Brooklyn, New York · Est. 2017
We're a design studio that believes good work comes from genuine thinking — not trends. Brand identity, web design, and UI/UX systems, built with craft.
Where do you need help?
Every project is different. Here's a quick look at what each area of our work looks like.
Brand Identity
Brand identity work starts with understanding — what you do, who you're speaking to, and what makes your work worth noticing. From there, we develop visual systems that hold together across print, screen, and everything between.
Web Design
We approach web design as an extension of brand — not a separate project. Every layout decision is considered: hierarchy, readability, pace. We design for the person on the other side of the screen, not for the portfolio screenshot.
UI/UX Systems
For digital products and applications, we build design systems — not one-off screens. The goal is coherence: a component library and interaction language your team can build on without second-guessing decisions at every step.
The Studio
A small, deliberate team — we work closely with each client rather than spreading thin.
Creative Director
Twelve years in visual identity and brand strategy. Maya started Folk Heart after spending time at large agencies and wanting to work at a pace where decisions could be made carefully.
Lead Designer
James works across brand and digital, with a particular interest in how typographic systems carry meaning. He thinks deeply about hierarchy before anything else.
UX Designer
Sarah approaches UX from a research-first stance. She maps user journeys and interaction patterns before any visual decisions get made — and argues, convincingly, that this saves time.
Web & Digital
Luca bridges design and implementation, with a fluency in both Figma and front-end code. He believes that the handoff between design and development is where most projects gain or lose ground.
Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.Steve Jobs
Good design is as little design as possible — but exactly as much as is necessary.Dieter Rams, adapted
A designer knows they have achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Clarity is not a style. It is the result of doing the hard thinking early, so the reader does not have to.Folk Heart Design Notes, 2023
Client Perspectives
Shared honestly, without editing out the nuance.
They asked questions our previous designers never asked. The result was a brand that actually felt like ours — not just visually nice, but coherent with how we think and talk about our work.
The process was more structured than I expected, which was actually a relief. We had clear milestones, real feedback sessions, and no surprises at the end. The new site is something I actually feel proud to send people to.
I was skeptical about investing in a full design system — seemed like something only large companies need. Two years later, it has saved us significant time every time we launch something new, because the decisions are already made.
What We Do
Visual systems built around who you are, not who you think you should look like.
Websites designed for the person reading them — clear, considered, usable.
Design systems for digital products that give your team consistent ground to build on.
Art direction, editorial design, and visual strategy for brands with things to say.
From the Studio
Occasional articles on process, thinking, and the craft of visual communication.
Process
Design is rarely a straight line from brief to finished work. Here's what the actual process looks like — and why the middle parts matter most.
Branding
The logo is probably the least important part of your brand. Here's what actually shapes how people experience and remember who you are.
UI/UX
The principles that guide interface design rarely change, even as trends do. A clear-eyed look at what actually makes digital products easier to use.
Start a Conversation
We're selective about what we take on — not to be precious about it, but because projects go better when the fit is right. Get in touch and let's see.
Get in Touch
