OVER the course of her career, Abi Perry-Jones, Creative Director and Co-Owner of Jones Architecture + Design, has been instrumental in the evolution of many exciting pub and restaurant brands, now firmly established in the market.
Heading a team working on a wide range of design projects across the hospitality sector, Abi has won several design awards and she is a regular speaker at industry events, presenting design trends and innovations to operators and is part of the jury for the national Publican Awards.
She was part of the jury for Best New Site Award at this year’s Publican Awards held in March.
Abi said: “It was really inspiring to see so many innovative operators succeeding in the hospitality industry. Against the backdrop of bad news particularly focused on the casual dining industry with recent closures of high profile sites and struggling brands alongside rising food and labour costs which are currently challenging operators, an evening of celebration and positivity was much needed.”
To get an insight into life as a Creative Director, we asked Abi the following questions:
Where do you find inspiration?
We find inspiration everywhere – in fashion and art, in food trends and in nature. As designers we need to ensure that our client’s brands and interiors continuously evolve and that we push boundaries to ensure that they successfully compete with their competitors. Our designs must be innovative, but not just in terms of look and feel of the space. The absolute key for our clients is that space works best for their operation, to ensure efficiency and we must design to budget.
What are the current trends in design?
We have been blogging about Biophilic design for a while now. This is about “bringing the outside in” or incorporating the feeling of being “in nature”. Indoor planting is therefore featuring more. Bold colours are now used widely. Taking inspiration from Japanese and Scandinavian designs, accents in vivid hues such as oranges and reds can be added to neutrals, giving an energetic edge – this is definitely a trend that will stick around into 2018 and beyond!
What are you working on right now?
Our studio is really busy with a number of projects in the hospitality sector at various stages from initial concepts, design development, planning applications and projects on site.
Many of our current projects push the boundaries of our client’s outside space and including outdoor bars, cabins, firepits, and booth seating, resulting in some great destination spaces and bookable areas for meetings and parties which are set to become a real talking point and Instagram favourites.
Our recent project for KuPP, the growing Nordic Inspired restaurant brand was recently shortlisted for the Best Design Casual Dining Restaurant Award. Construction of the next KuPP site in Leeds is just about to start and new sites are to follow.
What design are you most proud of and why?
I’ve been involved in some pretty glamorous, high budget and high profile projects over the years, both in the UK and internationally. As the hospitality sector in Northamptonshire grows, we’re enjoyed working with new clients closer to home. It’s rewarding to build relationships with clients and gain an understanding of their business, operations and intricacies of their sites. We’ve literally tailored every inch of some of our more local projects to make the best of the spaces operationally and ensured that each design gives a great return on investment.
Contact Jones Architecture + Design on 01604 211 470 or visit www.jones-ad.co.uk