Why Home Logos May Convince You to Ditch Monograms

Okay, maybe monograms will never *really* appear, but Southern hosts are embracing an adorable trend: the custom home logo. Imagine your charming Lowcountry cottage wrapped up in one elegant logo. Now imagine this image engraved on custom matchboxes or proudly displayed on a coffee mug. Atlanta resident Julia Berg says, “My maiden name is Ott, so my family is especially fond of otters. My father and stepmother had someone create a logo using an otter, and our family has it on our refrigerators, towels and rugs.” Personally, my sister-in-law surprised me with the logo of my new home (dubbed the Hydrangea House) and I was thrilled to have it on everything that was standing. Look to your favorite hotels and restaurants for inspiration. Study their pens, notepads and candles. Collect restaurant matchboxes. Then come up with a name.

Start with a name

The trend isn’t to just stick an address on a mug; it’s about capturing the unique essence of your southern retreat. In fact, if I asked you to name the house on One Lodge Street, you might furrow your brow. But if I asked you to describe the Biltmore Estate, the stately home located on One Lodge Street, you would probably have no problem recalling the details of the place.

Many home logos use the name as a starting point, including words like cottage, bungalow, estate and hall, before adding other grounds details. This is true for Tom Hodgson, the third generation homeowner of the Erimwold home his grandparents built in Georgia in 1939. “According to family lore, wold is a Welsh suffix meaning hilly area. E and R are my grandfather’s first two initials, and M and Y are from my grandmother Mary. Supposedly they played with the letters until a name emerged,” he says. Hodgson created the Erimwold logo himself about ten years ago. It depicts three bales of hay, symbolizing the three generations that have grown hay on the property since its founding.

Likewise, interior designer Maggie Griffin says of her home in Highland, North Carolina: “It seemed much older than its birth date in 1982, and we wanted to honor the house and its past, so the name was appropriate. The incomparable architect Norman Askins designed the house in the 1980s, and we thought using the name ‘Norman’ was a fun tribute to complement the home’s position on a mountainside or ridge,” she says. Norman Ridge is born.

Why create a home logo?

A home brand creates a strong sense of place for both owners and guests. For Virginian Heather Bien, this meant capturing the abundant rose bushes of her holiday home and its perch above the river below. “The brand’s colors were inspired by the garden, shutters and location, as well as an attempt to combine the charm of an English cottage with a Virginia waterfront setting. I also used these colors when decorating the house,” she says.

Griffin agrees: “To me, a logo feels even more personal because the idea behind the name is usually very interesting and hints at the history of the house, its location or the personality of the homeowner.” Hodgson says don’t be afraid to add a little personality to your logo. “Puns can be especially fun. A friend of mine has a house on St. Simons that he calls MarshMellow.

Interior designer Steve McKenzie recently used the homeowner’s own pun for a client. “She called it Buckhead House on the Bayou, so we did the stationery and also used that name on the linens,” he says.

How can I use a home logo?

Perhaps the better question is: is anything in a home logo safe?! Griffin, Hodgson and Bien use their designs for entertaining items and other personalized decor. “I put the logo on the canvas bags I use when I’m at home, on thank-you cards, and on the coffee mugs that everyone always reaches for on top of the ceramic mugs. I haven’t made a baseball cap yet, but that’s next,” says Bien.

For Griffin, it’s almost like giving guests the chance to go home on vacation. “Because our properties are rentals, we love the idea of ​​our guests taking home a drink cooler, frozen cup, coffee mug or notebook—a little piece of Norman Ridge brought back into their daily lives.”

I have matchboxes, coffee mugs, and even wine glasses around my house, and my guests often get excited about the extra details. Emily Peters is the Vice President of Operations for Vineglacé, a brand of drinkware coolers that are completely customizable. She says, “Personalizing a product helps someone feel luxurious and special, and in turn they feel special and loved.”

MacKenzie says the logo helps give the home a little more personality and dimension. “With a monogram it is difficult to stand out and be different from others. I think home branding describes the atmosphere of the home, not just who lives there.”

Who can design a house logo for me?

You can take matters into your own hands, like Hodgson and Bien, using tools like Photoshop and Canva, or turn to an expert. Etsy is a great resource for finding designers, as is Instagram. For example, Erin Regal is a custom merchandise designer and marketing expert. She designed the logo and branding for my Hydrangea House!