— WHAT WAS BROKEN
The Problem
Castello Restaurant & Bar had a logo — but nothing else. No typography system, no colour palette, no visual language, no menu design. Opening a casual European bar and restaurant without a cohesive brand identity meant every customer touchpoint felt disconnected and undermined the quality of the experience they were building. They needed a full brand system built around their existing logo, fast.
"I knew my website wasn't doing me justice — but I didn't know where to start or who to trust with it."
— PAULA DENVIR
— WHAT CLIENT EXPECTED
Client Goals & Expectations
01
Build a Full Brand Identity System
Develop a complete visual identity around the existing logo — including typography system, colour palette, and design language — that authentically captured the warm, casual European atmosphere of Castello.
02
Design a Print-Ready Restaurant Menu
Apply the new brand identity to a fully designed restaurant menu in Canva — polished, on-brand, and print-ready for immediate use in the venue.
03
Ensure the Brand Matched the Concept
The client had a clear vision for Castello's atmosphere and feeling. The brand identity needed to translate that intangible concept into a precise visual system that staff, designers, and suppliers could all work from consistently.
— WHAT WAS BROKEN
The Challenges
Working with a pre-existing logo meant the entire colour palette, typography, and visual language had to be derived from and complement something already fixed — leaving less creative freedom but demanding more precision to achieve cohesion.
Translating a specific atmospheric concept — warm, casual, European — into exact typographic choices, colour values, and design patterns required deep creative judgment and multiple rounds of refinement to get exactly right.
A restaurant menu is one of the most complex print design challenges — balancing readability, hierarchy, brand personality, and practical usability across multiple sections, all while keeping it visually appealing enough to enhance the dining experience.
Working virtually with a European client meant all briefing, feedback, and approvals happened asynchronously — requiring clear communication, well-structured design presentations, and efficient revision cycles to keep the project moving.
— HOW I FIXED IT
The Solution
Built a full brand identity system around the existing Castello logo — defining a refined colour palette that evoked warmth and European character, a paired typography system balancing personality with legibility, and a set of visual design principles to guide all future brand applications.
Selected and paired typefaces that matched Castello's casual-yet-refined positioning — a characterful display font for headings and a clean, legible body font for menus and signage. Defined a core colour palette with primary, secondary, and accent values documented for consistent application.
Designed the full restaurant menu in Canva — applying the new identity across all sections, food and drink categories, and layout. Structured for clarity and appetite appeal while staying true to the brand aesthetic. Delivered print-ready at correct specifications.
Managed the entire project remotely with structured design presentations at each stage — mood board, identity concept, refinements, and final delivery — keeping the client aligned and minimising revision loops despite the distance.
— WHAT WAS BUILT
Features Delivered
- Full Brand Identity System
- Colour Palette Definition
- Typography System & Pairing
- Logo Application Guidelines
- Visual Design Language
- Brand Consistency Rules
- Restaurant Menu Design
- Print-Ready Menu Files
- Food & Drinks Layout
- Brand Asset Documentation
- Canva Brand Kit Setup
- Remote Design Delivery
— WHAT I DID
Services Provided
- Brand Identity Design
- Logo Design
- Menu Design
- Typography System
- Visual Branding
— BUILT WITH
Tools & Technologies
- Canva
- Adobe Illustrator
- Pinterest Research
- ChatGPT
— HIGHLIGHTS
Key Wins
Design Approved — Matched the Concept Perfectly
The client approved the full brand identity and menu design, confirming it captured exactly the warm, casual European atmosphere they had envisioned for Castello — a strong creative validation from a client with a clear concept.
Logo Evolved Into a Full Brand System
What started as a lone logo became a complete visual identity — colour palette, typography, menu, and brand guidelines — giving Castello a professional, consistent brand presence across every customer touchpoint.
Print-Ready Menu Delivered
The restaurant menu was delivered fully print-ready — correct resolution, bleed, and colour profiles — allowing Castello to go straight to print with zero additional design work required.
— CLIENT WORDS
"The new brand identity perfectly captured the feel of Castello — warm, European, and welcoming. The menu design brought everything to life beautifully. Exactly what we envisioned."
Founder, Castello Restaurant & Bar