Bakery Nouveau Student Project

Overview

Known and loved for their unique confections, Bakery Nouveau is an adored spot for Seattle locals, regulars, and travelers. Our rebrand successfully gives it a unique visual style unlike any other bakery in Seattle, matching their charming, hand-crafted offerings that are highly sought after by locals, visitors, and regulars.

Challenge & Solution

With growing competition in the Seattle area, Bakery Nouveau needed an identity that set them apart as much as their well-loved confections do.

Our solution embraces the intention that is put into Bakery Nouveau’s offerings by highlighting the detail and authenticity of a bakery that puts love and care into every piece they craft. We created a modern, iconic, and personalized visual style that is reminiscent of art nouveau and art deco, and can live in the modern space without feeling 'dated.'

Timeline
11 weeks

Collaborators
Miranda Cooper

Tools
Illustrator
Indesign
Photoshop
Sketch

Roles
Branding
Research
Layout Design
Web Design

Brand Development

We kicked off the project by defining Bakery Nouveau’s brand image. We analyzed and charted over 50 photos in order to determine how or how they did not represent the brand image. After mapping these on a scale of most to least representative, we pulled the most applicable characteristics and started to develop our brand character, position and mission statement.

This led us to the realization that Bakery Nouveau is timeless, crafted, intentional, inviting, hand-touched, welcoming and warm among many other characteristics. We determined that they are not prissy, inauthentic, trendy, earthy, boring, cold or amateur.

After further refining these brand characteristics, we were able to finalize our mission, brand character, and brand position.

Mood Board & Brand Concept

After defining our brand, we honed in on the visual style. Taking our three brand character traits, we built a tonal territory and visual style that encompassed each (charming, authentic and artisan) as it related to the brand.

Based on our research and refinement of the brand image, we were driven by the statement, “Thoughtfully crafted delights.” This concept highlights Bakery Nouveau’s care for their craft and their passion for creating unique, charming offerings. This is visualized by intricate, architecturally inspired illustrative elements, delicate and charming type, and soft, iconic colors.

Logo Exploration

Our logo direction was largely inspired by architectural adornments. We initially explored symbolic, geometric shapes and patterns, but wanted something that correlated more with Bakery Nouveau’s roots in traditional French baking.

What started as an abstract representation of Bakery Nouveau’s most sought after item (the twice baked chocolate almond croissant), ended up as a softer, friendlier icon that still referenced our initial, more abstract logo direction.

Environmental Graphics

One of our first steps in the branding process was visiting all of Bakery Nouveau’s locations in Seattle. Miranda and I ordered food and drinks and sat to enjoy them after exploring the physical space. We observed how customers navigated the space and what our user experience was in visiting, ordering, eating, and bussing our own table. The need for environmental signage was obvious, as most of it was just written on paper and taped to the wall.

We also noticed that the menus were far too distant and small for visitors to read while waiting in line. This led us to the decision to do away with the wall menu (for which the spaces simply don’t have room for) and replace it with handheld menus that visitors can retrieve at that start of the line, view while seated at tables, and reference when ordering at the counter.

Web Design

Bakery Nouveau’s landing page needed a unique, hand-touched appeal while still providing information to the visitor in a clear, readable way. We used the redesign as an opportunity to highlight what sets Bakery Nouveau apart from its competition in Seattle, and showcase the one-of-a-kind confections you can enjoy upon visiting.

We utilized assets that are featured in our other design collateral, namely architecturally inspired lines, shapes and adornments to draw unique visual interest to the website and guide the user through the landing page experience.

Building Collateral

Inspired by the brand’s desire to always provide something new for their guests, Miranda and I used familiar assets and styles throughout the brand but applied them in unique ways that weren’t repetitive for the user. You can find repeated patterns, line weights, and visual style applied in inventive ways across each piece of collateral.