Tray Crow, director of interior design at Gulfstream, shares his latest inspirations and what he’ll be looking for at NBAA-BACE 2019
What aesthetic trends have you noticed becoming more prevalent recently?
The preference for cool greys has shifted to warmer toast colours. Accent colours are moving into reds, and colour in general is becoming more vibrant and saturated. We are also seeing an increase in ornamentation, embellishment and details drawn from the fashion industry.
What will you be looking out for at NBAA-BACE?
I would like to see new carpet opportunities, different leather textures and innovative fibre technologies developed exclusively for aviation.
Are there any technologies you’d like suppliers to work on making available for aircraft?
We are looking forward to suppliers helping us increase the availability of sustainable materials that pass certification requirements, as well as flexible, eco-friendly architectural materials fit for aviation. It would also be great to see a greater variety of subtly textured leathers and light veneer options that have more stable colour resilience.
Are there any new material innovations that have caught your attention?
I am excited about the innovative approach to textiles that we are seeing in biomimicry. Spider silk, for instance, is one of the strongest materials found in nature; it is stronger than steel and tougher than Kevlar yet 98% water. There are new bio-steel fibres being developed based on the spider silk recipe that are strong, vegan and biodegradable.
Do you have any new ideas you’d like to work on?
Of course, craftsmanship, heritage and elegant simplicity never go out of style. Our team has also recently been inspired by the traditional Japanese aesthetic wabi-sabi, the art of beauty in imperfection. In an interior design context this can be experienced through non-linear patterns or a silk inlay in a wool carpet.
This interview was published as part of a larger feature discussing design trends in the October 2019 issue of Business Jet Interiors International. Click here to read the full article.
