The Lava Lounge
Sub-Brand Identity, Menu Design + Environmental Graphics
Project Type
Role
Creative Director, Designer + Copywriter
The Lava Lounge is a small, swanky, tiki-inspired bar tucked inside Queen Jane Music Studios. It needed to feel like its own destination while still belonging to the larger Queen Jane world. Unlike the main studio brand, this was a chance to build a distinct identity from the logo out.
I created the Lava Lounge identity and carried it across menus, specialty cocktail graphics, coasters, apparel, signage, web, social, and in-room details. The system needed to work as both branding and atmosphere: on the wall, on the table, in someone’s hand, and in the little touches that make the space feel like a secret room inside the whole operation.
The Logo
The Lava Lounge logo was designed to feel like it came from the room itself: half lava lamp, half tiki mug, half handmade bar sign. I created full-color and one-color versions so it could move easily across menus, coasters, signage, apparel, and digital graphics without losing its personality.
The drink menu had to organize a surprising amount of information without losing the Lava Lounge personality. I designed a fold-out system with bold section headers, illustrated ingredients, retro-tropical borders, and enough visual rhythm to make cocktails, mocktails, beer, wine, and spirits easy to explore. It works as both a practical ordering tool and part of the room’s atmosphere.
The Drink Menu
Coasters + T-Shirts + Signage
The identity had to hold up everywhere from the bottom of a glass to the wall above the bar. I carried the logo and color system into coasters, T-shirts, and a large illuminated sign, adapting the artwork to each scale while keeping its handmade, slightly offbeat personality intact. The shirts quickly became more than staff apparel, with guests asking whether they could buy one of their own. Together, these pieces make the Lava Lounge feel like a real place with an identity of its own, not just a themed corner inside Queen Jane.
Specialty
Cocktail Menus
Specialty cocktail menus gave each Queen Jane event one more way to enter the Lava Lounge world. I created one-night drink graphics that borrowed the event’s visual language, from ’80s music-video maximalism to disco squirrels and Dolly Parton wordplay, while keeping the cocktail name, ingredients, and price easy to spot. These small pieces extended each campaign into the room and made the bar feel like part of the event instead of an add-on.
Lava Lounge Online
The Lava Lounge needed an online presence that did more than explain where the bar was. I created a dedicated page within the Queen Jane website using atmospheric photography, custom illustration, and layered graphics to give visitors a feel for the room before they arrived. The page has its own mood and visual language while still fitting naturally inside the larger Queen Jane site.
LAVA LOUNGE MOBILE
LAVA LOUNGE DESKTOP SCROLL-THRU
A Destination of Its Own
The finished identity gives the Lava Lounge a clear place inside the larger Queen Jane world. Every piece reinforces the same playful, slightly mysterious character, from the menu in a guest’s hand to the sign glowing above the bar. The result is a tucked-away room that feels fully realized, connected to Queen Jane but memorable enough to stand on its own.