Designing With Intentionality

A strong brand is more than a logo, it’s an experience. It’s the feeling you get when you walk through the door, the quiet confidence of a well-made product personified through its brand identity. This belief sat at the center of my branding refresh back in 2021 for Brass Horn Coffee Roasters, a Tennessee-based coffee shop and roaster rooted in quality and fostering community.

This project was about evolution, not reinvention. The goal was to deepen personality, strengthen emotional connection, and align the visual identity more closely with the values and philosophy that already defined the brand.

 

Original Signage

Client Background

Brass Horn Coffee Roasters was founded by Jeremy Florida, whose lifelong love of music heavily influences the brand’s philosophy. Much like great music, great coffee is complex and carefully composed. Brass Horn exists to create a positive impact through both coffee and community.

From the start, it was clear that this wasn’t just about aesthetics, it was about translating quality and heart into a visual language.

 

The Challenge

The existing logo was functional and recognizable, but it lacked the personality and depth needed to reflect the quality of the product and the intention behind the brand. The challenge was to refresh the identity without losing what already worked.

Key goals for the refresh included:

• Evolving the existing logo while honoring its foundation
• Creating a more expressive visual identity worthy of the coffee itself
• Communicating a place of community and belonging
• Reflecting the founder’s philosophy and musical influence
• Ensuring the brand felt intentional across every touchpoint

This meant designing with purposeful restraint.

The Design Process

Color Palette

Color played a major role in shaping the emotional tone of the brand. I selected a muted, calming palette designed to evoke balance, reliability, and trust. Cooler tones helped reinforce a sense of serenity, while grounded neutrals kept the system feeling timeless and approachable.

Much like music, the palette needed rhythm—enough variation to stay interesting, but cohesive enough to feel harmonious.

Color Options

Typography

Typography was chosen to feel clean, memorable, and quietly expressive. The goal wasn’t to overwhelm, but to support the brand with clarity. The fonts strike a balance between an approachable personality and professionalism.

This typographic system allows the brand to remain flexable across applications while maintaining a consistent voice.

Logo Lock-Up Options

Building the Brand System

Rather than stopping at a logo refresh, the project expanded into a full brand kit. This included:

• A refined logo system
• A cohesive color palette
• A flexible typography system
• Branded merchandise
• A mascot 

Each element was designed to work together seamlessly, creating a brand experience that feels intentional at every scale, from a coffee bag to a storefront to social media.

The mascot, in particular, became a way to humanize the brand and invite connection without sacrificing the calm, refined tone Brass Horn is known for. Fun fact: the mascot is actually a modified version of the original play-doh logo (a nod to family heritage).

Visuals: Logo evolution, merchandise, mascot

The Result

The final brand refresh reflects the heart of Brass Horn Coffee Roasters: pure, thoughtful, and grounded. Every element supports the idea that good design, like good coffee and good music, doesn’t shout. It resonates.

By aligning visual identity with philosophy, the refreshed brand builds trust, elevates perception, and creates a cohesive experience that feels both confident and welcoming.

Final Thoughts

This project is a reminder that branding isn’t about chasing trends: it’s about clarity, intention, and storytelling. When design decisions are rooted in values, the result is a brand that feels authentic and lasting.

If you would like to learn more about Brass Horn Coffee Roasters check out their website here. 

 

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Ready to Elevate Your Brand?

I love working with local and artisan businesses who take exceptional pride in their work. If you’re ready to elevate your brand and create something intentional, cohesive, and meaningful, I’d love to collaborate.

Let’s talk.
Fill out the interest form on this page and let’s see what we can create together.

 

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With ink-stained gratitude,
Emily Ciecka