d+a | Issue 115 • Apr/May 2020

99 A used Cessna Citation CJ2+ came into the possession of a longstanding client and golfing buddy of Frank Ponterio’s last year. Having worked with Ponterio on a number of residential projects, this friend knew that he had the potential to completely overhaul the private jet’s dull and boring all- beige interiors into something that would better reflect his personality. Ponterio was more than happy to take on the project. The catch, however, was that it had to be done within 30 days, in order for his client to fly it to the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. Top of the to-do list was a complete stripping down of the interiors to do the design from scratch. Ponterio shares the process and his favourite details of the Cessna. What inspired the interiors of the Cessna Citation CJ2+? Really, the client was the inspiration. He’s a friend I knowwell, so I wanted it to reflect his lifestyle and tastes. He wanted something fresh and smart, and knowing that he loves colour, we pulled blue into the mix (not knowing it would then become Pantone’s Colour of the Year 2020). It is his plane and completely reflective of his sensibilities. It is what we do for all our clients – feeling at home even if they’re in the air. What was most challenging about the detailing of its interior design? It was making sure we could achieve the level of detailing we wanted for the seats. We were able to reuse the foam form from the originals, which helped the budget, but I actually had to take a permanent marker to draw on where I wanted the new cream and blue stitching and piping details to go onto the leather. The client liked it so much he eventually had his car’s interiors done to match. What are your favourite details of the refurbished Cessna? The Scott Group Studio carpet is my favourite. Most aircraft have simple, utilitarian carpeting, but we wanted something different and unexpected. We worked with eight different shades of blue for the heathered background and it paid off. How do you maximise space and design in something small like a private jet? It is the same way you think about detailed interiors. When we work on residences, we