James Kandutsch

Spear’s Review

James Kandutsch joined Studio Indigo in 2008 after spending time working on numerous mixed-use schemes in his native New Zealand.

He was appointed CEO in 2020, having led teams on several prestigious projects, including Victorian townhouse refurbishments in Kensington, a Grade II-listed building in Chelsea and a 70m yacht. He is particularly interested in modernising boat interiors using the latest home tech innovations.

The London-based studio specialises in creating impressive designs across residential and commercial real estate around the globe, with significant experience and expertise in superyacht design. A respected industry observer admires the firm’s ‘ability to reinterpret, redefine and refine’ spaces ‘with a quiet elegance’, adding that this trait ‘is in their design DNA’.

Adviser Profile

James Kandutsch is a dedicated and ambitious designer with over 18 years’ experience in the luxury design industry. As CEO of Studio Indigo, he has been instrumental in the evolution and expansion of the business through his expert client relations, project management skills and design expertise.

James’s ambition comes from a desire to work with the very best and for the very best. He thrives on curiosity and diversity, a key driver in the Studio’s ability to explore across different typologies, learning from each industry and applying them within future projects. A cross-pollination of that results in unique and exciting developments.

Since project managing and delivering award-winning superyacht Joy in 2016, James has spearheaded the growth of the yacht department, building relationships across this niche industry. This has resulted in a deep understanding of luxury of which James has been able to bring through to our residential and commercial work. Working with UHNWIs across the globe, his strive for delivering design excellence has resulted in projects in Baku, the Middle East, Russia and Europe, increasing our international portfolio and global reputation.

He always approaches a new project as a clean canvas with nothing bound by conventions or rules, which he believes also stems from being surrounded by an expert team. Building relationships has been at the core of the Studio and each project becomes a deeply personal journey where we are not just designers or architects, but where friendships and deep connections are formed. James’s friendly and relatable manner helps put all our clients at ease, resulting in numerous of our clients entrusting us with not only their homes, but in turn their private offices, commercial spaces and/or yachts.