My role was to give this place a recognisable visual identity and a website that clearly conveys all its different sides: bookshop, bistro and cultural space.
Context
Bardotto is an independent bookshop that brings together a curated book selection, café and light cuisine, and also becomes a space for talks, meetings and small events.
The brand and website had to hold these dimensions together without looking like just a “wine bar” or like an “academic” bookshop.
Role
Branding & Visual Design
Web Design & UX/UI
Logo Design
Design of the visual identity, communication materials and website.
Concept
The concept stems from the idea of an active pause: a place where time slows down but the mind keeps moving between pages, conversations and flavours.
The typography is at the heart of the identity: it recalls the world of publishing but with soft details, to avoid an overly institutional feel.
The colour palette is warm, inspired by the venue’s materials (wood, paper, the bistro’s dark surfaces), with brighter accents for events and call-to-action elements.
The logotype is readable and flexible: it works on signage, small printed materials and digital interfaces.
Visual identity
Logo and variations
Essential and recognisable logotype, with compact variations for social media, small materials and the site favicon.
Typographic system
Clear typographic hierarchy that recalls the editorial world and is legible both in print and on screen.
Colour palette
Warm palette inspired by the interior of the venue, with brighter accents to highlight events and calls-to-action, both online and offline.
Applications
I applied the identity to a range of physical and digital touchpoints:
Signage and shopfront
Layouts for signs and window graphics that immediately communicate “bookshop-bistro”.
Menus and bistro materials
Clear menus consistent with the visual identity, structured around different moments of the day.
Interior signage
Shelf labels, signage for the different areas (reading, bistro, events) and wayfinding for special sections.
Editorial materials
Bookmarks, postcards and small posters to promote launches, readings and talks.
Website
For the website I worked on:
Information architecture: clear organisation of the bookshop, bistro and events sections
UX/UI design: simple, readable layouts aligned with the brand’s warm, informal tone.
Mobile-first: navigation designed mainly for people discovering Bardotto on smartphones and tablets, with quick access to opening hours, menus and events.
Results
Consistent identity between the physical space and its digital presence.
Greater recognition of the venue, both when walking past the shopfront and when searching for it online.
A website that makes it easier to discover what’s happening at Bardotto (events, menu highlights, practical information), especially on mobile.
