My Favorite Room: Michael Amini stays above the fray in his tastefully furnished private jet
Michael Amini has been faced with a design decision that most of us will never have to make: how to decorate the interior of his private jet.
The founder of Los Angeles-based furniture company AICO by Michael Amini travels close to a million miles a year. Most of the time he flies commercial. Occasionally, however, he asks his pilot to fire up his eight-seater Cessna Citation X to get him to trade shows in North Carolina and Las Vegas or for vacations with his wife and two teenage kids to the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and Canada.
Amini bought the plane 11 years ago and has renovated it twice, outfitting it in shades of camel and nude. The plush leather seats have been embellished in gold thread with his initials, and he’s used printed panels on the walls and embroidered cushions on the seats. When he flies, his staff arranges small crystal bowls of fresh flowers, laying the tables with white china and cloth napkins coiled into brass napkin rings.
Why is this your favorite room?
It’s like my window onto the world. I can go anywhere, anytime, at short notice. In this space I conduct my business, which is my life. I can celebrate, which is something I don’t always have the time to do at home. I can land any place I wish or go as far as I want. I feel like the world is under my feet.
How did you design it?
I’ve made it more personal. I changed the carpets, put in burl-wood veneers and have made it as comfortable as possible. We play soul music and always have fresh flowers when we fly. I was very particular about the look and the color. It’s a comfortable, cozy and color-coordinated space.
There must have been limitations as to what you could do.
Everything has to be approved for aviation use. It’s not like we could put in a Jacuzzi and chandeliers and hang art. Everything becomes much more expensive when it’s aviation-approved. Each one of these seats is $45,000. For that, I can sell you one of my dining tables, six chairs, china cabinet and buffet.
What do you mostly use the plane for?
When we fly for business, I have meetings with my management team to talk about things we don’t have the time to discuss at home. I use it a lot for my family. You wouldn’t believe how many birthday parties we’ve had in here, with music and cake and candles. And when I fly on my own, that’s the time for relaxation and meditation.
Do friends ask to borrow it?
All the time. I tell them, “Just gas it up and you can take it anywhere you want.” They usually change their minds when they find out how much it costs.
