Project Focus.
Cuckoo Gin Brand →
Branding and graphic design. Senior expertise. Meaningful impact.
Design agency? Freelance designer? We’re the studio that sits perfectly in between.
Agencies can feel distant. Freelancers can feel limited. We’re different. Intelligent branding and creative work meets personal and professional service. With no unnecessary overheads.
We’re Gray and Nina, a husband-and-wife design studio based in Preston, Lancashire.
With extensive industry experience, we help ambitious SMEs and organisations create distinctive brands and creative work that drives impact.
Every project benefits from senior expertise, strategic insight, with hands-on project management included.
Want the best of both worlds?
Our Services.
We expertly deliver stand-out branding and creative projects on sensible budgets, in digital, print and the physical world.
Branding
Graphic Design
Website Design
Packaging Design
Logo Design
Social Campaigns
Behaviour Change Campaigns
Photography & Illustration
Visit our Services page or take a look at some of our branding and design projects below.
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![Lakeside Hotel logo over a mountain lake with sailboats and a wooden dock under a cloudy sky.]()
Lakeside Hotel.
Branding the quintessential Lake District hotel
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![Close-up of a bottle of Cuckoo Signature Gin with an orange and copper foil label featuring a black bird silhouette, white and black text, and a black bottle cap visible on the right.]()
Cuckoo Gin.
Creating a brand for Lancashire’s most successful gin
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![Modern interior hallway with curved wall panels, a staircase, a door, and a plant, illuminated with blue lighting, with GERDA logo at the bottom.]()
Gerda Security.
Brand refresh for the leading British manufacturer of high spec fire doorsets
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![Nextday Freight logo with a yellow checkmark in a yellow circle and white text on a purple background.]()
Nextday Freight.
Making freight fun and personal with a vibrant rebrand for urgent freight forwarders
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![A woman with dark hair in a bun wearing a light yellow sports bra and red leggings is standing against a light green background. She is stretching, with one hand touching her neck and the other hand resting on her back.]()
Do Well Therapy.
Website for a new kind of physiotherapy brand
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![Four colorful paper airplanes flying against a bright yellow background.]()
The Mailing Room.
Supporting the UK’s largest supplier of mailroom equipment with branding and graphic design
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![Two illustrated people having a conversation, one in a yellow jumper and the other in an orange top. A speech bubble with a red letter "W" is above them.]()
Walling Accountants.
Brand identity and website design for start-up accountants with a modern approach
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![Cover of a school prosepectus featuring a group of six diverse students in formal attire standing outside a historic school building, with the title "Stonyhurst Sixth Form" and a subtitle "Welcome to Higher Line."]()
Stonyhurst College.
Prospectus and course information design for prestigious Lancashire boarding school
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![A lit white candle in a glass container with a label that reads 'by Nala' and 'Uplift,' along with the phrase 'True to Nature.']()
By Nala Candles.
Brand identity and eco-friendly packaging design for all natural candle company
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![Close-up of a green and black tropical leaf with a dark background.]()
Inleaf.
Graphic and website design support for growing office plant display specialists
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![An animated image displaying pink words on a brown background. Words like 'Moo' and ' Grunt' are used to represent farm animal noises.]()
Mrs Dowsons Farm Park.
Logo design and brand refresh for ‘hands-on’ Lancashire farm attraction for families
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![Insignia Interiors logo with purple background and white text]()
Insignia Interiors.
Logo design and brand identity refresh to help local company compete with national brands
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![A person holding a smartphone displaying a list of children's centers including Robert Owen Children's Centre, Invicta Children's Centre, and Rachel McMillan Children's Centre, with a yellow Feedback button at the bottom right.]()
Live Well Greenwich.
Accessible website design for health information, advice and support
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![A clear glass bottle with a wooden and black label reading 'CATHEDRA' on the cap. The bottle has a black and gold label with decorative geometric patterns.]()
Cathedra Gin.
Luxury spirits packaging design for English cathedral gin brand
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What could we do for you?
Who we work with.
Ambitious SMEs and growing businesses
You’re a business owner or marketing manager looking for strategic, high‑quality branding and creative support that just works.
Organisations and public bodies
Communications managers who need creative work for effective behaviour change campaigns and public communications that have a positive impact on people and society.
Could we help you?
A smarter choice.
We sit in the sweet spot between design agency and freelance designer, so our clients get the best of both worlds. Gray explains the benefits…
A smarter choice than a design agency…
Agency-quality creative services for less.
Working from our home design studio means lower overheads for us and lower prices for you.
An experienced designer on every project.
Why pay agency prices, only for your project to be delegated to a junior? With us you get a senior-level, award-winning designer guaranteed. And at a sensible price too.
