Orange County Hotel
Having a stylish, premium hotel right next to Orange County's most sought-after attractions—where their services, smiles, and extra touches make the stay comfortable and memorable—is already a recipe for success. Orange County Hotel needed an identity that combined the sunny, warm and inviting vibes that the area is so well-known for to launch their flagship hotel.
Role: Design Director
Focus: Identity, Web
Year: 2025
Exploration Phase
The first stage of the branding process was to pinpoint the most crucial aspects of who Orange County Hotel is through a 'tissue paper' session that divided the creative concepts into three buckets.
We focused on ideas around So-Cal vibes, ease and accessibility, and authenticity. With each exploration, we played around with double or triple meanings in the logos, playful versus bold wordmarks, and both deep and light color palettes.
Refinement &
Brand Book
The subtle integration of the letters O and C into the finalized mark, paired with sun rays, created a logo that is bright, dynamic and iconic. The wordmark combined a strong and standardized typeface that also includes a bit of a smile. I kept the palette light and airy, reminiscent of a sunset off the southern California coast.
Branding, IRL
Web Design
Orange County Hotel needed a website that could grow with them as they continually added to their identity. Knowing professional photography was going to be an ongoing effort, I focused on key visuals where needed, then filled out the site with textures and subtle imagery that was quintessentially southern California. A mobile first, super friendly design enabled the hotel to start booking guests quickly and efficiently.
