FAQs | Ivory Ember Studio — Ivory Ember Studio

I work with businesses across a wide range of industries, so you don’t need to fit within one particular niche to work with me.
What matters most is that you value thoughtful design and are looking for a collaborative experience rather than simply something that “looks nice”.
If you connect with my work, approach, and the kind of experience I offer, I’d love to hear more about your business and what you’re hoping to create.
Not at all. You might come with me with a very clear vision, a folder filled with inspo, or a feeling that something needs to change. All are completely okay!
My discovery and strategy processes are designed to help uncover what your business needs and establish a clear direction before the creative work begins.
You don’t need to speak the “designer” lingo or arrive with all the answers. That’s part of what I’m here to help with.
Absolutely! If you know you’d like some design support but you’re not quite sure which service is the best fit, tell me a little about your business, what you’re currently working with, and what you’d like to achieve.
I’ll review what you’ve shared and can guide you towards the service that makes the most sense for where your business is right now.
Yes. Depending on what your business needs, we can discuss additional services or how separate projects may work together.
If you’re looking for both a complete brand identity and custom website, you may also want to explore Ivory Ember’s Premium Experience, which brings brand and website design together within one cohesive, creative journey.

BEFORE WE WORK TOGETHER

Once your enquiry lands in my inbox, I’ll review the initial information you’ve given me and, where appropriate, send through a Project Discovery Questionnaire.
This gives me an opportunity to learn more about your business, goals, project requirements, and what you’re hoping to achieve before either of us commits to working together.
Once I’ve reviewed your responses, if I believe we’re a good fit, I’ll prepare a Project Proposal outlining your project scope, inclusions, investment, anticipated timeframe, and what you can expect from the experience.
If you’d like to move forward, we’ll then complete the booking process including the payment of a deposit and the signing of the contract before progressing into the more detailed strategy and creative stages of your project.
No. Submitting an enquiry doesn’t automatically reserve space within my schedule.
Your project will only be considered officially booked once the required steps outlined within your Project Proposal have been completed, including acceptance of the relevant Service Agreement and payment of any required initial invoice.
I’ll provide all the details you need before you make that commitment.
As early as you can, particularly if you have a specific launch date or deadline in mind.
I intentionally keep my project capacity limited so I can give each client and project the attention it deserves. This means availability may be limited at times.
If you’re considering working together within the next few months, you’re always welcome to enquire early so we can discuss my upcoming availability and whether your preferred timeframe is achievable.
Occasionally, depending on the service, scope, and my current availability.
If you’re working towards a tight deadline, please include it within your enquiry. I’ll let you know whether I can realistically accommodate the project without compromising the quality of the work.
Where an expedited timeframe requires me to adjust my existing schedule, an additional rush fee will apply.

ENQUIRIES & BOOKING

My approach is thoughtful, collaborative, and intentionally personal.
You’ll be guided through a clear process from the moment you enquire, with questionnaires and workbooks helping us uncover the information needed at each stage. Throughout your project, I’ll communicate what I’m working on, what I need from you, and what happens next.
I want you to feel involved without feeling like you need to manage the creative process yourself. I want you to feel comfortable enough to have a coffee while we chat on the phone, and to know your project is in safe, reliable hands.
You bring the knowledge of your business. I bring the strategy, perspective, and design expertise. We being the two together.
Your involvement is crucial to the success of the project, but you won’t be expected to sit beside me and make every creative decision.
I’ll need your input during discovery and strategy, as well as clear feedback and approvals at particular stages. Outside of those moments, you can leave the designing to me.
The best results come from a collaborative relationship where you’re open about your business and goals, trust the creative process, and provide consolidated feedback when needed.
Most project communication takes place via email, giving both of us a clear written record of important information, decisions and feedback.
Depending on the service you’ve booked, your experience may also include scheduled consultations, presentations, or handover sessions.
I’ll explain exactly how communication will work before your project begins, including where and how feedback should be provided.
I intentionally keep my client capacity limited so I can give each project the focus and creative space it deserves.
Rather than moving rapidly between a large number of projects, I prefer a slower approach that allows me to genuinely immerse myself in the business I’m designing for.
This is an important part of the experience working with me, and allows me to provide a more personal service from beginning to end.

THE CLIENT EXPERIENCE

Investment varies depending on the service, package, and scope of your project.
You’ll find package investments throughout the relevant service pages, giving you an indication of the investment before enquiring.
Once I’ve reviewed your project requirements, your Project Proposal will clearly outline the complete investment and inclusions before you decide whether you’d like to move forward.
There won’t be any surprise additions to the agreed scope without discussing them with you first.
Yes. Payment options are available for applicable services and will be outlined within your Project Proposal.
It’s important to note that all projects do require a non-refundable deposit of 50% of the total project cost.
Depending on your project, there may be third-party expenses that aren’t included within my design fees. These could include things such as premium font licences, stock photography, printing, website subscriptions, domain registration, or third-party software.
Where I know additional expenses will be required, I’ll communicate these with you so you can factor them into your overall project budget.
Any additional design work outside the agreed project scope will always be discussed and quoted before it’s undertaken.

