We’ve been thinking about this a lot at Run For The Hills.
Having a niche helps you stand out, build credibility, and attract similar clients. But what happens when your niche becomes a little too tight? When it starts to filter out exciting opportunities simply because they don’t look like the last thing you did?
Our studio was founded in 2012, and our merge of branding and interiors naturally led to us specialising in 'spaces' where we can bring all of our expertise to bear. Over the years we’ve designed brand worlds and interiors for restaurants, bars, hotels, members’ clubs and creative workspaces, and that specialism has been our superpower.
When clients discover us, they’ve often eaten in a restaurant we branded or stayed somewhere we designed. They’ve experienced our work before they ever visit our site. That’s the magic of having hospitality and property as your niche: every project quietly markets the next one.
Having a niche also means it’s easier to get noticed when you specialise, because there’s less direct competition. There are hundreds of London-based design agencies, but only a handful that specialise in hospitality and property like us.
A focused portfolio also builds trust fast. Restaurateurs, hoteliers and developers can instantly see that we understand their world. We know about maximising the rent-free period, guest experience and customer flow. We have the right contacts for manufacturing signage and painting murals. We know their audience (because we often are their audience). The creative shorthand is immediate, the process is faster, and the results are better.
The same clarity that attracts your ideal client can make others quietly scroll past.
If you’re a fitness brand or a tech company, you might look at a portfolio full of hospitality and property projects and think, “They’re not for us.” Even though what we actually do – brand storytelling, naming, visual identity, digital design – is completely transferable.
It’s the paradox of specialisation: the deeper your niche, the narrower your funnel. And creatively, a narrow focus can sometimes feel constraining. Designers need fresh air, new challenges and different briefs. Working across sectors keeps our thinking sharp and our style evolving. Sometimes, a project in a completely different world makes you see your own niche with fresh eyes.
So how do you stay known for something and stay open to something else? We’ve learned to do it by being honest about what makes our work strong and showing how those strengths travel.
Tell the story behind the niche.
What really defines us isn’t restaurants or hotels, it’s experience design – crafting places and brands that make people feel something. That’s relevant whether you’re serving cocktails or running a family law practice.
Show, don’t just tell.
A few well-chosen non-hospitality case studies (like Burgess Mee or Kind Atoms) quietly prove we can flex. We don’t need to shout about it, just show the breadth of our storytelling.
Lead with mindset, not market.
What unites our clients isn’t their sector, it’s their ambition to create something characterful. We attract people who care about story, experience and detail, regardless of their industry.
Use FAQs and blogs to clarify.
Our new FAQ section literally answers the question, “Do you only work in hospitality?” That simple line opens doors that our portfolio might have closed.
Hospitality projects are high-pressure: tight deadlines in tangible spaces with countless moving parts and teams working collaboratively. You have to think holistically: how a logo looks on a napkin, whether the main exterior signage is hand-painted or blackened-steel letters, how the website matches the mood of the venue, and how the brand and interior palettes complement one another. And, crucially, how the brand comes to life in the physical space.
Those same skills make us better brand designers for any sector. We’re storytellers who think in atmosphere, not just aesthetics. We design experiences, not just deliverables, and we’re used to working collaboratively at a high level. Our niche taught us how to make people feel, and that applies everywhere.
We’ll always be hospitality and property specialists. It’s our home turf, we’re all massive foodies and we love being in amazing spaces. But we’ll keep saying yes to the fascinating, the unexpected, and the beautifully off-piste projects that come our way.
Because the best niches, like the best brands, evolve.
If you’re outside hospitality and property but drawn to our storytelling approach, get in touch. We love brands with character — wherever they live.
