Inkwell Books
How a bookstore can become a calm harbor on the stormy seas of our lives.
Context
Building a brand experience from the ground up at VCU Brandcenter.
Role
Immersion Designer, Strategist, UX/UI Designer
Skills
World Building, Strategy, UX/UI, Branding
Tools
Figma, Illustrator, Photoshop
Overview
Background
Our lives are stratified into home (“first place”) and work (“second place”) but we are lacking crucial “third places” to rest and exist outside of responsibility.
Challenge
How do we create a quiet third place where people can rest and connect?
Opportunity
A hybrid bookstore and café that creates a collective breath between moments in an increasingly busy world.
Solution
I created Inkwell to fulfill my own fantasy of being able to sit and read with a cup of coffee surrounded by books. The goal was to channel classic literary charm into a calming space and brand, letting our pillars and personality be the foundation of our visual styles.
Pillars:
Rest
Focus
Breath
Growth
Light
Personality:
Cozy
Comforting
Supportive
Inspiring
Charming
Pillars translated into colors
Flourish inspired by illuminated lettering
Inkwell is more than just a brand or a store, it’s a world I built with intention. Inkwell’s is intentionally designed to block out the outside world and allow you a den to rest surrounded by the comfort and visual splendor of overflowing shelves.
The theme of quiet focus extends into Inkwell’s app, it eases common pain points by replacing or supplementing external interactions with digital ones.
No need to get up
Ordering directly from your seat at the cafe maintains the guests focus and solves the problem of worrying about your things when you leave your table.
Where can I find…
An up to date stock catalog lets guests search for the book they want, browse related titles, and find their own way to the shelf without the need of finding a store associate.
Reflection
I started with what I knew.
Inkwell was inspired by my life-long love of reading, and my frustration with having to constantly Googling “Starbucks near me”. I wanted to solve my own problem of where do I go when I’m a 45 minute subway ride away from home, but I have an hour between work and curtain time?
Channeling my bibliophilia into a new world.
It was personally fulfilling to make a dream come to life, and professionally satisfying to build a brand, and a world, from the ground up.
“How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.”
Epilogue
My love of reading has inspired more creative projects—I animated the cover of my favorite book, The Night Circus, and produced a visual poem based on an excerpt of The Starless Sea.
Check out what I’m reading behind the curtain. What’s your favorite book? Email me and let’s talk TBRs.