Hey there. I’m
Rowan
Ashby
Identities, websites and products for independent teams.
Let's talk briefgrowing companies
Good design, clearly scoped.
Selected work
What clients say after launch
“An app our gardeners want to open.”
“A distinctive identity our small team can use.”
“Clear process, honest timelines and a better booking flow.”
Questions founders ask first
Most projects start within two to three weeks. Launch kits can often begin sooner.
Yes. A fixed-scope Launch Kit suits early-stage teams.
Editable files, exports and a usage guide are included on final payment.
Start with an idea.
Send a few lines. I’ll reply within one working day.
Independent by design.
I’m Rowan, a digital designer working directly with founders and small teams.
I began in print, learning to test an identity at its smallest and simplest before building the larger system.
My independent practice spans identity, web and product design. I stay involved from the brief to the final components.
Outside the studio: mentoring, interface notes and too many tomato plants.
Three rules I do not bend
Clarity before cleverness
A clear message comes before decoration.
Systems, not one-offs
Reusable components and templates help a team stay consistent.
Honest timelines
Scope, timing and changes are discussed in writing.
Where the years went
Ashby Studio, Harbourgate
Independent identity, web and product practice.
Lead product designer, Orrery Labs
Led a product design system and grew a small design team.
Senior designer, Fennel & Grey
Identity and campaign work for food, travel and hospitality.
Junior designer, Copperplate Print
Typesetting and print production.
What I reach for
Want the longer version?
Book a short introduction to discuss work like yours.
Four focused services.
Fixed scope, a clear price and weekly reviews.
Brand identity
A complete identity and practical guide. Five to six weeks.
See what's included 02 · From $6,500Website design
Structure, page design and a reusable component kit. Six to eight weeks.
See what's included 03 · From $8,000Product UI & UX
Research, flows, screens and documented components.
See what's included 04 · From $2,400Launch kits
A pitch deck, social templates, a one-page site and launch assets. Ten working days.
See what's includedHow every project runs
Discover
Agree on goals and a written brief.
Design
Choose a direction and refine it through weekly reviews.
Deliver
Receive files, guidelines and handover support.
Not sure which one you need?
Share the problem. I’ll recommend the right scope.
From a clear brief to a useful handover.
- 01
Prioritise
Agree on a short queue with one clear owner. Decide what needs to be finished before adding more work.
- 02
Make and review
Share focused updates with enough context for useful feedback. Keep decisions and open questions beside the work.
- 03
Close and continue
Deliver the finished files and record what changed. Review the next priority instead of letting requests disappear into a long list.
Not sure where to begin?
Start with the question.
Tell us what needs to change and where the current experience falls short.
Test the identity where it needs to work: small icons, print, signage and partner materials.
What's included
- Positioning workshop and a one-page brand story
- Primary mark, secondary marks and responsive lock-ups
- Colour palette with accessible pairings and print equivalents
- Type system with licensing guidance and fallbacks
- Stationery, social avatars and a slide template
- A forty-page usage guide and editable source files
How it runs
Listen
Interview founders and customers.
Explore
Explore three directions in real contexts.
Build
Develop and test one complete system.
Recent identity work
The engagement
A recognisable idea, with room to grow.
A coherent identity and digital experience, from the first direction to the working details.
What the handover includes
- Identity direction and rationale
- Logo, type and colour system
- Practical application guidelines
How the work takes shape.
- 01
Discover
Look at the audience, category and existing material. Agree on what should stay familiar and what needs a stronger point of view.
- 02
Make
Test a small set of directions across real applications. Judge the system on a label, a page and a small screen, not just a presentation.
- 03
Apply
Refine the chosen direction into usable assets. Include examples that help the next person make consistent decisions.
Before we begin.
Share the current material, the audience, the date that matters and the decision you want the work to support. A short, specific brief is enough to start.
Pages, applications, revision rounds and delivery responsibilities are written down before the work begins. New requirements are reviewed together.
A useful first conversation
Bring the project into focus.
Share the goal and the material you have. We can work out the right starting point.
Website design
A focused website with a clear path to the next conversation.
Begin with the purpose of a successful visit, then build the content and page structure around it.
