Chris K. N. Consulting
A comprehensive design system for all brand touchpoints — documents, digital products, social media, print, and web. Built for consistency, clarity, and the authority that comes from 25 years of marketing expertise.
Brand Strategy
Chris K. N. Consulting helps small business owners — particularly craftspeople, real estate professionals, and service companies — make smarter marketing decisions. The brand must communicate authority without intimidation, and sophistication without pretension.
The seasoned marketing partner who makes complex communication strategy accessible and actionable. Not an agency selling hours — a consultant who builds capability. Chris K. N. stands at the intersection of strategic thinking and practical execution, translating 25 years of advertising and journalism experience into frameworks small businesses can actually use.
Clear thinking that drives results. Every deliverable — from a quick strategy memo to a full brand overhaul — should leave the client feeling more capable and confident, not more dependent.
Complex ideas made clear without dumbing them down. Think university-level thinking in everyday language. Frameworks over jargon.
Confident but never condescending. The tone of someone who has seen it all but is still genuinely curious. Leads with experience, not ego.
Strategy that can be executed tomorrow. Theory grounded in what actually works in the market. No fluff, no filler.
Design and communication that signals expertise without shouting. Premium positioning through restraint and craft, not through flashiness.
Primary: Small business owners (5–50 employees) who know they need better marketing but lack the internal expertise or bandwidth. Often craftspeople, contractors, real estate developers, and local service businesses in the Norwegian market.
Secondary: Agencies and developers who need a senior marketing strategist for specific projects or client engagements. Also: professional peers who follow Chris's content on communication and writing (Skriftlig.no).
Voice & Tone
The brand voice is an extension of Chris's personal communication style: direct, intellectually engaged, and structured but never stiff. It should feel like getting advice from someone who genuinely cares about the outcome.
Lead with the conclusion. State things clearly. But always maintain warmth and respect for the reader. Avoid hedging, but also avoid being unnecessarily harsh.
Use clear frameworks and logical flow. Number things when it helps. But let personality come through — asides, observations, occasional dry humour are welcome.
Draw on deep knowledge freely but translate it. Reference Aristotle if it illuminates a marketing principle, but never just to show off. Knowledge serves the argument.
Offer frameworks and principles, not rigid recipes. Acknowledge context and trade-offs. "Here's what I'd consider" over "you must do X."
The voice stays consistent; the tone adapts to context. Strategy documents are more measured and analytical. Blog posts and social media can be more conversational and opinionated. Client presentations sit in between. In all cases: confident, clear, respectful of the reader's intelligence.
Use concrete examples and analogies. Write in first person when it adds authority. Use shorter sentences for key points. Build arguments logically. Be specific about outcomes and trade-offs. Use Norwegian where the audience is Norwegian — don't default to English buzzwords.
Use marketing clichés ("synergy", "leverage", "disrupt"). Hide behind passive voice. Pad with qualifiers ("I think perhaps maybe…"). Use jargon without explanation. Write walls of unstructured text. Be sycophantic toward clients or audiences.
Logo & Signature
The brand uses a wordmark and hand-drawn signature as its primary identity elements. There is no abstract logo mark — the personal nature of the consulting practice is better served by the name itself and the distinctive signature.
The wordmark "Chris K. N." is set in Cormorant Garamond Bold at display size. It communicates refinement and editorial credibility. On dark backgrounds, use Vanilla (#E9D8A6). On light backgrounds, use Rich Black (#001219).
When the full legal or business name is needed, use "Chris K. N. Consulting" in the same typeface. For formal contexts, add "AS" after.
The hand-drawn "Chris K. N." signature is used as a personal authentication element. It appears on document covers (bottom-right corner), the last page of formal documents, and email signatures. It should never be used at sizes below 80px wide or on busy backgrounds where legibility suffers.
Off-White on Rich Black
Vanilla on Midnight Green
Rich Black on White
The source file is ChrisKN.svg (black). For dark backgrounds, apply Off-White (#F7F5F0) or Vanilla (#E9D8A6) fill. Approved fill colors: Rich Black, Off-White, and Vanilla only.
A thin vertical line (1px, in Midnight Green on dark backgrounds or border-color on light) is a recurring brand element drawn from the estimate template cover. It creates a subtle editorial feel — like a margin line in a manuscript. Use it on covers, as a section divider, or as a decorative element in hero areas. Position it left of center, roughly 10–15% from the left edge.
