The Washington Apple Commission website redesign by Bilberrry brings a bold new flavor to a legacy brand. With roots dating back to the 1930s, the challenge was to modernize the site without losing its traditional spirit. From bold typography and playful interactions to content architecture built for discovery, every design choice reflects the heart of the state’s apple industry: rooted in legacy, but ripe for today’s digital audience.
Key Insights for Brands:
- Combine nostalgic typography with vibrant imagery to refresh a heritage brand
- Use interactive content to improve discovery and engagement
- Design content layouts like editorial spreads to make information immersive
Oversized Type and Vintage Colors Reinforce Brand Heritage
The site’s visual tone is anchored in a strong, Americana-inspired aesthetic. Bilberrry created a color palette that features forest green and cream for a natural and farm-grown character. These tones are cleverly balanced with pops of red and yellow from apple photography, keeping the site lively without losing its grounding. If you're building a brand identity, this is a great example to learn how to choose the best colors for your brand — ones that reflect heritage while keeping the experience vibrant and fresh.
Building on that foundation, the designers employed a bold and nostalgic typography that echoes the Apple Commission’s historic logo and field signage while remaining readable across all devices. This balance between classic and modern design reinforces trust while sparking curiosity.
Interactive Elements Encourage Deeper Exploration
The Washington Apple Commission website is built to be explored. From quizzes and sliders to region-based navigation and content filters, the site transforms static content into an interactive journey!
Motion effects like hover states, recipe sliders, and scrolling marquees guide users through the experience with gentle cues. These features encourage visitors to dwell longer, explore deeper, and develop a richer understanding of Washington’s apple legacy.
This is a design lesson that more web design agencies are embracing. More than entertainment, interactivity is an engagement strategy that pays off in time on site and user retention.
Content Blocks Guide Discovery Without Visual Clutter
One of the site’s biggest upgrades is its smart content architecture. Despite the wide range of topics — apple varieties, farming regions, nutritional facts, and more — the site never feels cluttered. Bilberrry employed a modular content strategy, dividing key sections into digestible blocks with clean visuals and headlines.
For instance, the “Apple Sizes at a Glance” section transforms technical data into a simple, scannable chart with visual cues. Meanwhile, each recipe page uses clean side-by-side layouts that highlight ingredients while keeping featured apples front and center.
This layout discipline allows users to jump between educational and lifestyle content seamlessly. It maintains momentum without confusion!
Editorial Style Elevates The Site’s Educational Value
The site uses an editorial-style layout that feels carefully curated rather than overly informational. Large, high-quality visuals paired with clean text blocks create a rhythm that invites browsing. Each section is thoughtfully spaced and styled, echoing the look and feel of a lifestyle magazine rather than a traditional nonprofit site.
Overall, Bilberrry's redesign of the Washington Apple Commission website is a masterclass in creative web design. It respects tradition while embracing the tools of today. By leaning into the richness of Washington’s apple industry and delivering it through an engaging, intuitive platform.
