Rex & Friends
Rex & Friends is a new café near Maitland Station, built around quality specialty coffee, simple grab-and-go food, and a welcoming, community-focused atmosphere. Designed to cater to commuters and locals alike, the space needed to feel approachable, efficient and full of personality.
The brief was to develop a complete brand identity and in-venue experience, bringing the concept of Rex & Friends to life across every touchpoint — from the logo and menus through to signage and customer interactions.
A key part of the concept was creating a dog-friendly café experience, including menu options for dogs, reinforcing the idea of Rex & Friends as a place for both people and their companions. At the same time, the design needed to remain considered and restrained, adhering to council guidelines and the limitations of a rented space. This meant embracing simplicity — ensuring all elements felt intentional, compliant and easy to implement, without losing personality.
What We Did
Brand Identity Creation
Hand-Illustrated Logo (Rex the Dog)
Menu Design
Sticker & QR Code Design
Signage Design
Rex & Friends now has a cohesive and character-led brand that carries seamlessly across both its visual identity and customer experience.
At the heart of the brand is Rex — a hand-illustrated element that brings personality, familiarity and a sense of connection, reinforcing the café’s friendly and community-driven feel.
The simplicity of the design system ensures it works effortlessly within council requirements, allowing signage and branded elements to feel clean, intentional and compliant, while still standing out. This balance of personality and restraint makes the brand easy to apply, maintain and evolve over time.
Together, these elements create a distinctive and memorable experience that positions Rex & Friends as a vibrant, approachable and well-considered stop for both commuters and locals — and their four-legged friends.
