Established in 2016 as a vacation rental management brand, Olala Homes has been experiencing rapid growth ever since. Still a young startup, we have not only gained praises and recognitions from travelers and partners but also developed a new character of our own. As our brand takes on a more refreshing, vibrant and cozy vibe, it becomes clear that it needs a new identity that serves the purpose.

But re-making a brand identity is definitely easier said than done. Kanella Arapoglou, the magician who blows life into Olala Homes’ new brand identity, knows it best. Kanella Arapoglou is a celebrated conceptual designer with extensive experience in brand identity design. With a genuine passion for traveling, Kanella has proved herself to be the ideal fit to make the magic happen.

The importance of a good brand identity

As the core of a brand, Kanella consideres brand identity is “much faster than words as it directly reaches one’s subconsciousness.” Brand identity constructs the image of a brand with a logo, a key visual, color palettes, and fonts. It introduces the grammar of how a brand should be visually presented and decides how we shape people’s impressions of our brand. Kanella believes a good brand identity should be able to “translate company values into images, vividly depicts who you are, what you are good at and what you value.”

What does Olala Homes represent?

The first step is to define the values. “To me, Olala Homes represents hospitality warmth. It is not a cold, big hotel. It makes guests feel like being in their own house in another city. Olala Homes gives people a good place to relax and stay. It gives you the freedom to cook, unwind yourself, and do whatever you want.” Most important of all, what makes Olala Homes different from other competing vacation rental management companies is the “attention to details,” Kanella emphasizes. All of which is to be coded in her design. So how did she make it work?

Turning attractions into the key visual

Kanella drew insights from the cultural features of the first four cities where Olala Homes have been operating. She turned iconic attractions into symbolic geometric shapes that fit the culture and emotion of each city. You can see a combination of contrasting colors and mellow shapes for Athens, fresh and elegant layout for Bucharest, daring & eye-catching architectural elements for Barcelona and passionate & warm hues for Madrid. Though currently focusing on the first 4 cities, Kanella’s design also offers flexibility for coping with future possibilities – be it opening up in another beautiful European city, or a cross-continental expansion.

While each city has its unique visual language, they also fit harmoniously into the brand’s key visual. In the key visual. The warm gray background refers to our meticulous endeavor, while the bright colors show what we aim to create for our guests – a fun, comfortable and carefree stay. This also echoes with how Olala Homes operates – while operating by different local teams in different cities, Olala Homes has its centralized customer care center in Barcelona, offering quality service of equal standards and efficiency. We want our guests to rest assured that, no matter which city they visit, they can expect the same level of customer care and a home away from home. Likewise, we are ready to assist property owners at all locations and of all types, ensuring them total peace of mind.

The art of disciplined-creativity

Kanella’s work is a genuine embodiment of her “minimal and conceptual” aesthetic. While unleashing her inner imagination, Kanella takes a rigorous approach to the creative process. “Each of my work is a unique story. Though the inspirations are organic and free, they need to be carefully structured.” So no matter how complicated the brand values to be delivered are, her visual message remains clear and straightforward. “There’s always a rule and reason behind every step of the process,” says Kanella. 

Fun and challenge coexist

“The fun is exactly the same as the challenges, as designing is a game and a challenge at the same time.” To be successful in every design task, “you need to create a solid foundation to be able to play on it. It is important to be imaginative, but at the same time without losing the seriousness and professionalism.” Moreover, “you also need to do it without showing the effort.” With a lot of studies and hard work at the back, the result should look effortless. “Just like what Olala Homes do every day. You do your best to create a pleasant stay for the guests, but they should only feel the ease and comfort of enjoying the apartment.

New water bottle tag and entrance decoration.

Extending the new design into the apartment

Kanella’s amazing work perfectly combines Olala Homes’ values, temperament, and professionalism. After Kanella laid down the cornerstone, we have applied the design to amenities and decorations. The new identity has, on top of the quality Olala Homes’ properties provide, build up a stronger brand image that delivers professionalism, coziness, and playfulness at the same time. Next time when you visit us, try spotting as many brand applications as you can!

New business cards, pins, and mugs.

About Kanella Arapoglou

Official website: https://www.kanella.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kanella/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kanella/9511130349?ref=tsh
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kanella

The color that describes you best
Yellow, the color of the sun, light and happiness and all the good elements.
Your favorite design book
The Art of Looking Sideways
Your favorite fiction book
Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance
Favorite movie in the past year
A Rainy Day in New York
Food you could eat every day
Pasta
Song/band that pumps you up
Pulp – Common People
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Cooking