VISUAL IDENTITY CASE STUDY
Parterre Restaurant & Bar
SCOPE OF WORK
Visual Identity / Logo Design / Illustrations / Print and Digital Collateral / Brand Styleguide / Packaging-Labels / E-commerce website design
Parterre RESTAURANT & BAR
Served with a Dash of History
Thinking Strategically
Parterre Restaurant and Bar is adjacent to the historic Linden Row Inn, located in Downtown Richmond, Virginia. First, I needed to look at this project holistically, from location to type of cuisine. Parterre is not an isolated restaurant, off on it’s own. It’s adjacent to the Linden Row Inn, therefore It’s part of a partnership and the primary dining location for guests of the Inn. This new concept will occupy a space previously occupied by a different restaurant. When researching the history, I, naturally, first notice their visual identity and design. It had its own style, but one, in my opinion, that did not compliment that of the Inn. This is certainly acceptable, and I’m not suggesting every business have “matching” designs with partners. This would be boring. In this case, I felt it was beneficial and important to tie in aesthetically with the Inn.
Linden Row is a historic location in downtown Richmond. Their suites are stunning, adorned with antique furniture and vintage style. There’s an experience that guests have and want to have when they visit. It would be great to extend that to their dining experience as well.
Thinking Creatively
The decision to blend with the Inn made the color palette easy to define. The name, however, was a different story. Linden Row has a strong connection to beloved Richmond poet, Edgar Allan Poe. Through research, the F&B director found a reference to a “parterre” in his poem “To Helen.” It is believed that the parterre he mentions is now the current garden patio area located inside the Inn where the restaurant is located. It is a romantic find and a perfect fit for the space. Parterre was born.
Now that a name had been chosen, it was time for me to come up with a logo. One of my first visions was of the black raven, made so famous by Poe. It doesn’t seem terribly original, but design is inspired by many people, places, and things. I just try to allow it to come. It took several drafts of ravens before getting it right, but once it felt right, it was right.
The Result
In reflection, this entire project came together abnormally fast. Once the name and logo had been finalized, each deliverable seemed to come together rather seamlessly. Parterre not only serves great dishes, it serves a great experience. For Inn guests and locals alike, Parterre offers a welcoming and intimate environment, sharing a romantic history and an ideal setting for the moments we want to remember.
In its first year, Parterre received several 5-star reviews across multiple platforms and has been featured in several publications including The New York Times, Richmond Magazine, & Richmond Bizsense.
Logo Design & Color Palette
Typography
Primary typography was selected based on its visual presentation, which I felt was vintage and poetic. The Hamilton Serif font family is described as boasting sophisticated and hand painted textures throughout. A vintage style, it was inspired by vintage maps, wine, and whiskey.
RICHMOND SITES
For guests of the Linden Row Inn, I created a custom illustrated map of popular Richmond tourist sites, most located within walking distance from the Inn.
I believe the little touches, unique to a brand, often stand out the most.
