This suite at the Hotel Costa Verde on the Costa Rican coast was once a Boeing 727. For $250 a night ($500 during peak season) you can sleep next to tropical beaches in an airplane that can no longer fly.
Vintage Boeing 727 now rainforest suite —
This suite at the Hotel Costa Verde on the Costa Rican coast was once a Boeing 727. For $250 a night ($500 during peak season) you can sleep next to tropical beaches in an airplane that can no longer fly.
Courtesy Vincent Castello
The emergency door on the 727 leads to a relaxing lunch area on the patio, built above the right wing of the airplane. Unexpected guests may include sloths and monkeys.
Hotel Costa Verde, Costa Rica —
The emergency door on the 727 leads to a relaxing lunch area on the patio, built above the right wing of the airplane. Unexpected guests may include sloths and monkeys.
courtesy vincent costello
Made from the fuselage of a Boeing 307 Stratoliner, this shipshape little vessel once belonged to Howard Hughes. As it passed between owners, it evolved into its current seafaring form. Singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett christened it the "Cosmic Muffin." Current owner, Dave Drimmer, purchased it as a houseboat 1981. It now sits in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
It's a plane! It's a boat! It's a house! —
Made from the fuselage of a Boeing 307 Stratoliner, this shipshape little vessel once belonged to Howard Hughes. As it passed between owners, it evolved into its current seafaring form. Singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett christened it the "Cosmic Muffin." Current owner, Dave Drimmer, purchased it as a houseboat 1981. It now sits in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
courtesy starkweather design
Owner Dave Drimmer, rebuilding the hull of his "planeboat" in 1994.
The Cosmic Muffin —
Owner Dave Drimmer, rebuilding the hull of his "planeboat" in 1994.
courtesy starkweather design
California-based MotoArt designs and builds unconventional furniture from decommissioned aircraft. Clients include AOL, Microsoft, GoDaddy, NetJets, Alitalia, Boeing, Northrup Grumman and Royal Jordanian.
Corporate furniture from airplane parts —
California-based MotoArt designs and builds unconventional furniture from decommissioned aircraft. Clients include AOL, Microsoft, GoDaddy, NetJets, Alitalia, Boeing, Northrup Grumman and Royal Jordanian.
courtesy motoart
A section of airplane fuselage, pretty much useless on its own. Add a desk and it becomes a stylish aluminum alloy partition that also happens to be extremely tough and durable.
Office space by MotoArt —
A section of airplane fuselage, pretty much useless on its own. Add a desk and it becomes a stylish aluminum alloy partition that also happens to be extremely tough and durable.
courtesy motoart
This MotoArt's seat design is called the "Albatross," and made from parts rescued from airplane bone yards.
If only all airplane seats were this comfy —
This MotoArt's seat design is called the "Albatross," and made from parts rescued from airplane bone yards.
courtesy motoart
"About 120 man hours go into each piece with MotoArt's technician grinding, cutting, sanding and polishing," says MotoArt's website about creating corporate desks from airplane parts. "The wing is buffed for 12 hours to bring about the stunning finish of your piece of art." The website has detailed information about the aircraft each piece is made from.
Executive desk —
"About 120 man hours go into each piece with MotoArt's technician grinding, cutting, sanding and polishing," says MotoArt's website about creating corporate desks from airplane parts. "The wing is buffed for 12 hours to bring about the stunning finish of your piece of art." The website has detailed information about the aircraft each piece is made from.
courtesy motoart
MotoArt creates all sorts of tables -- martini tables, coffee tables, conference tables -- from unexpected plane parts, including propellers.
"We went for the 'raw machine' look this time" —
MotoArt creates all sorts of tables -- martini tables, coffee tables, conference tables -- from unexpected plane parts, including propellers.
courtesy motoart
Magic Mike would love this MotoArt coffee table. It comes with a fancy name -- the F-4 Phantom -- and includes 10 burner cans with red LED internal illumination for mood lighting.
For a certain type of bachelor pad —
Magic Mike would love this MotoArt coffee table. It comes with a fancy name -- the F-4 Phantom -- and includes 10 burner cans with red LED internal illumination for mood lighting.
courtesy motoar
As this simple but brilliant bordbar design proves, getting furniture from airplanes doesn't have to mean cutting through an aluminum fuselage or hacking off the engine. Sometimes it's a matter of taking what's already there and giving it a slight facelift.
A new way to serve —
As this simple but brilliant bordbar design proves, getting furniture from airplanes doesn't have to mean cutting through an aluminum fuselage or hacking off the engine. Sometimes it's a matter of taking what's already there and giving it a slight facelift.
That annoying elbow-jostling drinks cart has a classy new look, thanks to Skypak.
Wine trolley —
That annoying elbow-jostling drinks cart has a classy new look, thanks to Skypak.
courtesy skypak
Skypak, a German company that specializes in selling refurbished trolleys, has a clever storage idea: use trolleys to store ties and shirts. You can purchase customizations such as shelves and drawers with the trolleys at the Skypak store. More innovative conversions include DVD racks, coffee bars and shoe cabinets. Skypak trolleys start at €1,380 ($1,833).
A perfect fit —
Skypak, a German company that specializes in selling refurbished trolleys, has a clever storage idea: use trolleys to store ties and shirts. You can purchase customizations such as shelves and drawers with the trolleys at the Skypak store. More innovative conversions include DVD racks, coffee bars and shoe cabinets. Skypak trolleys start at €1,380 ($1,833).
courtesy motoart
Once it held ginger ale and packets of peanuts. Now it holds important documents; bordbar trolleys start at €979 ($1,300).
