We know we’re just a sign shop. We sell signs. We make signs and we install signs. And Riverbend Signworks enjoys doing signs. You need a channel letter sign for your building? We do that. How about something to spice up your windows? Well, we are experts in window graphics. You have an event coming up? Let us whip you up a banner.
But, truthfully, we want to be more than just a sign making company. We want to redesign an outdated law office, help brand a new restaurant in town or re-brand a local retailer’s products. We want to be full-service–concept to completion.
Recently, we got to be part of a relocation renovation. And we loved it.
Barre 563 in Davenport, IA didn’t move far. In fact, they moved across the street and right next to Riverbend Signworks. And we were pleased when Sarah walked in our door for help.
Sarah brought us an already polished logo so all we needed to do was work out how to make their new studio space personal and classy.
So, we started with one of the most important pieces for any business–the outdoor sign. There are many options for outdoor signage–lit or non-lit, metal, plastic, acrylic, dimensional, flat, etc. We went dimensional and brushed aluminum. Brushed aluminum is a very popular choice right now and lends itself to many background options. In the case of Barre 563, our pallet was brick.
The sign is made of 1/4″ thick low-gloss brushed aluminum and is mounted to the brick wall on 1/2″ standoffs. Obviously, aluminum is durable and weatherproof. Since the sign is dimensional, it creates an eye-catching shadow at nearly all hours of the day. This sign is simple, yet very elegant; a theme you’ll find throughout Sarah’s studio.
Barre 563 is a fitness studio with large south-facing windows. Directly on the other side of these windows are people working out in Sarah’s fitness classes. So, both for privacy and protection from the glaring sun, Sarah wanted a way to cover her windows.
For us, the decision was simple. We covered the windows in a frosted vinyl, leaving cuts outs for inspirational words and printing the business name in their branded colors.
We enjoy working with all types of vinyls. This frosted options is versatile as it allows us to print on it while being a functional sun block for Sarah’s clients. In addition, since the studio’s parking lot is set back from the main road, the expansive windows make the studio front very visible to first time clients.
We could go on and on about the many uses of vinyl. We’ll skip it for now and give Sarah kudos for using it in a functional and attractive way.
Finally, we needed to address the inside. One of our favorite pieces to design are lobby signs. Lobby signs can be the first impression visitors have when walking into any establishment. Naturally, this means special care needs to be taken when designing a lobby sign. The sign should fit the decor, portray your brand and make a statement about your business.
Barre’s lobby sign served to tie in the outside sign with the inside. We, once again, went with a brushed aluminum. However, this time the brushed aluminum was used as a thin layer placed over 3/8″ thick black acrylic. The acrylic base helped keep the cost down while maintaining an expensive look.
The overall design was a reverse of the outside sign. The business name and logo are reverse cut from the acrylic/metal sign. The sign matches extremely well with the wood planks on the wall and the modern/classic light fixtures.
The whole sign, like the outdoor sign, was mounted on standoffs to give it subtle dimension. This sign was a perfect carry over from the wall mounted sign outside. Clients will certainly notice the simple modern flow from outdoor to indoors.
This relocation was a welcome project for Riverbend Signworks. Our design team, project manager and installers all had the chance to offer input and participate in this renovation. This is what we want our sign shop to be–a complete source for business branding.