Maintain clear space equal to the height of the "K" around all sides of the wordmark. Minimum digital size: 120px wide. Minimum print size: 30mm wide. Signature: minimum 80px / 20mm wide.
Don't stretch, rotate, or distort the wordmark. Don't place it on backgrounds with insufficient contrast. Don't separate "Chris" from "K. N." across lines. Don't recreate the signature digitally — always use the scanned original.
Color Palette
A 10-color palette organized into two families: the cool spectrum (teal to cream) for primary brand use, and the warm spectrum (gold to crimson) for accents and emphasis. The palette balances intellectual authority with approachable warmth.
Color Application Guidelines
How to apply the palette across different contexts. The 60-30-10 rule applies: 60% neutral (Rich Black or Off-White), 30% supporting tones (Midnight Green, Tiffany Blue, Vanilla), 10% accent (Dark Cyan, Gamboge).
The dark theme is the brand's signature look, used on covers, hero sections, and premium contexts.
The light theme is used for interior document pages, web content areas, and readability-focused contexts.
| Function | Light Theme | Dark Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Primary action / CTA | Dark Cyan #0A9396 | Dark Cyan #0A9396 |
| Secondary action | Rich Black outline | Off-White outline |
| Warm CTA / urgency | Gamboge #EE9B00 | Gamboge #EE9B00 |
| Success | Dark Cyan | Tiffany Blue |
| Warning | Gamboge | Gamboge |
| Error / destructive | Rufous #AE2012 | Rufous #AE2012 |
| Informational | Midnight Green | Tiffany Blue |
| Links | Dark Cyan | Tiffany Blue |
Use Rich Black as the dominant dark color. Pair cool and warm families intentionally — teal headings with gold accents. Use the extended neutrals for large text areas. Maintain high contrast ratios (4.5:1 minimum for body text). Let breathing room dominate; accents should pop because they're rare.
Don't use all 10 colors at once. Don't pair Auburn and Rufous as foreground/background (insufficient contrast). Don't use Gamboge as a body text color. Don't use Tiffany Blue on white backgrounds for text (fails WCAG). Don't create gradients using non-adjacent palette colors.
Typeface System
A two-font system with a monospace utility face. The pairing of an elegant serif display face with a clean, humanist sans-serif body creates the tension between sophistication and accessibility that defines the brand.
A refined, high-contrast serif with roots in classical typography. Used for all display text, headings (H1–H3), kickers/stikktitler, blockquotes, and the wordmark. Its italic variant is particularly expressive and central to the brand identity.
A geometric sans-serif with subtle humanist qualities. Excellent readability at small sizes, clean in UI contexts, and pairs beautifully with Cormorant Garamond. Used for all body text, smaller headings (H4–H6), navigation, UI elements, and metadata.
Used for code samples, technical metadata, data labels, and tabular figures. Not part of the primary brand expression but essential for digital product contexts.
For print work where Google Fonts licensing is impractical, substitute Cormorant Garamond with EB Garamond or the system's installed Garamond Premier Pro. DM Sans can be substituted with Avenir or Gill Sans. Always confirm Norwegian character support (Æ, Ø, Å).
Typographic Scale
Every text element in the system, with its exact specifications. Based on a Major Third scale (1.250 ratio) for harmonious proportions.
Spacing System
A consistent spacing scale based on 4px increments. Generous whitespace is a brand hallmark — it communicates confidence and clarity.
Use a 12-column grid for web layouts. Documents use a single column with generous margins (at least 25mm on A4). Presentations use a 16:9 ratio with content kept within a centered content area no wider than 80% of the slide width.
Body text should never exceed 640px (approximately 65–75 characters per line) for optimal readability. Full-bleed sections and hero areas can extend to the viewport width. Cards and contained content: max-width 1200px centered.
| Token | Value | Use |
|---|---|---|
| radius-sm | 4px | Tags, small elements |
| radius-md | 8px | Buttons, inputs, code blocks |
| radius-lg | 12px | Cards, swatches |
| radius-xl | 16px | Large containers, modals |
Buttons
Four button variants, three sizes. Primary actions use Dark Cyan; warm CTAs use Gamboge for urgency or commercial emphasis.
| Variant | Use Case |
|---|---|
| Primary (Teal) | Main page action, form submission, navigation CTA |
| Secondary (Outline) | Secondary actions, cancel, "learn more" |
| Warm (Gamboge) | Commercial CTA, pricing, "buy now", urgency |
| Ghost | Tertiary actions, inline actions, toolbar buttons |
Form Elements
| Border | 1.5px solid, 12% black |
| Focus border | Dark Cyan #0A9396 |
| Radius | 8px (radius-md) |
| Padding | 10px 14px |
| Font | DM Sans 14px |
| Placeholder | 35% opacity Rich Black |
| Label | DM Sans 12px Medium |
Tags & Badges
Tags use pill shape (border-radius: 100px), 11px font weight 500, with 12% opacity background tints of their respective colors. Use sparingly — maximum 3 tags per content item.
