Nick’s Cove has been a Highway 1 destination in Marshall, California for nearly a decade, featuring 12 cottages, a farm-to-table seafood restaurant, and Tomales Bay panoramas—an experience unlike any other.

Before, the brand was too on the nose for a seaside eatery. Design elements felt kitschy, tacky, and mismatched and appealed to an older clientele. Some were hesitant about the trek; Nick’s was a far-away hole-in-the-wall when really it’s a road trip-worthy getaway.

I rebuilt the brand from the hull up with the goal of charming a younger, adventurous clientele. Messaging leans into escaping the everyday hustle for somewhere seaside and serene—encouraging visitors to “stay a little longer” and that it's “worth the trip.” Nick's is about the journey and the destination.

The visual identity includes a minimalist, relaxing language, communicating the guest experience, beginning with revamped web design. Illustrations are reminiscent of pencil sketches, like a guest journaling their stay. Typography is a modern take on historic styles of classic American seaside. Overall, the visual identity is refined: Pared down but not sterile, rustic but not kitschy, and contemporary but not trendy.