Rye + Rhythm is a bar that celebrates live music and good drinks. They emphasize that everyone—and every genre—is welcome. As the name implies, their specialty is rye whiskey and bourbon cocktails, but they don’t discriminate; their menu features a wide range of cocktails, wines, beers and even non-alcoholic beverages.

The keywords for this brand were welcoming, sophisticated-yet-approachable, and nostalgic. In order to embrace these characteristics while honoring their love of all music genres, I created a sophisticated custom type logo based on the humble music note (). I added some reverse contrast to the cursive type to reference the profile of eighth notes.

I created a custom checkerboard pattern that incorporates the roundness of musical notes with the classic nostalgia of diners and bars. For the color palette, I chose a mix of comforting jewel tones (wine red and moss) and refreshing light colors (jasmine, sky blue, and citrus). It should feel nostalgic yet elevated.

Primary logomark and pattern

Color palette

Instrument Serif is used for headers, and Authentic Sans is used for bodycopy.

I chose a narrow serif for the headers and a condensed sans serif body typeface for a serious typographic spirit that nicely contrasted the playfulness of the checkerboard pattern.
The illustration serves to combine the two main purposes of the bar: live music and drinks. With that in mind, I created a playful illustration library that complements the more severe logo and typography. Try and spot all the drinks that the musicians are drinking!