Design Leader
6 Months
Project Summary
Studio Melrose, a luxury design studio based in Williamsburg, New York, built a strong reputation in the staging industry. With their success, they wanted to improve their alignment between commerce and values, aiming for a more lasting, sustainable, and impactful presence. I was brought in to reimagine their brand strategy and positioning, using design to strengthen their presence and grow their market share across all services.
How can we create and express a mission that aligns their values with business strategy for sustainable growth?
My Process
Stakeholder Alignment & Business Strategy
A key part of my role was engaging stakeholders to shape strong business strategies and priorities. The founders, eager to shift from staging to interior design, faced a challenge: staging was an established revenue stream, but they wanted to explore new opportunities. I recommended expanding their team to sustain staging while allowing the founders to focus on growing the interior design side of the business.
This led to the creation of three distinct departments, each with clear business expectations. Once the key priorities were set, we conducted a full analysis of their positioning, branding, website, and collateral to identify pain points and ensure their brand effectively reflected the new direction.
Competitive Analysis
Conducting a competitive analysis allowed us to get a solid understanding of the high-end staging market in the US, seeing where Studio Melrose falls short on their online presence but also understanding where they have a competitive edge that can be made apparent through clever design.
Pain Points
Texts Are Uninspiring
The text on the site fails to paint a vivid picture of Studio Melrose, or engage the user to explore more of their services. There is a lack of emotional appeal, and descriptive texts that are quick and easy to read. Unique words and phrasing is used, which delays and further inhibits the users ability to understand and connect with the content.
Lots Of Distractions
There is too much focus on decoration and not enough focus on communication. Animations and strong colors draw the eye away from information and actions, distracting users rather than engaging them. Though they are injecting personality through these elements, they take up more attention than the content, making them counterproductive.
Lacking Social Proof
They lack references to customer experiences, giving a perspective from a third party that can validate the value and quality of their services.
Sitemap
The complexity of the current site prevents users from getting a clear picture of what services Studio Melrose provides. Understanding what users are trying to accomplish when visiting their site allows us to create a sitemap that simplifies how users navigate the site, and make it as quick and easy as possible to find the information they are interested in.
The Solution
The Studio Melrose redesign transformed not just their visuals but their entire business approach. It clarified their mission, created strategies for prioritization, and sharpened how they communicate their value. With a clear vision of their goals, strengths, and opportunities, the team now operates more efficiently and attracts the right opportunities by expressing this clarity across every touchpoint.
"We’re deeply grateful for Geir’s thoughtful work in crafting our brand and strategy, giving us the clarity and tools needed to thrive and achieve our goals."
- Jodie Jacobson Melrose, Studio Melrose
Defined Brand Mission & Vision
Extracted and articulated the essence of their work, creating clarity around their purpose and the impact they aim to achieve.
Built a Cohesive & Impactful Brand Identity
Ensured consistency across all touchpoints, strengthening recognition, trust, and resonance with their audience.
Clarified Values & Market Positioning
Distilled their core values, customer value proposition, and competitive differentiation to drive clarity and brand distinction.
Created a High-Impact Web Experience
Developed a website that centers their work, leverages video for immersive storytelling, and offers a simple CMS for effortless updates.
Crafted All-New Brand Copy
Developed clear, impactful messaging that effectively communicates the brand’s value.
Identified Growth Opportunities & Expansion Strategies
Aligned their current successes with future business opportunities to drive sustainable growth.
Visit www.studiomelrose.com to learn more about how Studio Melrose seeks to make a positive and lasting impact through their design practice.
My Thoughts
Collaborating closely with a brand to uncover and refine its goals, values, and priorities is always a rewarding and exciting process. As a minimalist, I thrive on distilling a company’s core essence and representing that through clean, impactful design. Working with Studio Melrose to elevate their brand experience allowed us to clarify their mission, streamline their business strategy, and structure their day-to-day operations around clear objectives. The result was not just a stronger visual identity, but a cohesive brand narrative that aligns with their long-term goals.
It’s been inspiring to see how their mission has reinvigorated the team and influenced their approach. I’m excited to see the next chapter unfold, as the new design concepts are implemented to enhance customer engagement, solidify their market position, and drive meaningful growth.