The Houzz logo is a unique symbol that leaves little doubt about what it represents, but as with most well-planned brand images, there are much deeper meanings associated with the symbols and elements of the design. We take a look at the history of the Houzz company and the history of and story behind its logo to better understand what it represents and how well it reflects the essence of and values of the business.
The history of Houzz
Wikipedia provides us with an overview of Houzz and its history. The founders are Adi Tatarko and Alon Cohen. The pair worked together to remodel a home project. When they found it nearly impossible to get their vision for the new home across to architects and planners, they realized a gap in the industry that needed to be filled. This inspired them to establish a website that would help with architecture, interior design, and decorating dilemmas. The online site also deals with landscape design and all things about home improvement projects.
The Houzz website officially launched in 2009 with its headquarters in Palo Alto, California. They consult with professionals in the construction and design business to expand categories on the website to provide greater insight into meeting client needs about home improvement, decorating, or building projects. By the fall of 2010, the company was in full swing. It also offers apps for client use. Houzz went international by 2014 with offices located in Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom, other countries in Europe, and Asia.
The first Houzz logo
1000 Logos provides views of the two logos used to represent Houzz since its inception in 2009. The first version of the logo was set against a white background. The name of the company in the center as the wordmark. The name Houzz was printed in a rounded font type in black color with all lowercase letters. The designers placed a unique image resembling a bookshelf with a center shelf with no top or bottom to the left. Two parallel slabs in light green are held up by a center shelf in the shape of a square with one triangle in black at the shaded side and white on the part that receives light. The original version of the logo was in use from 2009 through 2018.
Meaning of the first Houzz logo
The symbol and the wordmark are locked into horizontal positions. This is a guide and rule that was established by the brand guide. The brand guide has set a few other rules and requirements to use the Houzz brand. The wordmark cannot be used unless the element is accompanied by the symbol. However, the image may be used without the wordmark.
Alternative versions of the Houzz logo
The Houzz logo has also been used in a few alternative versions. Some are created in a 2D styling with others in a 3D styling. These versions have been approved by the brand guide, however, the 3D effect must occur as a result of the use of color to achieve a grading effect. New elements may be added from the right side of the emblem. Several variations of the color palette have been approved including the use of a monochrome scheme featuring white, black, and gray, the use of black, green, and white, and the use of black and white alternatives. The brand guide is very specific about the two primary colors of the logo. They are Pantone 368C or Pantone 328U for the green, and black with a white background. Only Pantone cool gray 1C and Pantone cool gray 9C are considered to be acceptable for alternate colors.
The Font of the Houzz logo
The wordmark for the Houzz logo features a minimalistic sens serif typeface. There are wide spaces left in between each of the letters. The rationale for use of this specific font is because it is clear and easy to read.
Introduction of the second and current Houzz logo
According to the official Houzz website, the new logo for the company was introduced in March of 2018. It remains the current logo in use today, replacing the original. The only real change that was made to the image was the removal of the symbol that was formerly placed on the left-hand side of the logo. This image has been removed. The image of a house was added in its place. The house is displayed in green color and the shape strongly resembles the letter h in lowercase.
Strict rules continue for using the Houzz logo
Houzz has established the goal of preserving the integrity of the logo because it is a representation of the company’s identity. The rules for use are intended to ensure that the Houzz logotype and mark are recognizable and legible and that they do not resemble competing design elements. The Houzz brand rules allow for a scaling of the logo into smaller sizes so long as the mark and the logotype maintain their original ratio in size to one another. The minimum height for digital versions of the logo can not be any smaller than 20 px or 0.125″ for print. This is because when the logo is scaled down too far in size, the logo may become illegible. The clear space that exists within the background of the wordmark and logo symbol my not contain any other graphics or text. Any additions result in an alteration of the logo that is not allowed.
Final thoughts
The Houzz logo has been expressed in two versions. The first was created in 2009 and was used for the first 9 years of the website’s operation. The second was reimagined in 2018 and is the current version that is in use. Houzz does allow clients to use the logo for their own business activities but there are strict rules that must be followed to preserve the integrity and meaning of the symbols and the brand.
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