Studio Chris Bolton’s identity for a Finnish store is all about circles

The identity elements all contain circular illustrated elements, and Chris’ aim was to create something that you can “play around with”. They are layered throughout, placed in unison to form a sort of pattern, or cut in half – creating enormous visual variety with just one shape. The wordmark is also suitably rounded and sweeping, creating a simultaneously bold and compact feel, but the wordmark also features strong references to 60s and 70s design, a conscious choice by Chris to show that much of the furniture in the store is from those two decades. Quite coincidentally, the word for Måll in Swedish (which the majority of Karjaa residents speak) also features a circle above the “å”. “The circle-like dot above the “å” has been used in a more playful way in the logo by making it larger than usual,” says Chris. “So the name also reflects that it fits into its location in a respectful way.”

With the colour palette, Chris wanted to create a sense of positivity and vibrancy that reflects breathing new life into an empty space. Each of the colours used – blue, cream yellow and orange – represents a different part of the store. Additionally, as there are two different vintage stores in the vintage section of the store – Fruit Market (clothing) and Roomage (furniture) – Chris created two different logos to give them their “own voice” while maintaining a sense of unity in the Måll universe.

Måll had an almost “non-existent” budget for communication and advertising, so like many new startups, they turned to Instagram to promote the shop. To accommodate this, Chris created a poster-like layout that fits into the Instagram stories layout and can be modified internally to create weekly posts that keep the Måll community updated. Chris’ work for the new company is a clear example of what can be achieved on a low budget when you have an open brief and a strong visual concept.