Callouts & Alerts
Tables
Tables follow the pattern established in the estimate template: uppercase header labels in Midnight Green, clean row borders, right-aligned numbers.
| Tjeneste | Timer | Pris |
|---|---|---|
| Strategisk rådgivning | 8 | 12 000 |
| Innholdsstrategi og plan | 12 | 18 000 |
| Tekstproduksjon (web + some) | 16 | 24 000 |
| Totalt, eks. mva | 54 000 |
Documents
Guidelines for estimates, reports, white papers, ebooks, and checklists. All documents follow the same structural pattern established in the estimate template.
Rich Black or Midnight Green background. Vertical rule. Kicker (italic, Dark Cyan) + Title (bold, Vanilla). Signature bottom-right. Footer with company details.
Light background (Off-White or white). Ingress/lead paragraph. Section headings in Rich Black. Tables per the estimate pattern. Footer with company name and org.nr.
Continuation of light theme. Standard terms section for estimates. Additional content pages for reports and white papers.
Top section: light, with company details, address, and contact info using the same layout pattern. Bottom section: Rich Black with signature.
| Type | Cover Color | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Estimate / Tilbud | Rich Black | Include pricing table, terms page, contact page |
| Report / Rapport | Midnight Green | Can use more color in charts/diagrams |
| White Paper | Rich Black | More extensive, chapter-based structure |
| Ebook / Guide | Midnight Green or Rich Black | Can incorporate imagery, more visual |
| Checklist | Dark Cyan | Functional focus, clear checkbox styling |
| Slide Deck | Rich Black | See Presentations section |
Presentations
Slide decks follow the same visual language. The key difference: larger type, more visual breathing room, and deliberate use of full-bleed color backgrounds.
Rich Black background. Vertical rule. Kicker (italic, Dark Cyan) + Title (Vanilla, Display size). Same pattern as document covers.
Full-bleed color background (Midnight Green, Dark Cyan, or Gamboge). Large serif title centered. Creates rhythm in the presentation.
Off-White background. H3 title top-left. Content in left 2/3 of slide. Keep bullet points to 3–5 max. Use icons or simple diagrams when possible.
Rich Black or Midnight Green background. Large italic serif quote in Vanilla. Minimal — the quote is the entire slide.
| Element | Value |
|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 (standard) |
| Title size | 36–48px Cormorant Garamond Bold |
| Body size | 18–20px DM Sans Regular |
| Content margins | 10% on all sides minimum |
| Max bullets per slide | 5 |
| Slide numbers | Bottom-right, DM Sans 12px, Slate |
Website
The website is the primary brand expression. It should feel editorial and authoritative — more like a well-designed magazine than a typical consultancy site.
Dark theme (Rich Black). Large serif headline in Vanilla. Kicker line in italic Dark Cyan. Vertical rule as a decorative element. The signature element can appear as a subtle overlay.
Alternate between Off-White and Warm White backgrounds. Generous spacing. Single-column content with a max-width of 640px for readability. Cards for service listings.
Fixed top nav, DM Sans. Transparent on dark hero, transitioning to white on scroll. Minimal items — the navigation should feel effortless.
Rich Black background. Company details, navigation links, social links. Signature in bottom-right corner. Keep it substantial but not cluttered.
| State | Treatment |
|---|---|
| Link (default) | Dark Cyan, no underline |
| Link (hover) | Midnight Green, underline |
| Button (hover) | Darken by one palette step |
| Focus | 2px Dark Cyan outline, 2px offset |
| Active | Slightly darker than hover |
| Disabled | 40% opacity, no pointer |
Print materials maintain the same design language. Pay close attention to color conversion — screen colors will need Pantone matching for accurate reproduction.
90 × 50mm. Front: Rich Black with wordmark in Vanilla, centered. Back: Off-White with contact details in Rich Black, company info in Slate. Printed on 350gsm uncoated stock for texture.
A4. White paper. Wordmark top-left. Thin horizontal rule in Midnight Green below header area. Company details in footer. Body area starts at 55mm from top.
