Shown above: Photos of the display box, seed boxes, and seed packets.
Bringing the Display to Life
The first step of this project was figuring out the design for the display box, the seed boxes, and the seed packets. I knew I wanted each box to store at least 5 seed packets, and I wanted at least 6 boxes on the display. But first I needed to figure out what I wanted the brand to look like.
Bentley Seeds is a real company that sells their seeds online and in stores. Their branding felt very plain and outdated to me, so I aimed to create a fresh rebranding for the company that felt fun, energetic, and captivating.
Shown above: Typeface studies for Bentley Seeds.
Shown above: Logo studies.
I first started with typeface studies and logo studies. I knew I wanted the brand to feel approachable and friendly, so I played around with typefaces that fit my criteria. I experimented with sans serif and serif fonts, before settling on the sans serif font above (Acme).
After I figured out a typeface for the brand, I experimented with logos. I knew I wanted the logo to be a flower or a plant, and I needed it to look cohesive with the typeface. I eventually ended up with a logo that showed a blooming flower with leaves - it's simple, and eye-catching at the same time.
Shown above: The dieline used for the seed boxes, and the final designs.
Then I began to design the boxes that each seed packet would go in. I wanted each box to match the color of the flower inside, and I specifically wanted to choose fun and bright colors. I did extensive research on flowers before eventually settling on four different kinds: Peony, Sunflower, Hydrangea, and Marigold. Each flower has a different color and a distinct look to it.
I included an illustration of each flower on the front of the box and care instructions on the back. I wanted the brand to look stylish and elegant, so I ended up using vintage-styled illustrations for each box. I also included a very subtle flower pattern in the background to make each box stand out.
Shown above: Dieline used for the seed packets, which are stored inside the seed boxes.
These are the seed packets, which are placed into each box and hold the seeds for each flower. Each design of the seed packet is nearly identical to the box it's placed inside.
Shown above: Blank dieline for the display box, and the final design.
The last step of this process was to design the dieline for the display box. I chose a stepped dieline (with an upper row and a lower row) that would each hold three boxes of seeds. I measured the dieline to precisely match the width and height of each flower box so it would fit perfectly.
For the box's design, I chose a green background to resemble nature. I added colorful vintage illustrations of flowers on the box to match the bright and cheery colors of the boxes. I added the company name and logo on each side of the box as well.
