Niksen
Deliverables
Brand Strategy | Brand Design
A distinctive brand identity for Niksen, an independent speciality coffee venture in Strabane, Northern Ireland. Inspired by the idea of slowing down and enjoying the everyday, the identity brings together considered typography, bespoke illustrations and playful brand details to create something full of character.
The Brief
Niksen began with Adrian and Gillian, a husband-and-wife team with a shared love of speciality coffee and the café culture they'd experienced on their travels.
They wanted to bring something different to Strabane. Somewhere people could enjoy genuinely good coffee, connect with others and take a little time out of their day.
As a new business, Niksen needed more than a logo. The challenge was to create an identity that captured their vision, stood out within the local coffee scene and felt welcoming without losing the quality and attention to detail behind the business.
The Approach
The creative direction centred around the meaning behind Niksen: the Dutch concept of doing nothing, or simply allowing yourself a moment without needing to be productive.
That idea became an important part of the brand's personality. Rather than creating something overly polished or serious, I wanted the identity to feel relaxed, confident and approachable, while still reflecting the quality of the coffee itself.
The visual identity brought together distinctive typography, a considered colour palette and bespoke illustrations, creating a balance between simplicity and personality.
Alongside the core identity, I developed supporting brand elements and messaging that could be used across different applications, giving Niksen a consistent visual language while leaving plenty of room for creativity.
The Result
The finished identity brings together a distinctive logo suite, carefully selected typography, a cohesive colour palette and a collection of bespoke illustrations and supporting graphics.
Each element was designed to work individually or as part of the wider identity, creating a flexible brand that can be carried through to coffee cups, packaging, signage, menus and digital content.
The combination of considered design and playful details gives Niksen a personality of its own, while the underlying strategy keeps everything connected to Adrian and Gillian's original vision.
The result is a memorable, welcoming identity that celebrates speciality coffee, community and the simple pleasure of taking a moment for yourself.
Kind Words
Lauren was absolutely fantastic in creating my branding for the coffee shop, her attention to detail and enthusiasm towards my project were perfect. I didn’t exactly give her a lot of time to get it done but she accommodated me and got me finished ahead of schedule. Any details I didn’t like in the design she was able to fix them and nothing was a hassle. As Lauren is a coffee enthusiast herself, this project was made 10 times easier. I couldn’t recommend her enough and anyone on the fence about getting their branding done/updated, Lauren is the best person for the job. Thanks again for bringing our vision to reality!!