Oxide Design Co.

Wright Home Improvement logo

I have an awkward relationship with extracurricular design work (defined here as the “friends and family” “design on the side” kind of extracurricular work). At times, it’s an opportunity to get some solid work out into the world without the usual bottlenecks. That’s pretty cool.

Unfortunately (assuming you’ve found a really trusting client), that also means you get to make all the scary decisions on your own.

Take, for instance, the new Wright Home Improvement logo. Al Wright (my future uncle-in-law) is a self-employed home improvement contractor, specializing in roofs, gutters, and siding.

The logo combines a ‘W’ with a house transformed into a castle. The type and color are intentionally classic — well-suited for a family business that started in 1941. Al trusted my judgement and — just like that — Wright Home Improvement has a new logo.

I knew from the beginning that I was only going to present a single option — the one I thought best solved the problem. I think that’s a great opportunity, and it’s hard to pass up. But, it’s also a lot of pressure. When the client trusts you enough to present a single solution (and is likely to implement it immediately), it’s the designer’s job to make sure it’s the most appropriate solution.

In contrast, Oxide normally presents 2-3 options for a logo project — all of which we think are workable solutions. When the client makes a selection from the group, the responsibility is transferred onto their shoulders. The burden of most appropriate is lifted.

Given the choice, I’ll always present a single solution to client. It’s the corresponding pressure I could do without.