Direct communication with your designer.
You have direct contact with me, your designer, throughout your design project. No account handlers or other designers.
Professional project management included.
Nina makes sure your project is delivered on time and budget. We don’t charge for Nina’s project management time because she frees me up to get on with your project – the work you’re actually paying us for.
Quick turnarounds when you need them.
With the capacity and flexibility to work outside of regular office hours, when time isn’t on your side, we are.
Project management at no extra cost.
With Nina handling the smooth running of your project, it means I can focus on the creative work you’re paying us for. You get a more efficient service and a better outcome. We get more time for paid work. Everyone’s a winner.
Contact us for more information
A smarter choice than a freelance designer…
Two professionals for the price of one.
As well as getting a first-class designer, your job is looked after by Nina, an experienced project manager, at no extra cost.
100% creative focus.
I’m focused solely on your project, not the daily distractions faced by a freelancer, juggling clients and paperwork (I’ve been there)…
Over 25 years creative industry experience.
For most of my career, I’ve worked for respected, award-winning agencies in Manchester and Preston, to Design Director level.
Business-minded and forward thinking.
We always work with your business aims and audience in mind, and proactively offer creative ideas to market your business.
Professional extras.
We have access to trusted printers, photographers, videographers and more, working to the same high standards we set ourselves.
Higher standards, sensible costs?
We’re here for you.
We care about your success.
We’re in this together! As a small business, we’re personally invested, driven and proud to do work that contributes the success of your business.
We work hard.
Like any small business, our work supports our lives and family. To show our appreciation, we’re dependable, reliable and work hard for every penny.
We’re nice to work with.
We’re friendly, considerate, respectful and honest because that’s how we like to be treated. We love a good laugh and never take life too seriously.
We’re tried and trusted.
We’re proud to have worked with many of our clients since our beginning and some since theirs, which speaks volumes Read our client testimonials below.
Read our profiles and get to know us better on our About page.
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![NHS logo on a blue background]()
"Design by Gray are very creative and deliver impactful concepts and creatives, offering excellent value for money. On top of that they are lovely people to work with. I will definitely work with them again."
Russell Cartwright
Head of Communications & Behaviour Change
NHS South East London ICB -
![Logo for Moguhl, featuring an abstract pattern of gradient coloured hexagons.]()
"We had a complex project that required deep sector knowledge and in-depth understanding of our project narrative and requirements. Their professionalism and output was truly world class, I would highly recommend them."
Heath Groves
Director
Moguhl Ltd -
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"Working with Design by Gray on our rebrand was an absolute pleasure. Nina and Gray were amazing to work with! Creative, thoughtful, and completely in tune with our hotel vision. They’ve created a truly special brand for Lakeside Hotel that perfectly captures the essence of who we are."
Rachel Jackson
Marketing Manager
Classic Lodges Hotel Group -
![Logo for "Do Well" on a plain background.]()
"We are really happy and enjoy working with Gray and Nina. Very easy to talk to, helpful, and have many insights on how to better your website."
Christina Lumba
Founder
Do Well Therapy -
![Logo of Brindle Distillery Holmes Farm Lancashire and Cuckoo Spirits, with a black semi circle and church tower and a bird in flight.]()
“From concept to product launch and beyond, Gray have been at the heart of our family project and have brought our brand to life in ways we could never have imagined.”
Mark Long
Owner & Director
Brindle Distillery -
![Nextday Freight logo with purple text and a check mark inside a yellow circle.]()
“Throughout the process of rebranding our business and creating our new website, Design by Gray went above and beyond to understand our values and our vision. We have already received more work as a direct result of the new website.”
Paul Cox
General Manager
Nextday Freight -
![Logo of King George's Hall with building and text label]()
"From first contact with Nina, I was confident we were in good hands with Design by Gray. The final product is simply stunning and it’s been very popular over the bar, largely down to the label design which really stands out."
Neil Dagnall
Venue Operations Manager
King George’s Hall -
![Logo of Royal Borough of Greenwich with red text and emblem on a black background.]()
"Gray and Nina bring with them extensive experience of health related social marketing. They work with us to understand our aims and take on board any comments. The project was delivered on time, to a high standard, and was excellent value for money."
Rebecca Layng
Public Health Programme Manager
Royal Borough of Greenwich -
![The Stonyhurst College crest with a purple and white shield and the words 'STONYHURST' in purple below.]()
“Gray always goes the extra mile, with a range of creative suggestions and an excellent understanding of succinct copy combined with a clean, innovative visual design style.”
Ruth Hughes
Director of Admissions
Stonyhurst College
We’d love to hear from you.