Graphical House

Mount Stuart

Mount Stuart

Experience the past. See the future.

Mount Stuart House is one of Scotland’s finest heritage assets and the ancestral home of the Marquesses of Bute. Located on the Isle of Bute, the exquisite 19th-century mansion sits in 300 acres of globally-significant gardens and houses an astonishing art collection.

We were tasked with designing a brand identity and website that could evolve alongside the organisation, improve engagement and capture the full breadth of their offer.

www.mountstuart.com

Mount Stuart house appearing behind trees.

More than just a country house, Mount Stuart is an internationally-renowned centre of knowledge, that requires a brand that connects to a wide network of interlinked communities – from local to global.

We addressed this challenge though a simplified reorganisation of the expansive offer, supported by a cohesive identity system and website that communicates clearly with both new and existing audiences.

Six squares of different colours. Each has white text on that reads "Mount Stuart" above a different illustration.

Working with illustrator Olivia Knapp, we created a bespoke family of graphic symbols to help exemplify the multi-faceted appeal of Mount Stuart. This approach continues the long tradition of artistic commission by the Stuart family with Knapp’s original sketches now part of the permanent archive.

Black illustrations on a cream background. Each is of a different symbol related to Mount Stuart.
Hand illustrating an oak leaf.
White text on red background with an illustration that reads "Mount Stuart"
White text on illustration of a keyhole on an orange background.
Illustration of a dodecagram on a pink background.
Illustration of a bee on a green background.
Illustration of barley on a yellow background.
Illustration of a astrolabe on a purple background.

Identity guidelines designed to facilitate the implementation and consistency of the new branding, through a phased rollout.

Lockup of Mount Stuart logo.
Grid of four of Mount Stuarts identity guidelines.
Grid of four of Mount Stuarts identity guidelines.
Grid of three of Mount Stuarts identity guidelines.
Mockups of Digital elements for Mount Stuart.
Interior shot of church with stained glass windows.
Lady standing at a balcony in a marble church.
A quote that reads "Centuries of lasting impressions, made new every day."
A large pink circle with glass balls in the middle.
Details of an exhibition space.
 
 
A small model of church in front of a stained glass window.
A group of people admiring an interior.
 
Different colours of shrubbery in the Mount Stuart garden.
A woman holding a lamb in each hand.
A garden path with trees on either side.

The new website delivers a comprehensive platform for every aspect of the organisation — from event listings to visitor ticketing.

Rich digital content can be quickly managed and assembled using customisable content blocks in the CMS. And a custom Shopify theme means that the ecommerce experience melds seamlessly with the main site.

Mockups of digital web pages for Mount Stuart.

Film content was also produced to capture Mount Stuart’s passion for inspiring and facilitating public learning through the careful stewardship of their vast collections, archives and rural surroundings.

 
 

We wanted a partner not simply a normal client-customer relationship. We wanted someone to listen, to understand our needs but without just smiles and nods – we wanted our thinking to be challenged. We also were looking for something fresh and creative and beautiful. And we wanted to have fun doing it!

We got all that and more from the team at Graphical House. We love what they have delivered and the feedback has been fantastic.

Colin Boag CB CBE
Managing Director
Mount Stuart Trust

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