The Wild Atlantic Executive Lounge

Edit Design Studio’s concept for the Executive Lounge in Kerry Airport was inspired by the luxury of private aircraft interiors, with quality of materials and excellence in execution at the forefront. We worked closely with expert craftspeople to ensure that the project was delivered to the highest standard, showcasing the superior quality of Irish design to arriving visitors to Kerry, while also offering them a comfortable hideaway to rest in between flights.

Using mixed seating, we created several distinct areas to allow comfort and space for both groups and individuals, in the event that passengers from different aircrafts are in the lounge at the same time. In keeping with the look and feel of a “gentleman’s lounge”, we installed a discreet screen at the entrance to minimise exposure of the lounge when the door is opened, for passengers’ privacy. To create a luxurious feel within the space as if customers are still on a private aircraft, we used tactile and natural furnishing materials such as leather and velvet. To cultivate a calming effect, complementary fabric-like wallpaper was selected.

The bespoke bar is the focal point of this space. Designed as a visual statement piece as well as being highly functional, it features open shelving at eye-level to display attractive alcohol bottles, above a streamlined counter area housing a coffee machine and ice cooler next to a built-in sink. Below, a glass-fronted, integrated refrigerator offers chilled wine and refreshments. The bar’s most striking design features are the copper colour mirrors, utilised to give a sense of space, and the veneered wall covering panels skilfully installed on the lower cupboard doors, to repeat the geometric pattern design of the opposite wall.

To create our elaborate wall panelling design we chose to use a veneered fretwork wall covering by Phillip Jeffries, a US-based company that works closely with artisans in small mills. For the geometric effect, wood is sliced into thin veneers, dye cut, and hand laid into a geometric pattern. To match the wood to the eucalyptus tones in the wallpaper within our budget constraints, the oak veneer had to be stained – an effect that is difficult to achieve on larger panels. The end result, adeptly executed, is a circumambient, cohesive feel throughout the entire space.