Determined by Design

Purpose Over Process

We built a brand to showcase a business owner’s vision and commitment. As a new interior design firm, Determined by Design had a strong story to share. The owner’s pathway to the profession is unique, emotional and has experiential elements many people can relate to. She had already shown great investment in the design community through servant leadership – and was demonstrating the same level of investment in emerging D.C. area neighborhoods as well. We have partnered with the firm since its opening year, to develop a striking visual identity system that resonates with others in the design industry.

Over time, as the firm has matured – it has refined its niche focus, built solid partnerships with housing developers and contractors, earned an esteemed reputation for performance and garnered attention for a distinct point of view. This maturation influenced a shift in the brand messaging from a focus on the firm’s design process to one that highlights its purpose. Purpose-centric messaging allows the firm to gain interest from parties outside the design trades as well – such as nonprofit organizations that can act as a catalyst to further the firm’s mission. Refined messaging is always accompanied with an evaluation of a business’s website performance and identification of areas to enhance. With Determined by Design, this work led to a restructure of the website to include additional features that better highlighted the owner’s thought leadership.