British Spirals & Castings – Rebrand and website development

Challenge

Since 1992, British Spirals & Castings (BS&C) had built a strong reputation for manufacturing bespoke staircases, railings, and balconies for buildings and homes around the world. During the pandemic, BS&C saw an influx of orders from owners looking to make improvements to the properties they were spending their time in, followed by a natural drop in overall volume as a result of a variety of factors, including significant inflation and economic uncertainty. To ensure a healthy project pipeline, they were looking to refresh their brand and website, creating a design-led presence which communicated their focus on quality, service and craftmanship. The challenge was to do this in a way that would appeal to both professional audiences, such as architects, interior designers and developers, and homeowners.

Solution

We guided BS&C through a comprehensive rebranding process that included building a new visual identity and a website with a modern style and improved navigation. This process included a detailed analysis of the target audiences, market research on other high-end bespoke manufacturers and other brands frequently visited by architects, designers, and other specifiers.

Brand Identity Development:

Our first step was to understand the impression BS&C wanted to make. Through collaborative workshops, we uncovered key insights:

• Visual identity: The client wanted a visual identity that conveyed quality and craftsmanship. The spiral staircase, their central product and visual motif, became key to the design. Brands like Villeroy & Boch and Smallbone influenced the final aesthetic: premium and heritage-rich, yet modern. The overarching visual identity focuses on the quality, expertise, and craftsmanship of BS&C.

• Logo: We designed a refined logomark that was unique with an ownable identity, and that carried the feel of a ‘stamp of approval’. The lower half of the logomark represents a spiral staircase wrapping around a central pole, while the upper half hints at the head of a railing. This logo delivers a nod to both craftmanship and expertise, positioning BS&C as a long-serving, quality-assured business. The logomark is paired with a classic serif typeface, evoking sophistication and confidence. We also incorporated the company’s establishment date to emphasise its longevity and expertise.

• Colour palette: The updated palette evolved BS&C’s distinctly British branding into a subtler and more timeless scheme that still reflected the importance of British manufacturing. To celebrate British heritage in a more understated way, the ‘Made in Britain’ mark was prominently featured on the new website. The new palette was carefully selected to reflect the company’s values:
  • Navy Blue: Symbolises longevity, reliability, and trust. Deeply associated with British heritage and craftsmanship.
  • Gold (Freesia): Promotes luxury and success. Its reference to the Victorian symbolism of the Freesia flower also highlights trust and prestige.
  • Salt White: A soft, refined alternative to stark white, chosen for its balanced, complementary tone that allows the other colours and product visuals to take centre stage.

• Typography: The typographic system used a mix of serif and sans-serif fonts to strike a balance between classic and contemporary. Ultimately, the fonts supported the visual identity in communicating trust, expertise, and the brand’s high-end positioning.
• Tone of voice: We helped shape BS&C’s brand language to reflect their pride in local craftsmanship, commitment to service, and strong communication – values that appeal equally to design professionals and homeowners.

Website redesign:

To bring the rebrand to life and improve customer experience, we worked with our creative partners at Platform 81 to design a new website tailored to BS&C’s new audience:

• Enhanced quote form: The updated form was created to help lead users through the quote process in a more visual manner, making it faster and simpler.
• Wishlist feature: A new tool for customers to save and submit inspiration images directly to BS&C, making it easier to get their vision across.
• Streamlined navigation: The new structure makes it easier to find relevant information. Products are organised into clear categories (spiral stairs, straight stairs, balconies, balustrades, cast iron store) with pages giving a clearer sense of the different design options available for each item.  Case studies, blogs, and the gallery are under a newly introduced “Inspiration” section.
• Visual presentation: The overall design is image-led, placing craftsmanship and design at the forefront to resonate with the creative community.
• Narrative journey: The content was simplified to let the design and imagery take focus, while still preserving BS&C’s established voice as expert artisans. Serving as a gentle guide, the text supports the customer journey with a cohesive narrative that enhances clarity and engagement.