Hang your hat here
The NashVilla
The NashVilla is a luxury bed & breakfast that has got to be the coolest house in Nashville. From the atmosphere and amenities to the two working recording studios and a backyard to match, this place is somehow luxurious, cozy and creatively electrifying all at once.
We linked up with the NashVilla team early in their process of creating this business, around the time that renovations to the house were just finishing up. The team had the property and the business name ready to go, and they tapped us in to take things from there and build out the visual brand identity, website, merchandise, and more.
We started high-level with conversation and exploration around what the brand vibe should be. Who will stay here? (Musicians and music lovers.) What type of experience should people expect? (The comforts and conveniences of a newly-renovated house, plus the privacy and simple joys of a B&B.) What will the house stand for that is larger than itself? (Among other things: Music. Celebrating it, sharing it, and honoring the fine folks who create it.)
With all this, plus a few experiences of our own hanging out at the NashVilla, we began noodling around with some initial concepts for a logo and color palette that would embody the house’s unique balance of Americana and modern vibes. The idea that rose to the top was a traveling musician, representing both the guests and the heroes of the ‘Villa. The clean, bold style of our guitar-weilding cowboy fits well with the house’s modern updates, while still conveying that quintessential Nashville look.
“Hang Your Hat Here”
The NashVilla’s tagline came to us when we were deep in the weeds of this logo design. The simplified shape of our cowboy’s hat is also a musical symbol for “rest” – precisely what the NashVilla offers to all of its guests.
This is a logo packed with meaning and personality, and we got to show even more of it with this playful animation:
A Complete Brand Identity System
A complete brand identity is so much more than just the logo on its own, and the NashVilla asked us to go big. We created a distinct color palette inspired by the house itself, designed apparel and merchandise that fit the ‘Villa’s tone, and added extra flavor with custom iconography that highlights amenities like free parking, electronic house access, a fully-stocked kitchen, etc.
The NashVilla brand has received extremely positive reactions from guests and fans alike, and has even been featured on American Dream Network.
This is still an ongoing partnership, and we’ve been able to add a TON of extra love and detail to this brand. See the photos below of branded drinkware, metal signage for the main room, guest postcards, a “house rules” booklet, and more. There’s still more in the works, too, so check back in with us again soon. 🙂
We are beyond thrilled with our brand manager, Pen & Mug. We began this process with a home and a very blurry vision and these guys took it and hit it out of the ball park. We continue to be “WOWED” by the team’s knowledge, expertise and creativity, along with their heart and passion for this project. They show up and work until it is finished, and the outcome has been great success. Not only do we trust Pen & Mug, we believe they are a large part of the team at The Nashvilla.
Patricia Gross, Co-Owner of The NashVilla