Rebranding is in many ways like renovating a house. In the excitement of selecting new palettes or designing updated layouts, it’s easy to forget the most important step of any renovation: being ready to let go of the old space.
A room is more than its walls and decor; it is a curated collection of memories made in each space. Sometimes a complete overhaul is needed, but often elements of the original space are kept. Whether that means repainting cabinets instead of installing new ones, or having an open ceiling to showcase a building’s transition from an industrial space to a residential space, preserving historic elements can add tremendous value to any refurbished space. In the same manner, when rebranding a company, it is important to retain all the elements that made that company successful.ELLE CHERIE IS BORNRecently we had to renovate our own brand. Inspired Interiors was in many ways a home – it held dreams and memories. But like so many of the homes we are fortunate enough to be invited into, Inspired Interiors was no longer meeting our growing needs.Because we were taking the exciting step of incorporating our business, we had to find a usable name for our new corporation that would fulfill all our requirements and, for various reasons, Inspired Interiors wouldn’t work. The name was too similar to other company names, and while that might be alright for a small local company, it wouldn’t set us up for distinction as a growing organization. We also wanted an easily recognizable, unique name that tells an inspiring story of who we are as a business and speaks to our clientele, and that was Elle Cherie.THE BRAND IDENTITY PROCESS FOR ELLE CHERIEThe process from Inspired Interiors to Elle Cherie was both exciting and challenging, and we felt that it drew many parallels to renovating a home.First of all, we had to define our core values and ideas for the company, which took a lot of soul searching. Similar to how we guide clients through the process of envisioning their new space, we hired a marketing company to guide us through the process, with everything from cue cards to sample logos.Since we are used to handling every renovation or redesign project down to the smallest detail, it was at times difficult to let go of certain tasks and trust the experts in their fields. But it was a transformative experience, learning to collaborate in different ways, and it gave us a new insight and appreciation of the trust our customers place in us. It reaffirmed the importance we place on open communication and structured timelines for a positive customer experience.As with home renovations, once we had the right teams in place, the task proceeded smoothly. From hiring an accountant to assist with the incorporation process, to engaging a marketing firm to assist with the rebranding and a new website, it sometimes felt as though things were changing quite quickly.WHERE WE GOT OUR NAME AND HOW IT EVOLVEDWe combined ‘Elle,’ which describes the mantras of gracefulness, meticulousness, and the personal touch that we bring to each project with our Founder’s middle name, Cherie. In the end, we decided to incorporate ‘Inspired Interiors’ into our new namesake because of who we are and how our process is so integrated with the inspirational ideas of our customers. As an interior design firm, we strongly believe in leveraging our experience and industry knowledge to make personalized interior spaces for our customers. Though we include many of our own signature design elements, it’s really our clients that help bring these spaces to life!SAME COMPANY, NEW NAME. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?Once the branding process was complete, it felt as though this small interior design company was filled with a new energy and that the framework was placed for major growth.Part of what makes Elle Cherie unique is our ability to see the possibilities in every space and home. There may be challenges, but we have always been able to come up with creative solutions to realize the goals and vision of our customers. With our rebranding, we are taking the first step in a transformative experience, and we face it with optimism, believing in the possibilities.There is a moment in every renovation, when almost every detail is in place, a magical moment when you can step back and appreciate all that has been accomplished and imagine the many wonderful memories that will be made in the transformed space, and for us it was the moment Inspired Interiors became Elle Cherie, that we could see the amazing future in store for us.