INVESTMENT & PAYMENTS

Projects sometimes evolve, and you may realise along the way that you’d like something additional.
If the request sits outside your agreed scope, I’ll let you know before completing the work and, where possible, provide a quote for adding it to your project.
Whether it can be accommodated during your existing project will depend on the additional work required and my current schedule.
Your project timeline relies on both of us meeting the agreed deadlines.
If content, information, feedback, or approvals are delayed, your project timeline may also need to move. Because other work may already be scheduled around your project, I may not always be able to simply extend your original dates.
If something unexpected comes up, communication is key. Let me know as soon as possible and we can discuss how it affects the project and what happens next.
Potentially, depending on what you’d like to change and where we are within the project.
If your requirements change significantly after booking, I’ll review the additional or amended scope and let you know whether it can be accommodated within your existing project timeline.
Additional work may require an updated quote, additional fees and/or an adjusted completion date.

DURING YOUR PROJECT

Absolutely! Your business will continue to evolve after our project ends, and you may eventually need new collateral, additional social templates, website pages, or other creative support.
Existing clients are always welcome to get back in touch when something new comes up.
The exact handover experience depends on the service you’ve booked, but my goal is always to make sure the work I’ve created feels practical to use.
Depending on your project, you may receive resources such as Brand Guidelines, final file guidance, Canva templates, a Website Management Guide, or a website handover session.
Your specific deliverables and handover resources will be outlined within your chosen service.
While most projects have a defined beginning and end, you’re always welcome to return if you need additional support in the future.
Some services may also include a specified support period following project completion. Where applicable, this will be clearly outlined within your Project Proposal.

AFTER YOUR PROJECT

Project timelines can vary depending on the package you’ve selected, the complexity of your project, and how quickly feedback and required information are provided throughout the process.
Your individual project timeline will be outlined within your Project Proposal before you commit to working together, so you’ll know exactly what to expect.
I intentionally work with one client at a time, allowing me to give your business and creative direction the focus and attention it deserves.
You’ll receive three developed logo suite concepts within your Brand Reveal Presentation.
Rather than presenting a large number of disconnected logo ideas, each concept is developed as its own considered creative direction. You’ll see your primary, secondary, and submark/monogram logos working together, along with supporting context to help you understand the thinking behind each direction.
You’ll then select your preferred concept to move forward to the refinement stage.
Absolutely, where it makes sense strategically.
A new brand identity doesn’t always mean everything from your existing brand needs to disappear. There may be colours, ideas, visual elements, or recognisable characteristics worth carrying forward and evolving.
During the strategy stage, we’ll explore what’s currently working, what isn’t, and whether there are elements worth retaining. From there, I’ll determine how they can be incorporated while still allowing your new identity to feel cohesive.
If you’re hoping to retain something specific, please mention this during the discovery process.
Your final brand assets are supplied in the professional file formats as previously listed, including scalable EPS files suitable for professional applications.
Native working or editable design files used during the creative process are not included as part of the project deliverables.
The final file suite you’re provided with has been specifically prepared to give you everything you’ll ordinarily need to use your brand across print and digital applications.
This will depend on the typefaces selected for your brand.
Where free or commercially available fonts are used, I’ll provide information on where they can be accessed. If your brand uses a premium typeface that requires an individual commercial licence, I’ll let you know what needs to be purchased and provide the relevant details.
Font licences are generally issued to the person or business using the font, which means I cannot transfer my own font licence to you.
Any potential additional font costs will be communicated clearly so there are no surprises.
Definitely not. You might have a very clear visual direction, a Pinterest board overflowing with inspiration, or absolutely no idea where to begin. All are completely okay.
Part of my role is taking everything you share about your business, audience, personality, goals, and preferences and translating it into a cohesive creative direction.
I’ll guide you through the strategy process before designing anything, so you won’t be expected to make design decisions or know the terminology. Your job is to tell me about your business; mine is to determine how we can communicate that visually.

