RESTAURANT

Island Time Bar & Grill

Project Type: Logo Design | Identity Design | Print Design

Situated at Columbia Island Marina in Arlington, VA, Island Time Bar & Grill underwent a refreshing renovation in 2017.

To capture the essence of their island-inspired atmosphere, the marina entrusted my team with rebranding the restaurant and marina. This included designing a new logo and creating a cohesive visual identity across signage, menus, and promotional items.

The rebranding successfully launched in spring 2018.

Project Kickoff

The project kicked off with a deep dive into Island Time’s renovation. We reviewed visuals of the newly transformed space and surrounding marina to fully grasp the desired aesthetic.

The client envisioned a unique "stamp" or “sticker” logo for the newly renovated Island Time Bar & Grill. The logo design needed to be versatile enough for merchandise, dining applications, and t-shirts. Additionally, the design needed resonate with the newly renovated relaxing feel of Island Time while maintaining a cohesive link to our company's established recreational boating brand identity.

To further connect the Island Time logo to the bar's interior design, the client requested incorporating a marlin – a nod to the giant marlin prominently displayed above the bar.

Development

Design Concepts

From the beginning, I was particularly drawn to developing the "stamp" logo concept for Island Time Bar & Grill. The client's request to incorporate their iconic marlin provided a strong visual anchor.

My initial design exploration focused on capturing the essence of the newly renovated space and surrounding marina. I envisioned a logo that incorporated elements like a palm tree, rope, and a glimpse of the water, all unified within a circular "stamp" or "sticker" design.

It's always rewarding when your initial design direction resonates strongly. In this case, while I developed additional options for team review, the "oval stamp" design with the marlin quickly emerged as the favorite, receiving approval on the first round of presentations.

Color Palette

The Island Time Bar & Grill logo boasts a color palette that thoughtfully blends brand consistency with thematic relevance. A rich navy blue takes center stage, echoing the established blue used by the overarching marina brand. This creates a sense of belonging within the larger brand identity while maintaining a distinct visual identity for Island Time. Soft brown tones are then woven into the design, complementing the blue and grounding the overall feel. These browns subtly reference the natural wood elements prominently featured throughout the newly renovated space.

Typography

Playing off the relaxed vibe, I crafted a playful custom typeface for "Island" to add a unique brand mark. For the remaining elements, we opted for fonts that complemented the logo's overall aesthetic. Southern Aire, with its elegant script style, served perfectly as the complementary title font, while Arkhip provided a touch of whimsy as the accent font. Finally, Helvetica Neue was chosen as our reliable go-to font for general text.

Presentation

Final Deliverables

Following the approval and refinement of the initial Island Time Bar & Grill logo concept, I then took the lead on designing menus, signage, and promotional items for the restaurant.