Brand · Case study

Halcyon Café brand system

A warm, hand-drawn identity and menu system for a neighbourhood café with a loyal crowd.

Client: Halcyon Café
Role: Brand designer
Timeline: 4 weeks, 2023
Tools: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Figma

“A hand-drawn wordmark, a sun-warmed palette of terracotta, oat and olive, and a flexible menu template the team updates in minutes.”

The problem

Halcyon Café had a devoted neighbourhood crowd and no consistent look. The chalkboard menu changed daily, the logo existed only as a phone photo, and takeaway cups carried a blurry sticker. The owners wanted warmth, not chain-store polish. Nothing was wrong, exactly; it just did not look like the place felt.

The approach

I sat in the café for two mornings, sketching the room: mismatched cups, low sun, the regulars’ habits. The identity had to feel handmade yet hold up on a cup, a window and a phone screen. I drew the letters by hand, then tightened them until they stayed friendly at small sizes.

The solution

A hand-drawn wordmark, a sun-warmed palette of terracotta, oat and olive, and a flexible menu template the team updates in minutes. Cups, bags and window vinyl share one illustrated pattern, so the café is recognisable from across the street. The owners can now print a fresh menu before the morning rush.