About Us
Since we founded the business in January 2007 this has been our goal: To offer a personal level of service whilst providing the best in creativity and innovation.
Based in Clapham Junction we are retailer designers at heart who get involved in a weirdly wonderful mix of projects and clients. From premium fashion to supermarkets, micro-brewery to hotels, trains to products, this mix of work helps keep us fresh and ensure each clients project is unique. Covering branding, strategy, interior design and graphic design we have a small team than spans 30 years of experience.
What we do
80% of our work is based on recommendations and we are very proud to work with all of our clients. Working with blue chip clients to entrepreneurs, our flexibility and speed means clients can use our skills to suit their needs. Whether you are looking for new thoughts on strategy, need a new concept, are looking for a designer to design a rollout or someone to do the whole deal, we're happy to ask the questions, listen and see how we can help you.
Our process
Our hands on approach means we really get to know you, your brand and your customers. From working on the shop floor, videoing and analysing customer behaviours, to sitting with the board and reviewing sales performance and KPI's, we can strategically help you to understand the correct direction to move towards before putting pen to paper.
We also have an online community of leading edge thought thinkers that provide us with valuable insight to the consumer world. Whatever the challenge, we can tailor a forum for our clients to help them understand from a customers perspective ‘what’s happening’ and ‘why it’s happening’. Working with Dub, data can be extracted, analysised and presented to help form the basis of a project.
Working with trend agencies such as Mintel, GDR, WGSN and Trendwatching.com we are able to keep abreast of the what is effecting society at a micro and macro level and ensure we integrate this in to clients projects to help them stay ahead of their competition.
Our team
Steve James-Royle, Co-Founder & Creative Director
With a background in retail strategy and interior design, Sian & I set up TYC 5 years ago to offer our clients a personal level of service backed by evidential design. Before that I was Associate Director at Astound London and ran the interior side of the business.
The range of my projects over the past 15 years is wildly varied and includes: Tesco, Superdrug, John Lewis Foodhall, Harrods manshop, one of the first ever retail infrastructures in India for Reliance Industries, 3M Innovation Centre, B&Q UK & Hong Kong and KPN Telecom NL to name a few.
What do I fill my spare time with? Wakeboarding, snowboarding, long boarding…generally anything with a board!
Sian James-Royle, Co-Founder & Financial Director
As a trained product designer out of Brunnel, I progressed to User Experience design, focussing on the digital industry with cutting edge organisations. Working with PA Consulting, Conchango and Harvest Digital my experience includes Tesco, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Chevron Upstream Europe, The Conservative Party, Willis Insurance and Severn Trent Water.
My role within TYC is the day-to-day running of the business, financial controller and project management of key projects. We have utilised my customer focussed approach in the digital world to our projects in the real world to bring a different approach to design.
In my spare time I love a challenge! Snowboarding, surfing, swimming, even baking! They all offer something different and make the weekend unpredictable.
Carolyne Hill, Graphic Design Director
With a background in Retail Design and Business Management studied at the London College of Printing, I have worked with some of the UK’s largest retail brands for over 10 years at various London design agencies. Working within retail graphics I have worked with clients such as Tesco, B&Q, 3M Innovation Centre, Speedo, Benugo, British Film Institute, House of Fraser, Boots, BHS, and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts.
With a range of experience in project management, client liaison, art direction and brand development, I work closely with interior designers to build brands, create signage, POS and other graphic element for print and web to offer a complete branding design package to our clients.
In my spare time I enjoy riding my bicycle, visiting galleries and making cupcakes :-)
Emily De La Haye, Interior designer
My real design experience began when I started at TYC fresh out of Kingston University. Since joining the team in 2007, I've built up such a wide range of skills not only in different sectors of design but also at every stage of the process. From concept to drawing pack and even snagging onsite, I get involved in it all.
With the team being a good size I've been lucky to work on pretty much every project that's come through the door! These include Eurostar, Clintons, SSP and David Mayer Naman.
I love seeing the world! eating, drinking and movies :)
Jake Evans, Interior designer
Having graduated from Nottingham Trent University three years ago I have worked for a variety of established design agencies including The One Off, Judge Gill and Dalziel and Pow. My background is retail design and my roles at TYC include conceptual design, brand development, technical drawing packages and site management.
I have worked on many major retail brands throughout my short design career including; adidas, Fred Perry, Speedo, River Island, Primark, World Duty Free and Clintons. I'm approaching my one year anniversary at TYC and the variety of projects I have worked on in twelve months has been immense.
In my spare time I enjoy bike riding, rock climbing, travel, art exhibitions and of course football. I'm planning a snowboarding trip to Canada next year too which should be awesome!
What our clients say
"TYC challenged the very essence of what a concierge desk could be. They've designed the most eye-catching desk we have ever seen!"
Rachael Marciniak, Retail Design Manager, Westfield"Their approach is based on studying all the facts and combining their learnings with retail science, trends and customer behaviours to create a design that is unique on the high street."
Clinton Lewin, MD, Clintons"Working within the constraints of the tight timescale set by us, TYC were from the outset able to react quickly and grasp the requirements of our brief."
Pawar, Retail Project Manager, Land Securities"10 out of 10 for creativity! Great people to work with"
Jorg Roth, Partner, Rhythm Kitchen“The creativity, the originality and the enthusiasm of The Yard Creative were very helpful, in launching our brands in the UK. Working with TYC proved to be a very positive experience and a constructive cooperation."
Dimitris Damianidis, Owner, Glin Glon"TYC have a very clear view of the purchase attitude of the customers travelling on board Thalys trains. In the frame of our tender, they came up with a very original marketing concept which helped us to promote our tender."
Gérald Petit, General Manager, RailrestResponsible
We are a member of the Design Business Association and strive to act inline with the DBA code of conduct.
You can see some of this work in practice by looking through the portfolio and there are some quotes that our clients have kindly given us to share but if you'd like to know more or discuss a project then please do give us a call on 020 7183 8326 or email info@theyardcreative.com