This project was born in a time of stress-induced need to decorate. In 2020, like many, I turned to online retail therapy and impulsively starting a business or 3 (see also: eve, accessories). I wanted to create a space that offered comfort and magic, during a time we were collectively trapped at home. Calico Market was an online shop that offered handmade and vintage-inspired boho decor, wall art, textiles, and furniture, as well as everyday organizational items. The name Calico Market was inspired by vintage markets and shop cats that wander around and guard the treasures. I also thought it had interesting and memorable phonetics that spoke to the character of the brand, and tbh the domain and IG handle were available and stakes were very low.

 

After compiling a mood board and sourcing some beautiful items that had the unique, antique, and hand-made quality I was looking for, I explored logo motifs and typography to further support the concept. I settled on a logo mark that resembled a flower with the characteristics of stone, and anchored it with a base to give it an arch silhouette - a visual reference to doors and eastern art that influenced the shop style. I chose two different fonts for the text - a heavy block lettering with wear around the edges to match the worn stone look, and a vintage-inspired serif for the secondary logo font. From the logo mark, I created a pattern with a texture that brings to mind block prints, to use in packaging and other materials. The colors are earthy and natural to support.

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