Conscious design, explained.

Create, Consciously.

Conscious Design begins with presence & connection: to you & the essence of your initiative. Together, we explore how that can take form.

Explore Principles

Four principles

Four principles of Conscious Design.

These principles give language to how I approach design. They continue to evolve through the people, ideas and initiatives I work with.

Co-creation in flow, orange and yellow abstract artwork by Tim Smits

1st principle of Conscious Design

Co-creation in flow

We explore together. I share sketches, questions and unfinished ideas, so your perspective shapes the work as it unfolds.

Presence before creation, abstract artwork with a glowing circular centre by Tim Smits

2nd principle of Conscious Design

Presence before creation

Before making, we listen. To your story, the intention beneath the brief, and what wants to be expressed.

Essence Informs Aesthetics artwork by Tim Smits

3rd principle of Conscious Design

Essence informs aesthetics

Your initiative gives the design its direction. Colours, typography, images and structure grow from a shared understanding of its essence.

Tools as Extensions of Creativity artwork by Tim Smits

4th principle of Conscious Design

Tools as extensions of creativity

Technology expands what we can explore. Presence, intention, craft and human discernment guide what we choose to create.

Creating together

Bring your story. Let’s give it form.

Perhaps you are starting something new. Perhaps your initiative has grown, and its identity no longer feels like you. Or you have a vision that is difficult to put into words.

You can bring that starting point. We will explore what matters, find a direction, and translate it into work you recognise as your own.

I’m Tim Smits, a designer based in Rotterdam. I bring this approach to brands, websites and products, creating with people and initiatives who want to work with intention.

Participants sharing ideas beside a handwritten flip chart during a co-creation workshop

POSSIBILITIES FOR COLLABORATION

What could we create together?

The form depends on what your initiative needs. We can create one piece together, or connect several into a coherent whole.

Website designs by Tim Smits

01 / CREATE TOGETHER

Websites

A website that feels like you and works for the people you want to reach.

Together, we connect your story, visual identity and the way people move through the site. From a first idea to a website you can use and grow.

Design · Development · Responsive layouts

Explore the work
Regenerate community visual identity

02 / CREATE TOGETHER

Branding & Strategy

Give the essence of your initiative a visual language.

We uncover the qualities at its heart and translate them into a coherent identity. A shared foundation for your logo, colours, typography and future expressions.

Brand pillars · Visual identity · Brand guidelines

Explore the work
Unpluq digital product design

03 / CREATE TOGETHER

UI/UX & Products

Turn an idea into something people can experience.

We explore how a digital or physical product could support people in their lives. Concepts, prototypes and user research help us learn what works and refine the direction.

Concepts · User research · Prototypes · Product design

Explore the work
Mask illustration by Tim Smits

04 / CREATE TOGETHER

Visual & Graphic Design

Make a story tangible. Invite a new perspective.

From illustrations and research visuals to art and interactive experiences, we can explore a form that sparks curiosity, understanding or connection.

Illustration · Visual storytelling · Experiences

Explore the work

CO-CREATION STARTS WITH CONNECTION

You Your Idea Your Company Your Vision Your Event Your Initiative

is where it starts

You bring your story, perspective and connection to what you want to create. Together, we listen, ask questions and explore what matters. Through shared references, rough ideas and honest feedback, we give your vision form. I bring creative direction and craft; you bring your knowledge and intuition. We shape the work together.

Let’s connect
Regenerate visual identity over a photograph of a community gathering
Authentic Expression Print Kopie
Regenerate. 4xjpg

In practice / Regenerate

From shared qualities to a living identity.

In a workshop with the Regenerate founders and team, we gathered and clustered the qualities of their community. Three pillars emerged: Modern Tribe, Grounded Presence and Authentic Expression.

They shaped the identity: a gathering dome, roots beneath it, and rays reaching outward. The visual choices grew from what the community represented.

View Regenerate

Go a little deeper

The principles of Conscious Design, explained.

Co-creation in flow, orange and yellow abstract artwork by Tim Smits

01 / Co-creation in flow

A shared vision space.

You bring the lived knowledge of your initiative. I bring design experience, questions and a fresh perspective. We begin by agreeing on timing, communication and how we work together.

Then we create a shared vision space: a place for references, sketches, experiments and honest feedback. I share work early, while there is still room for it to change. You participate in shaping the direction.

There is room for curiosity, and a clear intention to return to. Some days bring a leap forward. Others need a small step or a little distance. Both belong to the process.

Read the reflection

02 / Presence before creation

Giving the idea room to reveal itself.

Why did you begin this initiative? What matters most about it? What do you hope someone will feel when they encounter it? I ask questions beneath the first answers, and reflect back what I hear.

After that conversation, I give it space. Walking in nature and stepping away from the screen are part of how I find fresh directions. Your story stays with me while ideas begin to take shape.

The depth should fit the work. A new identity may need this space. A small website adjustment may simply need a moment of connection and a clear understanding of what is needed.

Read the reflection
Presence before creation, abstract artwork with a glowing circular centre by Tim Smits
Essence Informs Aesthetics artwork by Tim Smits

03 / Essence informs aesthetics

A visual language with somewhere to come from.

Through conversation, reflection and exploration, we uncover the qualities at the heart of your initiative. I often bring them into focus through three brand pillars: distinct qualities, usually expressed as two-word combinations.

These pillars become something we can design with. They help us explore which colours, forms, typography and images express your story, and discuss why one direction feels more aligned than another.

The identity can then grow across a website, packaging or a new experience. Each expression has a shared foundation to return to, with room to evolve.

Read the reflection

04 / Tools as extensions of creativity

More possibilities. Human direction.

I use digital tools and generative AI where they help us explore, test or bring an idea into the world. I stay involved in the choices: what belongs, what feels right, and what serves the intention.

For a recent drinks-branding project, I first developed the identity from a clear core. AI then helped me see that design on a can, in different settings and light. Seeing it in context gave me more to respond to and refine.

I also leave room for the messy middle: making, noticing, changing direction. Speed is useful, but discovery needs space too.

Read the reflection
Tools as Extensions of Creativity artwork by Tim Smits

An invitation

Curious what we could create together?

Bring an idea, an intention, or something you are still finding words for. I would love to hear what you are exploring.

We can start with a conversation, get to know each other, and see whether there is a connection to build from.

Let’s connectHow we work
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