Why brands drift
Most small business brands start with a logo file and a color someone picked by eye. Then the sign shop matches it one way, the printer another, and the website ends up a third shade. A few years in, the truck is a different teal from the menu, and nobody can find the original file.
The fix is usually smaller than people expect: a clear set of colors with exact values for screen, print and paint, a logo that is redrawn cleanly from what you already have, and a short guide that tells everyone how to use both.
Services
Brand color systems
A core palette with tints, shades and usage rules, tested for readable contrast on screen and in print.
Logo refresh
A cleaner, more flexible version of the logo you already have, with color and one-color versions.
Brand guidelines
A short, practical guide your staff, printer and web person can follow without calling you.
What a color system includes
A color system is more than three swatches. For each brand color we give you exact values for screen (hex and RGB), print (CMYK and the nearest spot color) and, where you need it, a paint or vinyl match to ask for at the store or sign shop. Each color gets lighter tints and darker shades, so you have backgrounds, borders and hover states that still look like you.
We also check every pairing you'll use for text. Light yellow text on white fails for most readers, so the system says which combinations are safe for body text, which only work for large headings, and which are for decoration only. That check follows the WCAG contrast guidelines used for accessible websites.
What to send
You don't need a polished brief. A phone photo of your sign tells us a lot. A typical starting point looks like this:
- Your current logo files, in whatever format you have (even a screenshot or a photo of a sign)
- Photos of where the brand shows up today: storefront, truck, menu, website, uniforms, packaging
- Colors you want to keep, and any you never want to see again
- Two or three businesses whose look you like, in any industry
- Where the new colors must work first, such as a sign order, a website launch or a print run
- Your deadline, and who signs off on the final choice
Where we work
All work is remote, so location matters for time zones and for knowing the kind of businesses we're working with. We focus on small businesses in Houston, Austin and Detroit and book calls in your local time.
Houston, TX
Brand colors, logo refreshes and guidelines for Houston businesses.
Austin, TX
Brand colors, logo refreshes and guidelines for Austin businesses.
Detroit, MI
Brand colors, logo refreshes and guidelines for Detroit businesses.
What finished brand work look like
Common questions
How much does a color system or logo refresh cost?
It depends on how much changes, how many places the brand has to work (sign, vehicles, packaging, website), and how many review rounds you want. We quote each job in writing after seeing what you have.
Do I have to change my logo?
No. Plenty of clients keep the logo exactly as it is and only want the colors pinned down. If the logo has problems, such as thin lines that vanish on a sign, we'll point them out and you decide.
Will my customers still recognize us?
That's the point of a refresh. We keep the shapes and colors people already link with your business and make them consistent, so the change feels like a cleanup.
Are the palettes on this site real client work?
No. The palettes and ladders here are concepts drawn for this site, and the photos are labeled AI-generated samples. We don't show client work without permission.
Ready to sort out your colors? Send your current logo, a few photos of your signs or packaging, and tell us what feels off.
Request a quote