Californian Airbnb Logo and Signage - A Brand of Hope and Love

One of my all time favourite projects was creating the logo design and signage for Encinitas locals, Cindy and Joel, and their property, Cardiff Hope House.

When it comes to branding - Pinterest can give you a colour palette, AI can give you ideas and Canva is easy for templates, but easy doesn’t equal good. They will NEVER replace the human experience of storytelling, brainstorming, collaboration, the discovery of identity and the power of hand drawn visuals.

Watch the story below, where I share how this branding project came to life and the beautiful end result that offers this Airbnb a unique arrival experience through personalised branding that uplifts and inspires.

The Personal Story Behind This Airbnb Branding Project

I seem to attract the most incredible everyday people with stories that are begging to be shared. This project is no different and it's worth taking the time to read the backstory because you'll realise WHY it informs the design.

In 2018 I traveled to Encinitas, California to meet one of my very best friends Kirsten. Up until that point we had only been 'pen pals' - we first met through a blog online in 2010 and over the years we kept in touch via email, Skype, and then Instagram. It was our first time meeting in person, and it was also the solo healing trip of a lifetime for me. While I captured many beautiful photos of treasured moments, the only video footage I have is blurry, portrait-framed snippets of Swami's Beach, the Meditation Gardens and a hike with Kirsten and her pup, Coral.

On that trip I met Kirsten's mum, Cindy. We had just one night together at their family home before I headed out to New York City. It was so special to meet her and we connected online afterwards - she followed Tiny Giraffe on instagram.

Then in 2021, when I went full-time into Tiny Giraffe, Cindy was one of the first to reach out to me for a custom art project. She wanted a logo and signage of her Airbnb property, the Cardiff Hope House.

This was a very meaningful project to me - you could say 11 years in the making - because there is a miraculous story behind this little house by the sea.

Where you now see a sturdy glass railing at the front of the airbnb, there was once a rickety timber one. Cindy fell from that balcony two years earlier. Despite devastating and debilitating injuries, she miraculously survived. She went through agonising therapy over the following year and against all odds, began to walk, run and dance again.

Cindy found a way to move through trauma and heal physically, but transforming this property with love and hope allowed her to heal emotionally. Cindy used this renovation project as a way to rebuild herself and be strengthened by her community.

She built a succulent garden at the property with the help of plant artist Rachael from Our Infinite Nature. She had a stunning artwork made by their family friend Kelsey and she incorporated warm, earthy tones into the furniture and furnishings.

All of these elements were my inspiration when I was creating the logo.

Designing the Airbnb Logo

Cindy and I first chatted over zoom to discuss her ideas and dreams for the logo.

Cindy spoke a lot of bamboo, crescent moons, and rainbows - each with their own stories. So these were dominant in my concept designs - symbols of resilience, strength, and hope.

Colour wise, we both wanted to keep to sunset colours that reflect the essence and spirit of the airbnb's location near San Diego, with sunset views over the ocean. A simple colour palette was created to bring joy and sunshine through warm yellows and oranges.

Cindy loved a few of the designs and wanted to merge the rainbow and the bamboo, so I merged a few elements of the logo. Here are the final versions of the logo as we tweaked tiny elements of the design. The logo included a wordmark (the text) and a logomark (symbol without wording).

Creating the Timber Airbnb Signage

Once I'd finished the logo, Cindy wanted to create a beautiful signage piece that would welcome visitors and help them identify the property - the perfect way to help orient them and create a special arrival experience.

Being exposed to the elements and weather of coastal southern California, we discussed robust materials such as corten steel and timber. Cindy loved the idea of timber that weathers over time.

I designed a half moon sign that incorporated the logo and sourced three quotes from companies for consideration, choosing American companies to reduce the impact of manufacturing and shipping.

A warm timber was chosen for this beachy location, made by American artisan Matt Street of Fat Bison.

My happiness in learning the signage had arrived was only eclipsed by the photos I received of it hanging proudly in position, with Cindy and her husband Joel smiling in front of it!!

The airbnb signage has pride of place at the front of the property and is visible from the street.

On a calm, peaceful day in Encinitas, or when the sun glistens on the water, the waves roll in with power, or the flowers sway in the gentle breeze - and even on moody days by the ocean - the Cardiff Hope House signage weathers all seasons.

Its warm timber glows in the sun to the sound of rustling trees and looks out over an endless ocean. It is as strong as Cindy herself. And Cindy is the essence of hope and love - her spirit is felt by all her guests as they enjoy The Cardiff Hope House.

An Extra Illustration Surprise

As an extra special surprise for Cindy, I drew a house illustration of Hope House, as seen from the front. You can see the new glass railing, the clean lines, elegant staircase surrounded by terraced gardens and brick chimney.

Kirsten surprised her mother by taking my illustration and printing it onto thank you cards for visitors who come to stay at the Hope House.

What a special project indeed, for some very special people.

You can also watch an extended interview I held with Cindy, one year after our project together. We chat about her experience in moving through trauma and fear, recovery and transformation, creating the Hope House and her experience in working with me as an artist:

In Cindy's words:

"My experience with Kylie was magical. Her intuitive insights into the heart of my project made me feel like it belonged to her! Maybe that's excellence at its best, when someone tries as much as they would if it were their 'baby'. She was patient with me as I flip-flopped on the design a couple of times, mostly because her ideas were all so great. I would highly recommend working with this professional, especially if you value instinct and relevancy - like only a millennial can bring!"

A Final Note On Logos

If you are not creating a vector based logo, you are wasting your time and hard earned dollars. I cannot tell you how many logos I have had to reproduce. PLEASE for the love of all things holy, hire a designer who works in Adobe Illustrator :)

About the Artist

Kylie Harber is an Australian artist, illustrator, and wallpaper designer based in Brisbane. Through her studio, Tiny Giraffe, she creates bespoke wallpapers and murals, meaningful branding and playful pattern designs that celebrate travel - the places we leave our hearts and our dreams for the future.

With a background in landscape architecture and her signature blend of hand-drawn detailed line art, hand painted watercolour and organic hand lettering, Kylie brings warmth, personality and meaning to spaces around the world.

Get in touch!