C5 or DL. White stock. Wordmark top-left with return address in Slate. Optional: Rich Black flap interior for premium feel.
A4 folder. Rich Black exterior with embossed or foil-stamped wordmark in gold (closest to Vanilla). Interior: Midnight Green or Dark Cyan. Business card slot inside right.
Default to uncoated paper for a tactile, editorial quality. Recommended: Munken Lynx or Munken Pure for documents and stationery. For covers and high-impact pieces, consider Colorplan Ebony (for Rich Black-equivalent stock) or Colorplan Pristine White.
Design Tokens
Copy-ready CSS custom properties for implementing the design system in any web project.
/* Chris K. N. Consulting — Design Tokens */ :root { /* Core Palette */ --rich-black: #001219; --midnight-green: #005F73; --dark-cyan: #0A9396; --tiffany-blue: #94D2BD; --vanilla: #E9D8A6; --gamboge: #EE9B00; --alloy-orange: #CA6702; --rust: #BB3E03; --rufous: #AE2012; --auburn: #9B2226; /* Extended Neutrals */ --off-white: #F7F5F0; --warm-white: #FAF8F3; --slate: #5A6B73; --deep-black: #021B26; /* Typography */ --font-display: 'Cormorant Garamond', Georgia, serif; --font-body: 'DM Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; --font-mono: 'JetBrains Mono', Menlo, monospace; /* Type Scale (Major Third 1.250) */ --text-xs: 0.75rem; --text-sm: 0.875rem; --text-base: 1rem; --text-md: 1.125rem; --text-lg: 1.25rem; --text-xl: 1.5rem; --text-2xl: 1.875rem; --text-3xl: 2.25rem; --text-4xl: 3rem; --text-5xl: 3.75rem; /* Spacing */ --space-xs: 0.25rem; --space-sm: 0.5rem; --space-md: 1rem; --space-lg: 1.5rem; --space-xl: 2rem; --space-2xl: 3rem; --space-3xl: 4rem; --space-4xl: 6rem; --space-5xl: 8rem; }
Accessibility
All brand applications must meet WCAG 2.1 AA compliance as a minimum. The palette has been selected with contrast ratios in mind.
| Foreground | Background | Ratio | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rich Black | Off-White | 17.4:1 | AAA |
| Vanilla | Rich Black | 11.5:1 | AAA |
| Dark Cyan | Rich Black | 5.5:1 | AA |
| Off-White | Midnight Green | 5.9:1 | AA |
| Gamboge | Rich Black | 7.6:1 | AAA |
| Slate | Off-White | 4.6:1 | AA |
| Tiffany Blue on White | White | 2.3:1 | Fail — do not use for text |
All body text must meet a minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio. Large text (24px+ or 18.66px+ bold) requires 3:1 minimum. Decorative elements and disabled states are exempt. Always test color combinations with a contrast checker before use. The Tiffany Blue and Vanilla colors should only be used for decorative elements or large headings on dark backgrounds — never for body text on white.
File Formats & Exports
Standard formats for delivering brand assets across different contexts.
| Asset | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Logo / Wordmark | SVG, PNG (@2x), PDF | SVG preferred for web; PDF for print |
| Signature | PNG (transparent), SVG | Scanned at 600dpi minimum |
| Documents | PDF, DOCX | PDF for client delivery; DOCX for templates |
| Presentations | PPTX, PDF, KEY | PPTX for editing; PDF for sharing |
| Social assets | PNG, MP4 | PNG for static; MP4 for video/animation |
| Icons | SVG | Use Lucide or Phosphor icon sets |
| Photography | JPEG, WebP | WebP for web; JPEG for print at 300dpi |
Favor natural light, muted warm tones, and editorial-style compositions. Avoid overly staged or stock-photo aesthetics. When using images, apply a subtle color grade that leans toward the warm end of the palette (think golden hour). Portraits should feel candid and professional — not corporate. Environmental photography should have depth and texture.
Social Media
Social assets maintain brand consistency while adapting to platform constraints. The vertical rule, serif italic, and bold color backgrounds are the recognizable brand elements at social scale.
Lower thirds and title cards follow the same dark-bg + serif pattern. Animated elements should use subtle, confident motion — no bouncing or spinning. Preferred transitions: elegant fades and horizontal wipes. The Gamboge accent line can animate in from left as a brand signature moment. Text should animate via gentle opacity/translate-Y reveals.