How are you guys doing? I hope you’re all hanging in there. Weeks and days are blending for me, so I wanted to write something happy with this post. Since launching Simply Elsa, I’ve received a handful of questions about my blog space! So, I thought I would share the branding process to shed light on the design inspiration so you can feel more at home here, and to help anyone who might be at this stage. I had a very clear vision of what I wanted Simply Elsa to not only look like, but also what I wanted it to feel like. My goal was to have the space be a reflection of who I am, and feel as if you were stepping into my own home and closet. I hoped to tell a visual story that was compelling and unique, yet clean and conducive for a good reader experience. I was handling my blog layout, but I knew when it came to my branding I wanted to work with my friend Kate Hammer. I also wanted unique images, so I asked my friend Lauren over at Laurel Creative to tackle some photography. Kate designed my branding including the (dreamy) logo, graphics, colors and font, and Lauren photographed my proprietary stock images of my things that you see around the blog!
The final brand board
I loved branding with Kate. I went into this having a very specific idea of the vibe and color palette I wanted. Over the course of many phone calls, emails, and texts, Kate translated those specifics into a cohesive brand story, and allowed me to be really hands-on throughout the experience. When we got started, we nailed down what I needed as a client and the expectations, then dove into the meat and potatoes: how I saw my brand aesthetic. I said, I see my brand aesthetic as classic and inviting, but fresh, simple, happy, and a modern-mature kind of preppy. Kate then asked me about my inspiration so she could have some tangible things to work from. I explained I didn’t have anything specific like a favorite painting, but that I did have two inspirations for the branding: Provence for colors and my kitchen growing up for the feeling.
For my colors, I drew inspiration from my time living in Provence with its icy yellow and pale blue architecture. I didn’t necessarily want a foreign vibe though, and I KNEW I wanted to pair those colors with navy for it to feel classic. I even asked a few friends what colors came to mind when they thought of me. I also kept revisiting the memories of my kitchen growing up, my mom had pale yellow walls and shelves of antique blue and white ginger jars. That kitchen feels so welcoming, timeless, and happy, which is exactly what I wanted my space to evoke. After chatting and brainstorming, Kate translated my descriptors into branding ideas, and suggested a fresh take on ginger jars and shutters, which I loved. Kate sent the first round of graphics and I was smitten with the silhouette of the ginger jars, and wanted to solely focus on them. We felt the ginger jars weren’t too literal either, since I mainly focus on style, lifestyle, and home, they are more a nod to my overall classic aesthetic. Below you can see the evolution of the branding, that shows the honesty and communication involved, which is necessary in any creative setting!
Rounds 1, 3 and 5 (rounds 6 to 9 were finalizing colors and font)
We arrived at what I feel is a perfect reflection of my brand, because Kate was honest and professional if she felt something I was describing wouldn’t convert well on screen, and I provided constructive feedback if I wasn’t keen on a design element. Kate’s main goal was to capture my essence through her expertise, and the best way for her to do that was through honest feedback on what I liked and what I didn’t! I was the most particular about colors, and sent Kate endless iterations of color codes before we got them EXACTLY where I wanted them (bless you, Kate). She also searched for a unique font for me, and worked on the length and spacing of the letters, until getting it where it felt right. We had a very strong communication flow that really allowed us to effectively build my aesthetic through the several rounds of edits, shifts, font revisions, and color tweaks before finalizing things. It also made it easier for me because Kate was great to work with.
Branding doesn’t happen overnight, and it is super important you stay authentic and open during the process. If you are honest with yourself about what your brand is, and honest with your professional during the development, you will get a final product that you’re so happy with. Once I had my branding down, I then asked Lauren of Laurel Creative to photograph my proprietary stock images for my blog, so I could have unique visual assets to support the story I wanted to tell. I showed Lauren the areas on my blog where I would be using the images, and she swung by my street and I put two bags of things into her trunk for her to photograph. I had separated out the items into groups that I wanted captured and explained what those groups of things would be representing (style, lifestyle, books, home, etc). Lauren did an amazing job with the photography, editing and product orientation!
You can also totally brand on your own! But, there are definitely perks to working with experts (if you feel like you are at the right stage), like their knowledge and ability to create a one-of-a-kind proprietary package. If you are considering hiring a professional, I would suggest going for it when you have an idea of what your voice is. You don’t need to necessarily know what your aesthetic vision is yet, but if you aren’t sure about your point of view, it may be better to work with someone once that develops! You will get the most out of it if you wait until you are ready and remain patient and honest thorughout the process. If you are looking to brand or re-brand your blog, I highly recommend reaching out to Kate, she understands the blogging landscape and has a great design eye. If you head to Kate and mention my name, you can get $200 off a basic branding package (THIS IS HUGE!). I feel so grateful to have worked with Kate on my branding, she took my vision and goals and helped me create the space and story that is now Simply Elsa. I can’t imagine her any other way.