Montana Home Away

Montana Home Away offers more than just vacation rentals—they provide immersive, welcoming experiences nestled in the heart of Western Montana. With a focus on comfort, convenience, and nature-inspired relaxation, their properties are designed for families, couples, and solo travelers seeking a true Montana escape.

When they partnered with Ape Forge, their goal was clear: create a brand that feels trustworthy, cozy, and local—then build a website that makes booking easy and inviting. We delivered a complete branding suite and custom-built website that captured the spirit of Montana hospitality and helped them stand out in the vacation rental market.

Discovery & Strategy
We began our process with a deep dive into what made Montana Home Away special. This wasn’t a faceless rental agency—it was a locally owned business, built on hospitality, with handpicked homes designed for comfort and connection. Our discovery revealed the brand needed to communicate:

• Warmth and approachability: It’s about feeling at home, even away from home.
• A sense of place: Montana’s landscapes are a selling point. The brand should reflect that.
• Professional polish: While it should feel personal, it also needed to instill trust for out-of-state and first-time guests.

Visual Direction & Concepting
We explored several logo directions—from scenic mountain landscapes to abstract icons of keys, cabins, and trails. The final concept merged the best of both worlds: a clean and memorable logo that blends nature and comfort.

• The icon we developed includes a subtle roofline and mountain silhouette, representing both “home” and “Montana” in one clean visual.
• The typeface was chosen for its modern simplicity with just enough rustic charm—balanced, legible, and timeless.
• The design works both with and without the icon, creating flexibility for signage, digital use, and print.