We're Seeking a Brand Designer for Berry House

Berry House is growing, and we're ready to establish a visual identity that truly reflects who we are and what we stand for. We're seeking a talented brand designer (or design team) to collaborate with us on creating a comprehensive brand identity system from the ground up.

Who We Are

Berry House is a small, values-driven studio that builds fast, accessible websites and thoughtful content for independent creators, nonprofits, and mission-led organizations. We believe in:

Human-centered design — Content first, technology second
Digital autonomy — Helping people own their platforms and content
Accessibility and inclusion — Building for everyone, not just some
Long-term stewardship — Creating sustainable, maintainable solutions
Community over growth — Quality relationships over scale

We work primarily with Eleventy, Tailwind CSS, and JAMstack technologies, emphasizing performance, privacy, and progressive enhancement. Our approach is calm, considered, and collaborative.

What We're Looking For

We need a complete visual identity system that captures our ethos of thoughtful, sustainable web craft. Here's what we're envisioning:

Core Identity Elements

Logo & Mark

Primary logo that works across digital and print
Simplified mark/icon for social media and favicons
Variations for different contexts (horizontal, stacked, monogram)
Clear usage guidelines and minimum size requirements

Color Palette

Primary and secondary color schemes
Accessible color combinations (WCAG AA compliant)
Dark mode considerations
Semantic color meanings (success, warning, error states)
Color values in multiple formats (hex, RGB, HSL)

Typography System

Primary typeface for headings and display text
Secondary typeface for body text and UI
Font pairing rationale and hierarchy guidelines
Web font optimization considerations
Fallback font stacks

Extended Brand Assets

Visual Language

Iconography style and approach
Illustration style (if applicable)
Photography direction and treatment
Graphic elements and patterns
Spacing and layout principles

Brand Applications

Website header/navigation treatment
Social media templates and covers
Email signature design
Business card and letterhead concepts
Presentation template basics

Brand Guidelines & Documentation

Comprehensive Brand Book

Brand story and positioning
Logo usage dos and don'ts
Color palette with accessibility notes
Typography hierarchy and usage
Voice and tone guidelines (we'll collaborate on this)
Application examples across different media
File organization and naming conventions

Digital Asset Kit

Logo files in multiple formats (SVG, PNG, PDF)
Color swatches and palettes
Font files and licensing information
Icon sets and graphic elements
Template files for common applications

Our Design Philosophy

We're drawn to design that feels:

Warm but professional — Approachable without being casual
Clean and uncluttered — Letting content breathe
Timeless over trendy — Built to last, not chase fads
Accessible and inclusive — Readable, navigable, welcoming
Craft-focused — Showing attention to detail and care

We appreciate design that nods to traditional publishing and editorial design while feeling distinctly digital-native. Think more A List Apart or Offscreen Magazine than Silicon Valley startup.

What We Bring to the Table

Clear Vision & Values We know who we are and what we stand for. We can provide detailed briefs, quick feedback, and collaborative input throughout the process.

Technical Implementation We'll handle all the technical integration—from optimizing assets for web performance to implementing the design system in our codebase.

Content & Copy We'll take care of all written content, messaging strategy, and voice/tone development. You focus on the visual.

Long-term Partnership We're not looking for a one-and-done project. We want to build a relationship with a designer who can grow with us as we expand our services and reach.

Project Timeline & Process

Discovery Phase (2-3 weeks)

Brand questionnaire and strategy session
Competitive analysis and visual research
Mood boards and initial direction exploration

Design Development (3-4 weeks)

Logo concepts and refinement
Color and typography exploration
Initial brand applications

Finalization & Documentation (2-3 weeks)

Final asset creation and optimization
Brand guidelines development
Asset organization and delivery

Total Timeline: 7-10 weeks

We believe in collaborative iteration rather than big reveals. Expect regular check-ins, shared Figma files, and ongoing dialogue throughout the process.

Budget & Compensation

We understand that quality brand work is an investment. We're prepared to compensate fairly for comprehensive brand identity work and are open to discussing project fees, hourly rates, or retainer arrangements based on your preferred working style.

We're also interested in exploring partnership opportunities for designers who align with our values and might want ongoing collaboration on client projects.

How to Apply

If this resonates with you, we'd love to hear from you. Please send us:

Portfolio samples — Show us 2-3 brand identity projects you're proud of
Brief introduction — Tell us about your design philosophy and approach
Process overview — How do you typically approach brand identity projects?
Timeline availability — When could you potentially start?
Budget expectations — What's your typical range for this scope of work?

Email us at: mail@berryhouse.ca

Questions We're Happy to Answer

What's your current brand direction or visual preferences?
How do you handle revisions and feedback?
What file formats and deliverables do you need?
Are you open to remote collaboration?
What's your experience with accessibility considerations?
Do you work with developers on implementation?

A Note on Fit

We're looking for someone who genuinely connects with our mission of building a more human, accessible, and sustainable web. If you're excited about working with mission-driven organizations, care deeply about craft and accessibility, and want to create something meaningful rather than just trendy, we'd love to talk.

We particularly welcome applications from designers who are:

Part of underrepresented communities in design
Passionate about accessibility and inclusive design
Interested in the intersection of design and social impact
Experienced with small business and nonprofit branding

Ready to help us build something special? We can't wait to see what we might create together.

Reach out: mail@berryhouse.ca