Village Properties
A LITTLE BIT OF MAGIC.
Village Properties is a leading brokerage in Santa Barbara, California, with a solid reputation, a passion for place, and a boundless dedication to going above and beyond. After 25 years, it was time to rethink the brand and ensure it reflected externally what was unique and special at the company’s core.
C R E D I T
Creative Agency: 1000watt | Creative Direction: Patrick Sanders | Design: India Myers & Lia Zhu | Writing: Jessica Swesey & Mike McCoy
Santa Barbara is one of those places of remarkable yet effortless beauty and charm. Cities and communities like this don’t just happen by accident—they take shape around the vision that community members have of “home.” As the largest independent brokerage serving this magical place, we uncovered the significant and special role Village Properties has played in developing, sharing, and celebrating Santa Barbara over the years.
Leading the visual strategy, I set out to create an identity system inspired by everything that makes Santa Barbara magical—a tapestry that illustrates how deeply embedded Village Properties is within its environment and community. To achieve this, I had to consider Santa Barbara both at the macro and micro levels.
The region’s Spanish influence is one of the most notable and striking features found throughout the development and architecture of Santa Barbara. One of the most prominent features of Spanish architecture is the arch. I incorporated this influence into the brand’s logo by using an arched "A".
Windows
The architectural influence continued with the introduction of framing and windows, capturing and creating magical vignettes that draw the audience into the beauty of the region—focusing the view and building narrative.
Color story
The color story, too, was drawn directly from the region. By zooming in for a micro view of the area and taking in the little details, we created a palette that celebrates both the natural and built environments that make this place so special. Neutral tones meet activated hues to form a family of colors that are as beautiful as they are evocative.
Aerial paintings
Zooming out to take a macro view of the Santa Barbara region, we explored the graphic nature of the aerial landscape. From there, we created custom digital paintings based on actual aerial photography of the region to add vibrancy and texture to the Village Properties brand identity.
Spanish tile patterns
Pattern work for Village Properties was inspired by the Spanish tile work found throughout the area. To develop these patterns, I researched common motifs in Spanish tile design and deconstructed them to create a set of delicate patterns, with the goal of complementing the aerial paintings—allowing us to dial the volume up or down depending on the medium and channel.
Tile icons
I derived base symbols or icons from these patterns, which we used as embellishments to activate expressive copy.
Monogram
One of the more artistic elements of the brand identity is the monogram. Inspired by the region and the concept of a garden, the Village Properties monogram brings a whimsical yet elegant touch to both everyday and expressive marketing pieces. One-color, multicolor, and supergraphic variations all carry forward an iconic look and feel that is uniquely Santa Barbara.
