Originally written for the now defunct blog, Grits & Girds. Once again, this one is just too good to not share here. So, dig into the gorgeous work for Elm & Good by Tractorbeam®.

I’m usually a bigger fan of letting typography breathe when it comes to kerning, but in this restaurant brand identity, I have to say the coziness of each letterform is what really stole my attention.

Elm & Good is an upscale American tavern experience located in the historic Pittman Hotel in Dallas, Texas. As a Kimpton Hotels brand, the restaurant had to show up with fantastic design aesthetics. Kimpton’s bar is quite high when it comes to their F&B brands. 

Elm & Good expresses a high-end persona that’s reinforced by classic elements that nod to history. The brand’s core identity is typographical, but the typography is set in a way that’s absolutely intriguing.

The loop of the “E”, a rounded version of the capital letter, seems to kick the “L.” It’s followed by the foot of the “L” letterform which nestles under the “M” The ampersand takes design cues from the “E” and “G” letterforms creating a bit of glue between the two words. Finally, the double-O ligature becomes a semi-infinity sign, or Venn diagram, with its overlapping composition. Collectively it’s incredibly intriguing without being desperate. And this sets the stage for the tone of visual elements.

With such a dominant typographic treatment, the rest of the identity has to find a way to pleasantly accompany and showcase without detraction. Tractorbeam’s solution was to explore patterns that use the very typography found in the core logo. The result is amazing.