While working as a graphic designer at Motivational Systems Inc, one of their client’s wanted concepts for interior signage in one of their senior living communities. The main assets to work with included the community’s existing logo (shown below) along with some moodboards composed of fabric swatches and colors. Other than that, I was told I could explore materials outside of traditional printing, and was encouraged to be creative.

Existing Logo and Interior Design Moodboard:

I started the process sketching out some room IDs. You’ll see I had a few initial ideas playing off the leaf and wave details in the logo. I also considered using wood laminate, which I thought would match the earthy/beachy feel of the interior well. I also really liked the idea of playing with clear acrylic (or frosted acrylic which is a bit cloudier) so that the color of the wall would be visible through the sign. I considered colors, ultimately deciding it best to stick to blues and warm neutrals to integrate with the interior.

Sketches:

To give the client a good grasp of what the signage would look like, I included three types: primary room IDs, secondary room IDs, and a large sign for inserts (in this case a sign displaying dining menus).

The primary room ID was made to show the most detail. I decided to use frosted acrylic with a base color printed top surface. A wave detail would be laser cut out of wood laminate and applied over, acting as a divider between the printed and not printed areas of the acrylic. I also chose to subsurface print leaf detailing in white. Because we see the leaves through frosted acrylic, it offers a hazier, more dreamlike effect.

For colors, I went with two Pantone options, and included the necessary tactile copy and braille for ADA compliancy. 

For the secondary room IDs, I still incorporated the wood laminate and see-through frosted acrylic. For simplicity, I removed the leaf detailing, and shifted the wood up so that the frosted acrylic itself would function as a divider. These signs are smaller than the primary room IDs, but still include necessary tactile copy and braille for ADA compliancy. 

For the larger Dining Menu sign, I chose to cut the top of the sign along the wave to keep with the motif without cutting into the open space of the sign (leaving more room for inserts). I added a laser cut wood laminate detail at the top of the sign and still kept the frosted acrylic divider. I used acrylic cutouts for the copy to add a bit more dimension. 

Signage in relation to each other:

Ultimately the client decided on a different design for their signage, but I enjoyed the process and still feel proud of these signs. Hope you like them as well!