What's included
- Site map, content model and conversion goals
- Copy direction and wireframes for every template
- High-fidelity designs at desktop, tablet and phone widths
- A component kit with states, motion notes and tokens
- Build supervision with your developers, or a hand-coded static site
- Launch checklist, analytics events and a thirty-day tune-up
How it runs
Map
Agree on goals and content.
Design
Design the home page, then reusable templates.
Ship
Build, check responsive layouts and prepare launch.
Recent website work
The engagement
A website people can move through.
A coherent identity and digital experience, from the first direction to the working details.
What the handover includes
- Page hierarchy and content map
- Responsive page designs
- Navigation, forms and essential states
How the work takes shape.
- 01
Structure
Start with the visitor’s task and the content needed to complete it. Resolve navigation before polishing individual screens.
- 02
Design
Review key pages at desktop and mobile sizes. Check long headings, empty states and the transitions between pages.
- 03
Handover
Package reusable components, assets and content rules. Walk through the decisions so the site can keep growing.
Before we begin.
Share the current material, the audience, the date that matters and the decision you want the work to support. A short, specific brief is enough to start.
Pages, applications, revision rounds and delivery responsibilities are written down before the work begins. New requirements are reviewed together.
A useful first conversation
Bring the project into focus.
Share the goal and the material you have. We can work out the right starting point.
Focus on the most important tasks, test the flows and build a documented component system.
What's included
- Research synthesis from existing data plus six user interviews
- Task flows and low-fidelity prototypes tested before visual design
- High-fidelity screens for the core journeys on phone and desktop
- A tokenised design system with light and dark themes
- Component documentation and engineering handoff sessions
- Optional monthly retainer for iterations after release
How it runs
Understand
Prioritise tasks using research and analytics.
Prototype
Test flows before polishing screens.
Systematise
Deliver tokens, components and guidance.
Recent product work
The engagement
Make the next action easier to find.
A coherent identity and digital experience, from the first direction to the working details.
What the handover includes
- Key user flows and screen states
- A connected interactive prototype
- Reusable interface components
How the work takes shape.
- 01
Understand
Map the task from its starting point to completion. Include the information people bring and the decisions they need to make.
- 02
Prototype
Work through the main path, errors and empty states together. Test the sequence with realistic content before refining the surface.
- 03
Prepare
Document behaviour alongside the visual system. Give implementation a clear reference for loading, focus and responsive states.
Before we begin.
Share the current material, the audience, the date that matters and the decision you want the work to support. A short, specific brief is enough to start.
Pages, applications, revision rounds and delivery responsibilities are written down before the work begins. New requirements are reviewed together.
A useful first conversation
Bring the project into focus.
Share the goal and the material you have. We can work out the right starting point.
A deliberately focused asset set helps you announce, pitch and publish with one consistent look.
What's included
- A twelve-slide pitch deck template with real content placed
- Twelve social templates across three formats
- A one-page site with a waitlist or booking form
- Launch-day visuals: banner, email header and press image
- A two-page mini style guide
How it runs
Brief
Choose one direction from a shared brief.
Produce
Design the kit with a midpoint review.
Hand over
Receive files, templates and a walkthrough.
Kits in the wild
The engagement
A website people can move through.
A coherent identity and digital experience, from the first direction to the working details.
What the handover includes
- Page hierarchy and content map
- Responsive page designs
- Navigation, forms and essential states
How the work takes shape.
- 01
Structure
Start with the visitor’s task and the content needed to complete it. Resolve navigation before polishing individual screens.
- 02
Design
Review key pages at desktop and mobile sizes. Check long headings, empty states and the transitions between pages.
- 03
Handover
Package reusable components, assets and content rules. Walk through the decisions so the site can keep growing.
Before we begin.
Share the current material, the audience, the date that matters and the decision you want the work to support. A short, specific brief is enough to start.
Pages, applications, revision rounds and delivery responsibilities are written down before the work begins. New requirements are reviewed together.
A useful first conversation
Bring the project into focus.
Share the goal and the material you have. We can work out the right starting point.
Selected work.
Six selected projects in identity, web and product design.
Your project could be number seven.
Share the idea. I’ll reply with a short plan.
Explore with a purpose
Independent design partnership.
