28.04.14
Donegore Tea Rooms
Back in 2013 we worked on what had been our biggest project so far. The Donegore Tea Rooms & Deli was born out of another project that we had been developing for one of our clients (The Fun Emporium) and it catapulted us into one of the most exciting and prolific projects that we've had the pleasure to work on. Although the Tea Rooms were short-lived, they made a great impression on their customers and are still a topic of conversation and admiration among our clients. If you were lucky enough to ever visit Donegore Tea Rooms then you know what we are talking about. It was a unique place to visit and a unique client to work with.
However, we don't want this case study to read like an obituary. It was a fantastic project and a great opportunity for us to explore and influence a range of different elements that took the branding to a much larger scale. These elements included identity creation, branding, printed collateral, website design, internal and external graphics and even a bit of carpentry. It still remains a perfect example of how great design working together can create a seamless, high quality and inviting aesthetic.
The Identity
The first challenge was to create an identity that reflected the nature of the business and the quality environment the client wanted to create. The client was clear from the beginning that they wanted a high end feel from their identity that would sit well with a Victorian tea room serving high tea in china cups. Given that the client had opted to go down the route of a 'Tea Room' rather than a 'Coffee Shop' we thought it best we start there.
The main icon we used for the logo was a teapot that is made up of tea leaves. The leaves were also a nod to the original occupiers of the premises (The Landscape Centre), that were well known and highly regarded within the local community and further afield. The teapot imagery was echoed internally throughout the Tea Room, be it silhouette teapot cut outs that we applied to the windows or the quirky teapot and tea cup lamp shades that the interior designer used for internal lighting.
The next element was the logotype. We chose a type style that was again in keeping with the general aesthetic tone that was being established. We chose a classic serif typeface that was based on Bodoni which we customised to make it more unique and identifiable with Donegore Tea Rooms. The supporting type was kept clean and simple using a condensed typeface which complimented and didn't over power the main logotype.
The Branding
All good branding takes its inspiration from the logo. Being able to consider the wider branding applications while designing the logo gave us plenty to work with. We were able to pull out elements of the leaves, the teapots and the classic Bodoni typeface to use throughout all our branding applications.
We created a repeating pattern of leaves that could be used both as a background to the printed collateral like menus, gift bags, gift vouchers and promotional postcards/flyers as well as a frosted glass pattern that was used on various windows which made the windows visually interesting.
The type style from the logo was not only used within the printed collateral, like the menu design, but also internal and external graphics, like quotes that were painted onto the wall and the internal and external signage.
To ensure that the brand aesthetic was maintained as extensively as possible we also contributed to the project by constructing hand crafted signage around the premises. This involved creating a style of signage would best maintain the high end 'Tea Room' aesthetic and examining how our branding would extend onto that.
The Website
To complete the branding experience, and to ensure the correct visual identity could be presented and maintained outside of the premises itself, this involved designing and constructing an appropriate website that matched the brand aesthetic we had been developing.
To match the tech savvy nature of any modern internet user, the website had to be responsive so that it could be used easily on multiple devices. This was especially important when it came to booking summerhouses for private functions, purchasing gift vouchers and purchasing some of Donegore's exclusive produce.
Synchronised with this, was a strong social media presence. The performance of the Donegore Tea Rooms social media presence surprised even us but further highlighted the importance of maximising the potential of all avenues of promotion that are available to clients. Within 48hours of the Donegore Tea Rooms Facebook page going live it had amassed more than 1000 followers. It was clear that the demand and anticipation for the opening of the Tea Rooms was high and it was essential that this was capitalised on through all online platforms so as to update and inform potential customers in advance of the opening.
The Conclusion
Being involved in all elements of the brand development allowed us to draw influence from multiple sources. We found that how we had approached the branding of the signage ultimately influenced even how things like the menu was designed. All the elements being considered simultaneously helped to create a solid brand experience that helped to convey the comfort and quality that was being portrayed by the tea room.
It has to be said that the client understood the importance of investing in getting the right team around them and integrating their individual skills to work towards the same vision and goal. We were able to continually draw inspiration from the great work that was being done around us as the project progressed.
Whether it was unforeseen circumstances or simply a symptom of our financial climate, it is a genuine disappointment that something that was not only such a great project to work on, but was also such a uniquely wonderful venue to visit, was not able to survive longer. We learnt so much and are a much better studio of designers and developers for having had the opportunity to work with such great people.
We proudly remember the work that we did for The Donegore Tea Rooms & Deli and we hope that you can enjoy, what remains, one of the gems in our portfolio.