Project scope

/ART DIRECTION
/ILLUSTRATION
/BRAND SYSTEM
/DIGITAL CONTENT
/UI DESIGN

An authentic family thatched cottage in the heart of the Normandy countryside.

Context & Role

A shared life project led by my partner, restoring his family’s thatched home into a countryside retreat where families and friends can reconnect. My role covered the interiors, branding, and website experience. Now booked year-round, Les 3 Fresnes has become a thriving retreat, paving the way for Maisons Pommes.

Client location France, Normandy
Vincent Varlet Les 3 Fresnes Founder

My Missions

Art direction concept & narrative
Brand system logo, type, color, icons, layout
Illustration original artwork created for the website, brochures, and social media
Print design cards, stamp
Digital design website, social content

Partners

Photographer Heure.Bleue Studio
Developers Pardos
Print Moo.com

Concept

Down a quiet country lane lies a 330-year-old thatched cottage — a refuge where wood, stone, and light meet. Inside, refinement blends with rustic charm: linen, soft light, and the warmth of a home prepared with care. The identity draws from this feeling — a cocoon of quiet beauty. Typography recalls wrought-iron details; the palette echoes wood, plaster, and thatch, celebrating a place where nature and craftsmanship embrace.

COLORS

Heritage tones

LAYOUT

Editorial feel

TEXTURES

Vegetal & Mineral

GRAPHICS

Modern Engravings

Le Gîte

Logotype

The Oval Cell

Shaped like a keyhole, the form gives the logotype its vertical stance — a gateway that encloses and protects, evoking a feeling of intimacy and quiet retreat from the world.

The Typeface

Inspired by the ironwork of old Norman doors, this serif typeface combines organic shapes with a rustic elegance.

The Ash-Tree Leaf

Drawn with visible veins and fine details, it conveys a sense of texture and life. The ash tree (fresne in Old French) also symbolizes fertility.

Alternatives

Lighter variations of the main logotype, crafted to adapt gracefully to the different print and digital contexts of the brand’s visual world.

Colors

Icons

Typography

Layout

Website

Illustrations

Brochure (digital & printable)

Client's Reviews

"Vision sur le temps long"

"Un travail sur le temps long géré d'une main de maître par Clara qui a su révéler l’âme des 3 Fresnes avec une direction artistique d’une grande sensibilité. Du site à la décoration en passant par les brochures, tout est cohérent, élégant et accueillant. Son travail a joué un rôle clé dans le succès du gîte."