OUR STORY
Born from a love of travel, hospitality and lifestyle. Abound is a strategic design studio for a new wave of forward-thinking, experience-makers reshaping our cultural landscape.
Our work spans continents as well as areas of speciality. Our Founder, James, is a creative hybrid who works as a designer, strategist and innovator at the intersection of brand and design. He’s spent his career directing the creation of some of the world’s most progressive hospitality, travel and lifestyle brands. Including London’s game-changing Hoxton Hotel and IHG’s fastest growing brand voco™.
Having led a string of successful collaborations agency and client side, with high-profile architects, developers and entrepreneurs, James joined forces with his partner in business and in life, Alison, to create a design studio that enabled a collective approach, an eco-system of creative and commercial minds. The right team, if you will, rather than the only team, where the project directs the team assembly and not the other way around.
Supported by Alison’s extensive experience working with luxury high end lifestyle brands, it blends a real-world commercial understanding with experience working across design disciplines. A portfolio rich in narrative, each project fostering a collective mindset. A mindset that inspired Abound.
We shape life enriching brands and design unforgettable experiences, connected in culture, community and discovery.
״Bravo - A winning partnership."
– Stephen McCall. CEO, Edyn Group
Design You Feel.
Our philosophy has its origins in culture, community and discovery. The places we live, the experiences we have, the people we meet along the way. Each evoke emotion. Some pass by unnoticed, others raise a smile as we go about our day to day. But the ones that mean something, make you feel something, they're the ones that have the potential to create life-long memories.
Our ethos and values guide us – collectively acting as a lens to uncover new perspectives and meaningful design stories, that cultivate connection and become vibrant platforms for life's journey.
Culture
Curious about the ideas, customs and behaviours of people and their lifestyles. How we choose to live, eat, work and play. We put people and place at the centre of our thinking, to uncover what matters most, we design with empathy.
Community
In-tune with our surrounds, we are conscious about craft and impact, both socially and environmentally. We design with purpose and provenance – bringing likeminded people and partners together, to inspire and grow communities.
Discovery
Inspired by our love of travel and creativity, we look for fresh ways to see and to be. Seeking the authentic and meaningful, to inspire new ideas, evocative stories and authentic experiences that elevate the everyday.
Opening the door to a career in design and love affair with hotels, James works as creative lead at the London design agency developing the game changing Hoxton Hotel brand and first London property.
2005
From iconic landmarks to national sport teams to exotic destinations, a series of placemaking projects whilst agency side saw James working with the likes of VisitBritain and Team England.
2010
James lands as Creative Director at London Agency, Honour – crafting memorable brand experiences and lounge concepts for iconic aviation brands, including BA's Concorde Bar.
2012
Appointed Global Brand Innovation Director at InterContinental Hotels Group, James leads the creation of Crowne Plaza's transformative design blueprint and new brand, voco™.
2017
AboundStudio, launches with a vision to craft living feeling brands, spaces and places connected in culture, community and discovery – starting with the ApartHotel disruptor brand, Locke.
2019
Journey Abound
More than a decade in the making, the key milestones that led to the launch of Abound.
Strategy
We shape the positioning, purpose and values that build meaningful brands that add cultural and commercial value.
Design
We craft compelling narratives, identities and spaces that elevate the everyday and cultivate connection with their surrounds.
Experience
We curate the hallmarks, rituals and journeys inspired by the people, places and partners that bring them to life.
How can we help?
Interested to know more? Explore Services
We believe in the power of design and creativity to enrich lives, and in a world where business and brands can add both cultural and commercial value to the communities they live in.
Over the course of our careers we've travelled the world to partner with likeminded brands and people to redefine the way we live, work and travel. Together we've created category defining concepts and extraordinary experiences, that guests love and keep coming back to.
Living Feeling Brands
Acknowledgement of Country.
AboundStudio acknowledge this country's First Nations peoples and their ongoing strength in practising the world's oldest living culture. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands and waters on which we live and work, and pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.