Nest Design + Build

Discovery & Brand Audit Case Study

NEST is an architecture-led design + build firm based in Seattle, focused on high-performance, sustainable residential work. I was brought in to conduct a comprehensive discovery and brand audit to clarify their positioning, messaging, and website strategy ahead of a full redesign.

The goal was not to rebrand for trend’s sake, but to distill what already made NEST strong — and translate that into a clear, confident digital presence.

My Role

Led discovery and stakeholder alignment

  • Conducted brand, content, and competitive audits

  • Defined positioning, messaging principles, and UX strategy

  • Translated qualitative insights into actionable design guidance

This project reinforced my belief that the strongest design work starts with clarity — and that strategy, when done well, should feel invisible but essential.

The Challenge

While NEST had a strong ethos and impressive body of work, their existing website and marketing presence weren’t fully communicating:

  • Their holistic design + build process

  • Their expertise in high-performance and green building

  • Their relationship-driven, craft-led approach

  • What differentiated them from similar Seattle-area firms

The challenge was to create clarity without oversimplifying — and to build a messaging system that felt intelligent, human, and durable.

Discovery Goals

The discovery phase was designed to act as a strategic foundation for all future design decisions. Key objectives included:

  • Clarifying NEST’s purpose, values, and voice

  • Defining their ideal client and audience mindset

  • Auditing competitors, contemporaries, and role models

  • Identifying opportunities for differentiation in messaging and UX

  • Establishing clear content and positioning principles for the website

This work served as the "north star" for the redesign.

Brand Audit Findings

Core Mission

We create high-performance builds through our dedication to craft, client, and community.

NEST’s mission centers on the belief that well-designed homes support the people who live in them — emotionally, physically, and environmentally.

Brand Traits

We are:
Passionate, steadfast, transparent, purposeful, inventive

We are not:
Trendy, robotic, superficial, inaccessible

This distinction became critical in shaping tone of voice and visual restraint — avoiding buzzwords or overly minimal, impersonal design.

Brand Values (key findings)

A well-designed home supports its people

  • High-performance and sustainability are inseparable

  • Resilient homes require innovative problem-solving

  • Strong client relationships are foundational, not secondary

These values reinforced the need for messaging that emphasized process, trust, and long-term thinking rather than surface-level aesthetics.

Competitive & Market Analysis

I conducted a detailed review of regional contemporaries and national role models, including:

  • Jackson Design + Build

  • Hybrid

  • Typical Works

  • AT6 Architecture + Design Build

  • Opal Architecture

  • Marg’n

Key findings

Strong firms lead with bold, values-driven hero messaging

  • The most effective sites balance storytelling with technical credibility

  • Process clarity builds trust more than overloading technical language

  • Sustainability messaging works best when tied directly to client benefit

This analysis helped identify gaps where NEST could stand apart — particularly in integrating architecture-led design build with holistic sustainability as one unified story.

Positioning Strategy

Desired Position

An architecture-led design + build firm that speaks about high performance and green building holistically — not as separate services.

Rather than competing on trendiness or minimalism, NEST’s strength lies in clarity, expertise, and care.

Core Positioning Framework

Who we are: A team of holistic thinkers and doers

  1. What we do: Design and build high-performing, sustainable homes

  2. Who we do it for: Homeowners who value long-term quality and livability

  3. Why we do it: To bring lasting joy to clients, community, and planet

Messaging & UX Recommendations

Key Messaging

  • Make purpose and values immediately visible on the homepage

  • Pair bold hero statements with concise “why” explanations

  • Establish expertise early and reinforce it throughout the site

Process Communication

  • Use storytelling to explain design + build and green building

  • Avoid over-technical language — show confidence through clarity

  • Emphasize collaboration and guidance over prescription

CTAs

  • Introduce multiple, intentional CTAs throughout the site

  • Align CTAs with the narrative flow of each page

  • Make next steps obvious without overwhelming the user

Visual & Content Direction

Based on the discovery:

  • Introduce natural, grounded color palettes that complement project photography

  • Balance clean typography with warmth and personality

  • Use varied image layouts to prevent content fatigue

  • Let project photography lead — content should support, not compete

Key findings

Strong firms lead with bold, values-driven hero messaging

  • The most effective sites balance storytelling with technical credibility

  • Process clarity builds trust more than overloading technical language

  • Sustainability messaging works best when tied directly to client benefit

This analysis helped identify gaps where NEST could stand apart — particularly in integrating architecture-led design build with holistic sustainability as one unified story.

Outcome

This discovery audit created a shared strategic foundation between client and designer, aligning messaging, positioning, and visual direction before design execution began.

The resulting insights guided the website redesign, clarified NEST’s brand voice, and ensured that every design decision was rooted in purpose — not preference.

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