Designing for Coastal Brands: Insights from the Mid North Coast
From sun-soaked beach cafés to small-town surf shops and wellness brands, coastal businesses have a unique rhythm and personality. Their branding needs to reflect not just what they sell, but the laid-back lifestyle, community feel, and natural beauty of their surroundings.
At Saturday Design Studio, we’ve worked with a range of businesses across the Mid North Coast of NSW - from Port Macquarie and Crescent Head to Bellingen, Forster and beyond. Here's what we've learned about designing for coastal brands and why it matters.
1. Embrace Simplicity and Calm
Coastal branding often works best when it feels relaxed, uncluttered and grounded. Think clear spacing, soft palettes, organic shapes and designs that feel like a breath of fresh air.
Whether you're designing a logo for a beachside juice bar or packaging for natural skincare, clean visuals help reflect the lifestyle your audience is drawn to - peaceful, intentional and connected to the coast.
2. Let the Environment Inspire You
Local nature is a goldmine for design inspiration. From native flora and ocean blues to sun-faded textures and sandy neutrals, the environment around you can shape a brand’s colour palette, illustration style or print materials.
We often use hand-drawn elements to give a tactile, human feel to branding - a reflection of the slower pace and natural beauty of regional life.
3. Design for Versatility
Many coastal businesses rely on a mix of offerings: physical products, local markets, in-store experiences and digital platforms. Your brand needs to work just as well on a surfboard sticker or a road sign as it does on your Instagram grid or Shopify store.
We always consider how your logo and brand assets will translate across packaging, signage, menus, merch and social media - especially when exposure to sun, salt, or outdoor use is involved.
4. Community Connection Matters
Coastal brands are often built on real relationships. Whether it’s a family-run café, a local artist or a conscious wellness brand, there’s a story behind the business that deserves to be told clearly and with heart.
A strong brand identity helps share that story. It creates trust, builds recognition, and helps locals and visitors connect to what makes your business special.
Need Design That Feels Like You?
If you're a coastal business owner on the Mid North Coast — or anywhere across Australia — we'd love to help you create branding that feels as good as it looks. From logo design and packaging to illustration and websites, we offer thoughtful design tailored to your values and vision.
