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About Elm Leaf Studio

Elm Leaf Studio is here to create strategic and beautiful branding and designs for ethical small businesses, conscious lifestyle brands and purpose-led entrepreneurs like you.

photo of designer Kirsty McGill holding coffee and smiling

Hello, I’m Kirsty McGill the creative behind Elm Leaf Studio

A designer and illustrator, sometimes oil painter, hobbyist roller skater, vegan food lover and mum to a little boy.

An idealistic, artist at heart. There’s a part of me that dreams of a beautiful, better world. Creativity has always been a way for me to express myself and I love bringing that to help business owners. 

I do believe that if we all were doing something that felt meaningful for us we’d be happier and have better lives. I know what’s it’s like to start a business with a spark of an idea, a dose of drive and passion and an internet connection. And I love working with small independent business owners in particular for that reason.

Capricorn | INFJ

Elm Leaf Studio Story

I started Elm Leaf Studio the first time shortly before realising I was pregnant and so put pause on that. However in 2022 a little while after my maternity leave had ended and deciding to take my then one year old out of nursery, it felt like a good time to start the idea up again as I hoped to perhaps have the flexibility freelance work could provide (spoiler: it didn’t quite happen)

I wanted to use my creativity and skills to help those who were doing good in the world, and make sure they were getting the attention and recognition they deserved. I have grown to be passionate about working ethically and sustainably, and it was a dream to work with clients who shared the same values.

I want to see businesses that put people and the planet before profit, that prioritise ethics and fairness, and that contribute positively to their communities be the ones succeeding. Where they can compete on a level playing field with big corporations and don’t have to compromise on their values to succeed.

I take great pride in my work and strive to create designs that not only look good but also align with the values and vision of my clients helping their businesses to increase brand recognition, brand experience and ultimately conversions.

How I work as a creative

To ensure that my clients receive a high-quality service, my preference is to follow a specific design process that encompasses all aspects of branding and website design.

As a designer I love bringing client ideas together into cohesive designs that help them in their business. If the project requires I can bring my illustration skills into the work helping to create unique design solutions.

I have extensive experience in WordPress, and I use this platform to create a website that is easy to navigate and engaging. The geeky side of me enjoys coding again allowing me to make a website bespoke to clients.

I enjoy working with creative businesses and lifestyle brands in industries such as hair, beauty, wellbeing, fitness, fashion, vegan food and eco products.

My design process is to work with just one big project client at a time, meaning it’s focussed, efficient and collaborative. Throughout the project, I provide regular updates to the client and welcome feedback to ensure that the final product meets their expectations.

Kirsty McGill designer at Elm Leaf Studio holding laptop

Values-Driven Creative Studio

Elm Leaf Studio could be the right design studio for you if you are a passionate small business owner driven by a desire to contribute positively to the world and minimise harm. I am here to work with ethical and purpose-led entrepreneurs like you to help you achieve your goals.

Continual improvement is important to me, I prioritise knowledge and learning to ensure that my work reflects the latest industry trends and best practices particularly when it comes to green design for print and website design.

creative

Creative choices that are strategic, considered, practical and commercial – not just cool sounding marketing spiel.

quality

Each client should be treated fairly and receive work at a high standard, following good design and coding practices.

integrity

It’s important to me to act in integrity to offer advice and solutions that best serve you. I also will act within my own morals and principles.

support

At the end of every project I will ensure you and/or staff members know how to move forward with confidence.

Elm LEaf Studio designer Kirsty McGill sitting at laptop with coffee
  1. 2010

    Graduated from a Graphic Design degree

  2. 2010

    Designer at Jemma Kidd Makeup

  3. 2012

    Graphic Designer / Marketing Assistant at Savoir Beds

  4. 2013

    Graphic Designer at Choice Discount Stores

  5. 2014

    Creative Director at Fashion Nexus

  6. 2016

    Senior Designer at Cyan Marketing

  7. 2022

    Founded Elm Leaf Studio

Kirsty McGill designer at Elm Leaf Studio sketching logos in sketchbook

My Design Experience

Twelve years industry experience as a designer

With 13 years of industry experience and a graphic design degree, I have honed my skills in areas such as logo and web design, illustration, marketing, email marketing, and coding.

I have been working as a professional designer since graduating in 2010 gaining industry experience in print, digital and web design, for a wide variety of companies and clients of different sizes, including some high-profile companies such as Savoir Beds, AX Paris, Chi Chi, Daisy Knights, Marc B, Hotmess and Elle Sport.

In more recent years I have worked in two agencies specialising in website design for clients across a range of industries. I also have prior experience working in-house for Jemma Kidd Make Up, Savoir Beds and Choice Discount Stores where I worked on everything from print and POS for instore to email marketing, web graphics, retouching and website updates.

Kind Words from Past Design Clients

“Working with Kirsty from Elm Leaf Studios was a fantastic experience. I hired her to do a brand refresh and create a new website. She quickly understood what I wanted to achieve and helped me consolidate lots of different elements into a more cohesive brand look… Kirsty understood that I wanted to ensure the site was designed sustainably with a lower carbon footprint and worked hard to ensure that the new site achieved this.

She is a talented designer and web developer and I can’t recommend her highly enough!”

Rachel, Buttercup Learning

“I highly recommend Elm Leaf Studios. Kirsty McGill is both competent and conscientious. Her work ethic is wonderful. She lets you know what she’s willing and able to achieve in a reasonable time frame and what would better be accomplished by another professional. I’ve enjoyed and continue to enjoy working with her.”

Elisa, Enlivening Consciousness

“Working with Kirsty has been a pleasure, we just needed a few ad hoc changes done and it was completed quickly and to budget. Kirsty is organised, creative and we will continue to use her services as we go along. Would highly recommend!”

Jackie, Quiet Blue

“OMG! They are amazing! I’m genuinely blown away. They are more than I could have imagine and look so classy. I’m absolutely over the moon thank you so so much. I feel so proud looking at them.”

Lynette, Candles Ethically

“Kirsty was very professional and did a thorough assessment to understand the requirements to produce a lovely set of templates for my branding. I would highly recommend and will be messaging her again in the future!”

Caitlin, Tilly Shilling Art

“Elm Leaf Studio was prompt and on time. Delivered a better product than I expected. I didn’t realize how much I’d left out of my brand development. I also have the confidence based on her feedback to make several small changes in my messaging. I would have paid more for that service and would still have been happy with the results.”

Marissa, Crochet Rebellion (about Audit)

“Kirsty created a website and brand image that is bright, clean, and very me. She understood my vision and brought it to life with ease and grace, and took care of all the details for me – even the ones I hadn’t thought about.”

Robyn, Robyn Petrik, copywriter

Thank you for taking the time to learn a little bit about my work!

If you’re looking for a dedicated and experienced designer who can help you take your small business to the next level, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me. I would love to hear about your business and discuss how I can help you achieve your goals through branding and website design. Let’s create something amazing together!

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