BRAND DESIGN

I exclusively design and build websites using Squarespace 7.1.
Squarespace allows me to create beautiful, cohesive websites while giving you a platform that’s approachable enough to manage yourself once our project is complete. You won’t need to contact a developer every time you’d like to update some text, replace an image, or make a small change to your content.
Your website will be custom designed around your brand, content, and business requirements rather than simply dropping your information into a pre-designed template.
For e-commerce businesses, Shopify is an option which I’m more than happy to use.
I highly recommend having an established visual identity before beginning your website project.
Your branding provides the creative foundation for your website, including your logo suite, colour palette, typography, and supporting visual elements. Having these established allows me to create a website that feels cohesive, intentional, and recognisable as your business.
If you don’t currently have professional branding, we can discuss whether one of my Brand Design experiences would be the right place to begin.
If you’re looking for both brand and website design, Ivory Ember’s Premium Experience brings the two together within one cohesive project.
Yes. You’ll be responsible for providing the final written content required for your website before the design stage begins.
Don’t worry though - you won’t simply be asked to “send me your copy” without any direction. I will help guide you through the information needed for each page and help you think about your messaging, audience, services, calls-to-action, and overall website goals.
Having your content ready before design begins allows me to create layouts around your actual messaging rather than trying to fit finished copy into a design afterwards.
Website copywriting isn’t currently included within my services.
My role is to structure and present the copy you provide, and review your content from a website design and user-experience perspective.
This may include identifying areas where messaging could be clearer, where content could be condensed, or where additional information may strengthen the visitor journey. However, comprehensive copywriting or rewriting isn’t included.
If writing isn’t your thing, you’re very welcome to work with a professional copywriter before your project begins.
Yes! The exact approach will depend on the system you currently use and the functionality required. This may involve embedding your booking system, linking visitors to an external booking page, or integrating supported functionality directly within Squarespace.
We’ll establish your requirements before the design process begins so I can determine the most appropriate solution for your website.
Professional photography isn’t essential in every situation, but I do recommend investing in high-quality imagery wherever possible.
Photography plays a significant role in how your website looks and feels. Beautiful, on-brand imagery can elevate the overall design, communicate your personality and help potential clients or customers connect with your business.
Depending on your business, we may be able to work with a combination of professional photography, existing high-quality imagery and carefully selected stock photography.
We’ll discuss your imagery requirements during the strategy stage so you know exactly what will be needed before design begins.
Project timelines vary depending on the size and complexity of the website, required functionality, and how promptly content and feedback are provided.
Your anticipated project timeline will be outlined within your Project Proposal before you commit to working together.
To help keep your project running smoothly, it’s important that all requested content, imagery, and information is supplied by the agreed deadlines and that feedback is provided within the allocated review periods.
Your website has been created so you’re able to manage everyday content updates independently, but that doesn’t mean you’re completely on your own once it launches.
You will also receive a period of post-launch support for questions relating to the website I’ve created.
If you’d like me to make additional changes, create new pages, introduce new functionality, or assist with something beyond your included support period or original project scope, you’re always welcome to get in touch. I can assess what you need and provide a separate quote where required.
No. Your Squarespace subscription, domain registration, and any ongoing third-party subscriptions remain your responsibility as the website owner.
I’ll guide you through anything I need you to organise during the project and can assist with the relevant setup or connection.
Keeping these services registered in your own name and account also ensures you retain ownership and control of the essential services associated with your website once our project is complete.
Absolutely. If you already have a website but it no longer reflects your business or isn’t working the way you need it to, my Website Redesign service may be a better fit.
Website redesigns are individually scoped because no two existing websites require exactly the same amount of work. I’ll consider your current website, the changes you’d like to make, your functionality requirements, and your wider goals before preparing a custom scope and project quote.
If you’re not sure whether you need a redesign or simply need some professional direction, The Website Edit may also be a helpful place to begin.
You don’t need everything prepared when you first enquire, but your required content will need to be supplied by the agreed project deadlines.
Designing with final content allows me to make intentional decisions around page structure, hierarchy, and user experience, rather than creating generic layouts and trying to squeeze your content into them later.
You’ll receive guidance throughout the preparation stage so you know exactly what needs to be provided and when.
If your content isn’t ready by the agreed deadline, this may affect your project timeline and scheduled launch date.

WEBSITE DESIGN

No. Your complete brand identity is created as part of the experience, so you don’t need to have professional branding before we begin.
If you do have an existing brand identity, we’ll discuss what’s currently working and whether anything should be retained or evolved as part of the new direction.
Absolutely. The experience can be particularly valuable when you’re establishing a new business because it allows your visual identity and online presence to be cohesive from the very beginning.
You will, however, need to have clarity around your business, services, audience, and goals for us to build a meaningful strategy around them. Your discovery process will help us determine whether the timing is right.
Yes. Brand Design and Website design are both available as standalone services.
The Ivory Suite has been created specifically for clients who know they require both and would value having them developed together through one cohesive process.
Your website will be custom designed and built using Squarespace 7.1, allowing us to create a professional online presence while giving you a platform you can confidently manage after launch.
Comprehensive website copywriting isn’t included. You’ll be responsible for providing your final website copy, with guidance through your Project Strategy Workbook.
A website copy review is included, allowing me to provide design and user-experience-focused recommendations around clarity, hierarchy, content length, and messaging where appropriate.
This is a collaborative experience, so your input is incredibly important, particularly during strategy, concept selection, and revisions.
That doesn’t mean you need to make all the creative decisions yourself. My role is to take what you share, interpret it strategically and guide you through the creative process.
You’ll always know when I need something from you and what comes next.
Where possible, yes.
If you require additional website pages, social templates, collateral, or other design work outside the included scope, let me know as early as possible. I’ll determine whether the additional work can be accommodated within your scheduled project and provide a separate quote where required.

THE IVORY SUITE

Frequently Asked Questions