A woman with purple curly hair smiling and holding a tabby cat close to her face, with a cactus plant and brick wall in the background.
Spotify logo with the text 'Listen to my playlist' in a circular pattern.

My Origin Story

I started out in the agency world, hopping between big teams and tiny ones, designing everything from tourist brochures to social media ads. The work was fine but it never felt like mine. I was burnt out from selling out.

After years of freelance gigs on the side, working with roller derby teams, cannabis startups, and breweries, I realized my best work happened when I got to design for the weirdos. The rule-breakers. The people doing things their own way and don’t want to fit in a box.

So I quit. In 2023, I took the leap and launched Katie Rou Design full-time, and I haven’t looked back. These days, you’ll find me crafting badass brands by day, bothering my cat by night, and always making time for a local beer and a fantasy novel or two.

What KRD stands for

Clarity over Clever

I keep it human. This is about honest conversations, mutual respect, and making decisions that serve the project not my ego.

No Filter Needed

Trendy isn’t the goal. I design for the real you, chaotic, bold, heartfelt, and all in. This is about showing up as yourself and owning it.

Design that Gives a Sh*t

Every detail matters. I care about what your brand stands for, how it looks, and how it feels. This isn’t just pretty it’s purposeful.

Brand Design ⋅ Logo Design ⋅ Strategy ⋅ Packaging ⋅ print design ⋅ digital design ⋅ motion graphics ⋅ brand design

Brand Design ⋅ Logo Design ⋅ Strategy ⋅ Packaging ⋅ print design ⋅ digital design ⋅ motion graphics ⋅ brand design

Two cans of Mission Brewing's Bring Me Along Mexican Lager with salt and lime, held in a hand. In the background, a glass of beer with a logo, on a marble surface.

Are you...

A weirdo with a dream?
Tired of blending in?
Looking for a brand that actually feels like you?

If you said “hell yes” then let’s talk.

Brand Design ⋅ Logo Design ⋅ Strategy ⋅ Packaging ⋅ print design ⋅ digital design ⋅ motion graphics ⋅ brand design

Brand Design ⋅ Logo Design ⋅ Strategy ⋅ Packaging ⋅ print design ⋅ digital design ⋅ motion graphics ⋅ brand design

  • “Every business needs that person who just gets your brand and knows how to bring it to life visually, and that’s Katie. She’s our go-to for complex design, her work has played a huge role in shaping how we show up to the world. She understands the connection between design, messaging, and impact, and it shows in everything she creates. We can't recommend her enough.”

    Jessica Pagni | CEO & Founder | Montgomery 30 Marketing

  • “I chose Katie because I knew just how intuitive she would be in understanding my vision and brand. I honestly think she understood it better than I did. Katie's professional, loving, and phenomenally gifted at what she does. I'm so glad I invested in myself and the future of my business by trusting Katie.”

    Chrissy Tolley | Owner | Chrissy Tolley, LLC

  • “It was a joy to entrust such a large portion of my new business into Katie’s capable hands. I highly recommend KRD for all your design needs. She didn’t just create a brand for me, she created beautiful artwork. I couldn’t be more happy with her capturing my vision for my brand. It was awesome working with her and I look forward to working on more projects in the very near future!”

    Monica Medina | Founder & Owner | Earth To You Farm & Sanctuary

  • “Katie is a rare talent. I have yet to find anyone as prompt with delivering final designs, a keen eye to detail and an imagination that sets every project apart. I've made it a point to tell all my friends in the music and tech world about her skills.”

    Seanloui Dumas | Musician | Founder of Black Renaissance

    View Project

  • “I have been using Katie as my go-to freelance graphic designer for over 7 years, and even continued her services across two different breweries I have directed. Her creative approach to beer can art has resulted in cans that not only catch the eye but also tell a compelling story. Her designs consistently stand out on the shelf, giving our products a unique voice in a super competitive market.”

    Aaron Long | VP of Sales & Marketing at Mission Brewery

    View Project

  • “We have worked with Katie over the past several years on special projects and branding for our business. She is spot on, taking the time to understand where the business is at, its place in the marketplace and how best to capture the sensibility of the business while reaching the targeted audience!”

    Scott Rogers | VP | ECommerce | Marketing | Retail at GrowersHouse

    View Project

Let’s get social

Manifesting a tropical vacation with this one 🌴 I’m not a fan of a lot of shades of green but the shades that I like, I LOVE. This shade in particular has had me in a chokehold for years. It’s rich and elegant. It’s classy and ti
Custom icons are the sprinkles on top of a cohesive brand ✨ All those little details really do add up to take a brand from feeling meh to amazing. This set of cafe themed icons were unfortunately rejected, but they were too cute to collect dust in
Your brand should feel like you. Not just the polished version. The real, weird, overthinking, perfectionist-chaos version. Here are 8 facts about me that don’t match how people think I show up. Because that duality is where the good design h
One logo just doesn’t cut it anymore. Your brand needs range. A logo suite gives you that. A good suite makes your brand feel consistent and flexible. It’s not about doing more, it’s about doing it better. Ready to design a brand
Color Inspiration: Work Trip Edition I spent most of last week out in Richmond, Virginia with the @builtbytophat team kicking off a new client. Most of the time was spent in meetings and getting a crash course of the inner workings of our client,