How one of the world’s leading luxury interior designers transformed a Bombardier Global Express XRS into a bespoke residence above the clouds.
Luxury is no longer defined simply by where we travel, but by how we experience the journey. In the exclusive world of private aviation, the expectations of discerning travelers continue to evolve, with aircraft interiors increasingly reflecting the sophistication, comfort, and individuality of the world’s most exceptional private residences. Interior designer Shalini Misra has brought this vision to life through a remarkable transformation of a Bombardier Global Express XRS, creating a luxurious sanctuary in the sky with a renovation budget approaching £1 million.
Commissioned by businessman Puneet Mahendra, the project represents an extraordinary intersection of bespoke craftsmanship, aviation engineering, and residential design. Mahendra, an India-based entrepreneur and thermal engineer, purchased the approximately 15-year-old aircraft but found its existing interiors uninspiring. Rather than accepting the conventional aesthetic associated with private jets, he enlisted Misra to create an environment that felt inviting, deeply personal, and thoughtfully designed for extended international travel.
Shalini Misra: Bringing Residential Luxury Into Private Aviation
Known for her distinctive approach to luxury interiors, Shalini Misra has established an international design practice with offices in London, New York, Dubai, and Delhi. Her portfolio includes exceptional private residences, where the integration of art, architecture, craftsmanship, and cultural influences creates spaces that are both elegant and deeply personal. The Bombardier transformation marked her first private aviation interior project, providing an opportunity to translate the principles of residential design into an entirely different environment.
Having previously worked on Mahendra’s home, Misra understood his appreciation for intricate details, meaningful design, and interiors that tell a story. His aircraft would need to provide the same level of emotional connection as his residence while accommodating a lifestyle that involves approximately 300 hours of flying each year. The objective was not simply to create a visually impressive cabin, but to develop a comfortable and restorative environment capable of making long-distance journeys more enjoyable.
A £1 Million Investment in Exceptional Craftsmanship
The aircraft’s transformation took approximately one year, with the interior refurbishment costing just under £1 million. Specialist aviation refurbishment company AeroVisto worked alongside the design team to address the aircraft’s technical requirements and execute the ambitious interior concept. The project required meticulous coordination between designers, craftspeople, suppliers, and aviation specialists to ensure that each bespoke element met the demanding standards of private aviation.
Rather than relying on the polished wood surfaces and conventional finishes frequently associated with business jets, Misra introduced a softer and more residential atmosphere. Cream-colored leather seating, pale blue carpeting, intricate decorative wall treatments, and carefully selected natural materials create an interior that feels sophisticated without becoming ostentatious. The result is an environment that prioritizes relaxation, warmth, and individuality while maintaining the functionality expected of a long-range private aircraft.
Hand-Painted Wallpaper and Bespoke Interiors
Among the aircraft’s most distinctive features is its custom hand-painted wallpaper by de Gournay, the celebrated luxury interiors company renowned for decorative wallcoverings and artistic craftsmanship. Created in China, the wallpaper depicts scenes inspired by India, with illustrated landscapes, architectural details, and cultural references extending across the aircraft’s interior walls. Each composition was adapted to the cabin’s architecture, allowing the artwork to continue around corners, doors, and structural elements without disrupting its visual narrative.
The flooring provides another remarkable example of traditional craftsmanship adapted for contemporary aviation. Jaipur Rugs produced a handwoven carpet using New Zealand wool and cotton, incorporating a pale blue palette and delicate cloud-inspired detailing that complements the aircraft’s serene atmosphere. Designed specifically for the cabin, the carpet adds softness and texture while creating a visual connection to the surrounding sky.
The aircraft’s furnishings demonstrate the same commitment to individuality. Leather upholstery from Garrett Leather and Lance Woven Leather introduces subtle variations in texture, stitching, and tone, while blue piping complements the aircraft’s safety belts. Custom tables by Simon Orrell Designs feature intricate marquetry using multiple wood varieties, including walnut, ash, elm, sycamore, and maple, together with mother-of-pearl detailing. These artistic elements turn functional furniture into distinctive pieces of craftsmanship.
Designing a Private Residence at 40,000 Feet
Creating a luxury aircraft interior involves considerably more than choosing beautiful materials. Every design decision must account for weight, durability, passenger safety, maintenance, and aviation certification requirements. Materials commonly used in residential architecture often require extensive modification before they can be introduced into an aircraft, making successful private jet renovations highly specialized undertakings.
For this project, carefully engineered marble applications provide a striking example of how sophisticated design can coexist with technical precision. Calacatta Borghini marble was incorporated into the entrance and bathroom areas, with sections cut to approximately four millimeters thick to minimize additional aircraft weight. These details establish a sense of permanence and refinement while accommodating the operational demands of aviation.
The bathroom offers another expression of Misra’s design philosophy, featuring embroidered wall panels decorated with butterflies and blossoms. Created in collaboration with specialist craftspeople, these decorative elements introduce a natural, almost garden-like atmosphere into one of the aircraft’s most compact spaces. Every panel was carefully planned to preserve the continuity of the embroidered artwork, reinforcing the attention to detail throughout the renovation.
The Evolution of Luxury Private Travel
Although private aviation has traditionally emphasized speed, convenience, and exclusivity, interior design is becoming an increasingly important expression of the passenger experience. Wealthy travelers who invest in exceptional homes, collectible design, and personalized hospitality are bringing those same expectations into the aircraft they use for business and leisure. The distinction between a transportation environment and a private living space is becoming less pronounced.
Misra’s approach reflects this shift. Instead of creating an aircraft dominated by recognizable luxury branding, she focused on meaningful materials, cultural storytelling, and the sensory qualities of the environment. The 12-passenger cabin, which can be configured to provide five sleeping spaces, demonstrates how thoughtfully designed interiors can support dining, working, entertaining, and resting within one highly specialized setting.
This emphasis on personal expression also highlights the growing importance of collaboration between luxury designers and specialist manufacturers. From British marquetry and Indian carpet weaving to hand-painted decorative artwork, the aircraft brings together craftsmanship from multiple regions, creating an international design narrative that mirrors its owner’s global lifestyle.
A New Expression of Luxury Above the Clouds
Shalini Misra’s transformation of the Bombardier Global Express XRS illustrates how contemporary luxury is moving beyond conventional ideas of extravagance. Here, the most compelling features are not necessarily the most expensive or immediately recognizable, but the details that reveal care, creativity, and a deep understanding of the client’s lifestyle.
The nearly £1 million renovation is more than an exercise in exceptional interior decoration. It represents a vision of private aviation in which craftsmanship, cultural identity, and comfort become inseparable from the journey itself. By reimagining the aircraft as a personal residence rather than a conventional mode of transportation, Misra has created an environment that offers something increasingly valuable in modern luxury: the freedom to feel at home, wherever in the world one may be traveling.
Photo Credits & Sources
Editorial source: The Times — Lisa Grainger, September 16, 2026.
Interior design: Shalini Misra Design
Photography: The Times / LUXX. Individual photographer credits should be verified against the selected photographs before publication.