Portabello
A heritage brand rich with storytelling, craft and character.
- Creative direction
- Brand identity
- Website & online store
Clarity
Portabello are creators of exquisitely crafted, bespoke, made to order Chesterfield furniture. Drawing from classic designs, and elevating this with a modern and distinctive edge, Portabello’s products have international influence and compelling stories woven into every detail.
Brand essence
Distinctive · Timeless · Considered
Creative direction
Distinctive, timeless and considered, the Portabello brand aesthetic is inspired by British design and the place that gave the company its name (Portobello Road).
Aspirational and elegant, the brand is full of history, heritage and international influence, and yet, has a contemporary edge. Detail is everything. This is an identity that reinforces Portabello’s position as the place to buy Chesterfield furniture – elevated, distinctive and full of personality.
“What can I say? It’s like you crawled inside my brain and encapsulated everything I’ve wanted us to communicate as a brand. Thank you so much — I’m feeling emotional.”
Adam Scott · Founder
Colour palette
In Practice
The main logomark utilises a high contrast typeface for a sophisticated feel. Lowercase type is used to bring some approachability, with smooth, open curves used for an aspirational feel. Custom letter geometry is inspired by the shapes of the company's products, with each and every curve and letter interaction being carefully crafted (like the furniture).
Shapes and lines are flowing, graceful and clear. The signature brand curves are inspired by the curved and colourful streets of London and the River Thames. They're inspired by the curves of the company's products, and how fabric falls through the air.
Typefaces are elegant, smooth and decorative. Paper is beautifully textured, inspired by the company’s products. Business stationery is confident, considered and clear.
Letterheads are printed on uncoated, 120gsm paper stock for an earthy, natural, and approachable look and feel.
The brand’s signature stripes are used on the back of letterheads for a splash of colour and excitement.
Inside ottomans, underneath sofa cushions and on the back of headboards, the signature brand pattern is used in both subtle and daring ways.
Business cards are printed on uncoated, thick 600gsm textured card for an elegant and substantial feel. The logo and signature curves are specially finished during the print process so that they present differently under the light, with spot gloss and embossing used.
With lead times between 6-8 weeks from ordering to delivery, I recommended sending a small gesture of gratitude on receipt of an order. This personal, subtle and welcoming touch elevates the process, builds excitement and ensures that the experience will be one that is regularly recommended and advocated for. I recommended printing the postcards on a beautifully textured card, the G.F Smith "Embossing Fabric" card which feels weighty and has a leather-like pattern.
Fabric swatch cards are carefully cut to ensure a consistent and uniform look and feel, with a distinctive zig-zag edge. Each swatch is identically sized which makes for a smooth and clear experience. On the back of each swatch card, fabric codes, colours, care information, fabric protection and upholstery information can be found in a structured layout.
The brand’s social media presence is aspirational, creative and inspiring. Showcasing the company’s bespoke nature, alongside behind the scenes images and lifestyle imagery, the feed images provide inspiration and insight into how Portabello’s products could fit into a prospective customer’s home.
Website design
As Portabello’s online showroom, the website needed to articulate the distinctive, timeless and considered nature of their products. From comfort, to craftsmanship, to sizes, colours, fabrics and sustainability, it was important that the huge array of options available was presented in a clear way. We carefully thought out the journey, structure, layout and design of each and every part of the website to ensure a conversion-optimised, simple and clear user-friendly experience from beginning to end.
The website home page showcases Portabello’s uniqueness, magic, and most popular products, as well as guiding users down the route most relevant to them.
Individual product pages were carefully thought out to ensure that the vast amount of options available were presented in a clear, user-friendly and conversion-optimised way.