Right at home —
Once it held ginger ale and packets of peanuts. Now it holds important documents; bordbar trolleys start at €979 ($1,300).
courtesy bordbar
The Hotel Suite in the Netherlands consists of a completely intact 1960 Ilyushin Il-18 converted into a hotel suite for two.
The Hotel Suite, Netherlands —
The Hotel Suite in the Netherlands consists of a completely intact 1960 Ilyushin Il-18 converted into a hotel suite for two.
courtesy hotelsuites.nl
The Hotel Suite is equipped with this bed, a Jacuzzi, infrared sauna and mini-bar. It's a plane of many lives: it started out as a political transport, was converted to a commercial airplane seating 120, then used as a restaurant for 15 years until it became a hotel in 2007.
Plane on the outside, party on the inside —
The Hotel Suite is equipped with this bed, a Jacuzzi, infrared sauna and mini-bar. It's a plane of many lives: it started out as a political transport, was converted to a commercial airplane seating 120, then used as a restaurant for 15 years until it became a hotel in 2007.
courtesy hotelsuites.nl
He throws his suitcase in a gesture of celebration -- he's going to be bunking in a jet tonight. That jet is Jumbo Stay at Stockholm's Arlanda Airport, the only jumbo jet hotel in the world. It also happens to be an affordable hostel, fitted with 76 beds.
A comfortable hostel —
He throws his suitcase in a gesture of celebration -- he's going to be bunking in a jet tonight. That jet is Jumbo Stay at Stockholm's Arlanda Airport, the only jumbo jet hotel in the world. It also happens to be an affordable hostel, fitted with 76 beds.
courtesy jumbo stay
With commercial seats removed, airplanes look surprisingly larger inside. This is the dining area at Jumbo Stay.
Room to breathe —
With commercial seats removed, airplanes look surprisingly larger inside. This is the dining area at Jumbo Stay.
courtesy jumbo sta
Bio-Luminum is an aluminum tiling product made by U.S.-based Coverings ETC. It's made from 100% recycled aircraft aluminum. Unidentifiable aircraft parts -- cockpit? wingtip? -- get new lives as parts of a decorative wall.
Aluminum bricks —
Bio-Luminum is an aluminum tiling product made by U.S.-based Coverings ETC. It's made from 100% recycled aircraft aluminum. Unidentifiable aircraft parts -- cockpit? wingtip? -- get new lives as parts of a decorative wall.
courtesy coverings etc
The game: spot the airplane. It's there, in its new form as Bio-Luminum, and it's clean, understated and -- we'll say it -- stylish.
Bio-Luminum style —
The game: spot the airplane. It's there, in its new form as Bio-Luminum, and it's clean, understated and -- we'll say it -- stylish.
courtesy coverings etc.
The Kiehl's storefront at the Yorkdale Shopping Center in Toronto is adorned with Bio-Luminum bricks. "The objective was to stand out among the many other larger storefronts," says Tom Berroth, Global Store Designer at Kiehl's. "One of Kiehl's founding fathers -- Aaron Morse -- was a military pilot and collected stunt planes. So a significant aspect of Kiehl's heritage and brand references Mr. Morse's passion for flying and adventure."
Decorative storefronts —
The Kiehl's storefront at the Yorkdale Shopping Center in Toronto is adorned with Bio-Luminum bricks. "The objective was to stand out among the many other larger storefronts," says Tom Berroth, Global Store Designer at Kiehl's. "One of Kiehl's founding fathers -- Aaron Morse -- was a military pilot and collected stunt planes. So a significant aspect of Kiehl's heritage and brand references Mr. Morse's passion for flying and adventure."
courtesy kiehl's
Architect David Hertz designed this Wing House in Malibu from the wing of a Boeing 747 for a client who requested "curvilinear, feminine shapes." While the roof looks durable, we're wondering what it sounds like when it rains.
Hot aluminum roof —
Architect David Hertz designed this Wing House in Malibu from the wing of a Boeing 747 for a client who requested "curvilinear, feminine shapes." While the roof looks durable, we're wondering what it sounds like when it rains.
courtesy carson leh and laura doss
Given the strength and durability of aircraft aluminum, building a home from a former aircraft is practical.
Winged house —
Given the strength and durability of aircraft aluminum, building a home from a former aircraft is practical.
courtesy carson leh and laura doss
Joe Axline's airplane home, "Project Freedom," involves two airplanes. Axline works in IT, but with a father who used to fly for Pan Am, he's always had an interest in airplanes. "When I was 15 my dad would drive me to the airport so I could get in an airplane and go fly around the country," says Axline, who moved into the airplane in November 2012.
Private homes —
Joe Axline's airplane home, "Project Freedom," involves two airplanes. Axline works in IT, but with a father who used to fly for Pan Am, he's always had an interest in airplanes. "When I was 15 my dad would drive me to the airport so I could get in an airplane and go fly around the country," says Axline, who moved into the airplane in November 2012.
courtesy joe axline
"The baggage compartments are really huge and will be turned into the kids' game room," says Axline.
Coolest dad in the world? —
"The baggage compartments are really huge and will be turned into the kids' game room," says Axline.
courtesy joe axline
Once a Boeing 737, this artificial reef off the coast of British Columbia is so covered in algae that it's hard to believe that it was once airborne. "It sits in about 90 feet of water suspended on an underwater 'cradle,' to simulate 'flying' underwater," says Deidre Forbes McCracken of the Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia. "The reef attracts divers from all around the world."
From up in the air to underwater —
Once a Boeing 737, this artificial reef off the coast of British Columbia is so covered in algae that it's hard to believe that it was once airborne. "It sits in about 90 feet of water suspended on an underwater 'cradle,' to simulate 'flying' underwater," says Deidre Forbes McCracken of the Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia. "The reef attracts divers from all around the world."
courtesy john kaay of cold water photography