Stonor Park
Branding design, creative direction
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Stonor Park has been home to the Stonor family for over 850 years and the family’s successes and travails are deeply embedded within its walls. It was open to visitors but numbers were low and, locally, the perception was of an austere, isolated location, chiefly of interest to history buffs.
So when a new generation with fresh ideas took the reins, they needed a brand that would denote a significant change of direction and attitude, relaunching Stonor as a welcoming family day out.
Working closely with the family and marketing team, I am very proud to have played a part in this new chapter of the Stonor story.
Initially, there wasn’t a great deal of visual collateral to work with but by delving into Stonor’s past, a treasure-trove of amazing artworks and compelling stories was revealed.
The new logo and efficient core branding system give a contemporary context to this history, allowing Stonor’s quirky personality and eclecticism to come to the fore.
Inspired by artworks at Stonor, the colour palette combines striking brights with satisfying earthy tones to create a sense warmth contrasting with vigour - the old meeting the new.
Wonder Woods
Key to the repositioning of Stonor Park as a family-friendly venue was the addition of a children’s adventure play park. This was the largest single infrastructural change at the new Stonor and a huge investment.
I workshopped names and design territories and the name ‘Wonder Woods’ was duly selected, imbuing it with an intrepid spirit and also evoking its hillside, woodland location.
To enable flexibility and scalability, the Wonder Woods identity is built around a growing collection of mini-illustrations, which can be remixed and refreshed depending on the activity. Illustrations by Daniel Cox.
Events
A really significant change at Stonor Park is the number of events they now host - up from just two or three a year to over twenty.
As the most visible point of contact for many people, events are harnessed to showcase Stonor as a modern, vibrant location.
Branding for a typical event would include posters, social media assets, ads and flyers. Some of the larger, more prestigious events might include signage and merchandise, and in the case of Supercar Sunday, a dedicated microsite.
House photography: Simon Upton
Supercar Sunday photography: Paul Upward
Wonder Woods & Jousting illustration: Daniel Cox