Branding
Web Design
Social Media
Copy Writing
Illustration
Elements
Year
2022
Instructor
Abby Guido
The Thimble Inn is a bed and breakfast based in the English Countryside of Heathfield. This boutique bed and breakfast provides a gorgeous getaway where you don't have to leave your furry best friend behind—the Thimble Inn was founded on the idea that vacation should include all members of the family, even the resident pups.
The Thimble Inn
Case Study
I began this project based off of an imaginary bed and breakfast that my family had always joked about creating one day. The concept was so personal and whimsical, and I loved the idea of bringing it to life to share with others.
I based the branding off of my black lab, Thimble. After initially training her to become a guide dog for service to some other family, she ended up coming back to us and it had always felt like fate. Her adorable likeness was the perfect place to start on the design for a pet-friendly B&B.
DESIGN PROCESS
DESIGN PROCESS & USER PERSONAS
I created two user personas from my research to get a better idea of the audience I was trying to reach
I settled on two types of people. The first type is a younger audience aged 12-17 who enjoy spending time with their families. They also have been wanting a family pet but have yet to show they can handle the responsibility. My second persona type would be parents or adults aged 38-52 who want to go on a simple relaxing vacation. They also have a dog and most importantly do not want to leave them behind.
When starting the design process, I began researching bed and breakfasts. I looked into the UX/UI design of their websites, as well as their customer reviews. I wanted to pick out the main aspects of what guests appreciated from smaller B&Bs and apply that to my brand. I wanted to also apply realistic goals for my brand since it would be a relatively small business.
LOGO & BRAND IDENTITY
Beginning with my logo, I wanted to feature Thimble especially because I was naming it after her. The logo is designed to mimic an intricate stamp, but when broken down, it turns into a simple responsive mark that can be used everywhere. My spot illustrations were created in a similar style to build consistency.
Using my research, I decided that I wanted my brand identity to be clean and simple, but with illustrative qualities that highlight it's playful nature. Creating an uncluttered design system would make it easier for people of all ages to navigate my website, and give it a modern feel.
WEB DESIGN
WEB DESIGN
The website is the featured component of my project, therefore the user experience and interface was extremely important. I created unique compositions with exciting details and artfully designed negative space. I also kept each interaction clear and concise, to help the user move through the site.
One of the interactions I wanted to highlight is the setting of your dog alarm—at the Thimble Inn you have the ability to get woken up by a dog in the morning, and schedule it through the website. I kept the interaction as simple as possible. The user is able to pick a day, time, and preferred dog to come to their room in the morning.
Click video below to play
Click videos below to play
SOCIAL MEDIA
Take a look at the entire website: TheThimbleInn.com
While the website is the featured component of this brand, the social media design is also an important aspect of any company hoping to reach their audience. I wanted to keep the social media just as whimsical as the rest of my website, so I included original copy based off of commonly used idioms.
I wanted the playful set of posts to be complemented by more straightforward social media advertisements. I kept the second set of posts more reserved while still highlighting the visual aesthetics and features that The Thimble Inn has to offer.
SOCIAL MEDIA
DELIVERABLES
I expanded the world of The Thimble Inn by creating a business card, menu, postcard, and door hangers. All the elements you would find at a bed and breakfast. I continued the clean typography and dog-themed illustrations to establish brand continuity.
I also decided to create collateral that a customer could potentially buy at the gift shop of the inn. I designed items for the visitors, humans and dogs alike, this provides a memorable token for them to take home and remember their stay.
