have the opportunity to work on such an interesting, lucrative job. “Working with a large corporation was a challenge due to protocol and very high standards,” she says. “But the individuals we work with are very organized and pleasant to work with. They are fair, with incredibly polished business practices, and they recognized that good design takes time.” Flying Beyond First Class “There are Fords—and then there are Bentleys.” This is how private aircraft designer Mary Beth Bisselle, ASID, of Bethesda, Md., describes the differences between the planes she designs—some are small, private jets used mostly for darting here and there, while others are extraordinarily opulent homes away from home. Bisselle works directly with clients who are refurbishing existing planes. “I represent my clients in every way, and specify everything, before the aircraft goes to what is called a ‘completion center’ to have it all installed,” says Bisselle, who often accompanies her projects to these centers. Bisselle sometimes reconfigures cabins entirely; other times she simply refreshes a space, changing out carpets and upholstery. Her mission is always to choose colors and fabrics that are light and airy, giving the illusion of a larger space: “I like very fine leather and wool upholstery,” says Bisselle, noting that both complement the planes’ required wool carpeting. She integrates entertainment systems, speciﬁes seating designed to custom-fit VIP jet owners, and always strives to create spaces that are elegant and simple. Through it all, she vigilantly adheres to FAA regulations, which govern every single thing in a plane—down to the lavatory seat. In addition, all materials are subjected to stringent “burn tests” to determine ﬂammabil- COURTESY CONCEPTUAL RENDERINGS 50 ASID ICON | THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF INTERIOR DESIGNERS ity, which she says unfortunately makes for a lot of waste. What brought her to this specialized field? “Twenty years ago, I was designing a rug, down to every detail, every 16th of an inch,” recalls Bisselle. “The carpet manufacturer told me I was in the wrong business, that I should be designing jets because it requires that kind of precision and attention to detail.” She researched her options, knocked on doors and broke in to the exclusive field. Although she still does quite a bit of residential and commercial work, Bisselle loves designing aircraft: “It’s very exciting. I enjoy the creativity and the details since I’m such a perfectionist. And of course, I have an opportunity to fly in these incredible jets.” ] Maria LaPiana is a freelance home design writer who lives in Connecticut. She has never flown in a private jet— at least not yet. See the Resource Guide on page 101 for additional resources and information about “On the Move.”

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ICON - The magazine of the American Society of Interior Designers

ICON - The magazine of the American Society of Interior Designers Contents President’s Message Good to Know Innovations Breathing Life into a Building Designs for Senior Living On the Move Thinking Green Aging in Style Industry Inside ASID Grassroots ASID National Industry Partner Focus Showroom Advertisers Resource Guide Annual Articles Index

ICON - The magazine of the American Society of Interior Designers

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.