A coherent identity and digital experience, from the first direction to the working details.
Look a little closer
- Identity foundations
- Responsive websites
- Product interfaces
The brief
Turn a crowded sensor dashboard into practical guidance for home growers.
The approach
Research led to a daily action card, with charts one tap deeper and a high-glare theme for outdoor use.
The outcome
A simpler daily experience and a reusable interface system.
Loam / Handover
What carries forward.
- 01An identity foundation
- 02Responsive applications
- 03Handover and usage guidance
The brief
Replace mismatched seasonal catalogues with reusable templates.
The approach
A lime panel, restrained serif and two-colour grid connect catalogues, reports and postcards.
The outcome
The press can now produce its own seasonal materials.
Kestrel Press / Handover
What carries forward.
- 01An identity foundation
- 02Responsive applications
- 03Handover and usage guidance
The brief
Make showroom demonstrations and room setup feel as considered as the hardware.
The approach
Large controls and a focused now-playing view simplify the interface. Setup becomes four clear steps.
The outcome
A documented tablet interface with showroom and daylight modes.
Halide Audio / Handover
What carries forward.
- 01An identity foundation
- 02Responsive applications
- 03Handover and usage guidance
Mirefield Bakery
An identity that works on bags, stamps and delivery crates.
The brief
Create a durable mark for a bakery opening its third shop.
The approach
A simple scored-circle mark, black and white materials and a lime accent connect retail and wholesale.
The outcome
Stamp-ready artwork, labels, stationery and a practical guide.
Mirefield Bakery / Handover
What carries forward.
- 01An identity foundation
- 02Responsive applications
- 03Handover and usage guidance
Tidewater Journeys
A coastal booking site with a clear route to departure.
The brief
Replace a crowded menu and hard-to-find enquiry form.
The approach
Trip photography, concise itineraries and visible departure dates create a simpler booking journey.
The outcome
A focused website and reusable trip templates.
Tidewater Journeys / Handover
What carries forward.
- 01An identity foundation
- 02Responsive applications
- 03Handover and usage guidance
The brief
Prepare packaging and pre-orders for a fixed retail launch.
The approach
Sage and cream packaging, quiet type and matching photography give the range one consistent appearance.
The outcome
Packaging, a four-product shop and templates for future additions.
Verdant Skin / Handover
What carries forward.
- 01An identity foundation
- 02Responsive applications
- 03Handover and usage guidance
Client perspectives.
Demo client perspectives, linked to the corresponding case studies.
“A clearer interface for showroom demonstrations.”
“A distinctive identity our small team can use.”
“Clear process, honest timelines and a better booking flow.”
“A coherent launch, from packaging to the shop.”
Numbers behind the quotes, collected from post-launch surveys.
Before the next step
Independent design partnership.
A coherent identity and digital experience, from the first direction to the working details.
Ask about the detailsWorth checking
- Identity foundations
- Responsive websites
- Product interfaces
Before we begin.
Ask through the brief form if your question isn’t covered.
Usually two to three weeks after a signed proposal. Launch kits may start sooner.
Launch kits: $2,400. Identity from $4,800, websites from $6,500, product design from $8,000. Scope and deposit are agreed in writing.
Yes. A Launch Kit provides a focused starting point for early-stage teams.
Editable source files, exports and a usage guide are included on final payment.
I build focused marketing sites and collaborate with developers for more complex products.
Two revision rounds per stage. Any additional work is agreed before billing.
Based in Harbourgate, with recorded reviews and scheduled overlap for remote teams.
A short brief, audience, budget range and target date. Existing materials are helpful.
A few practical details.
With brand identity if you have nothing yet, or the website if you already have a mark you like. A quick call settles which comes first.
Six to eight weeks from kickoff to launch for a marketing site, with your content arriving by week three. Product UI is scoped per sprint.
Yes. A monthly design hour for small updates, or a retainer for teams shipping every week. Both run month to month.
Let's talk brief.
Tell me what you’re building. I’ll reply within one working day.
Ashby Studio
Three things that help
A date that matters
A launch date helps set the scope.
Two examples you like
Two references help explain your visual preferences.
Who decides
Name one person to approve each stage.
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