We’re not just a design studio—we’re your creative sidekick, here to take the stress out of marketing.
We work exclusively with solo entrepreneurs juggling a million things and small businesses ready to level up.
We’ve got your back.
From logos to websites, we make your brand look awesome—and we actually have fun doing it together.
We’re all about giving you exactly what you need — no fluff, no extras you don’t.
We’re not here to upsell you on stuff that won’t help. We’re here to focus on what’ll really move the needle for your small business.
And as a brick-and-mortar retail store owner myself, I know how important it is to deploy the right solution — fast — so you can get back to running your business.
Recent Work
The owners of Blacksburg Books came to me for a logo for their new store. As a prospective new downtown Blacksburg business, they had a budget for this project which was just slightly below my standard logo price. Since my project prices are based on an approximate hourly rate, I was more than happy to negotiate. This model is a win for both of us because it means that my clients get what they need now for what they can afford right now, which enables them to grow. Later on down the road, if they want to make updates, they know they can come to me for a fair hourly or project rate again.
This client came to me for an 80’s/retro/vaporwave style logo design for a space-themed sports bar in Christiansburg, Virginia right down the road from my CBD store. Not only is this aesthetic is one of my all-time favorites to work with, but the owner also has creative ideas for fleshing out the brand in the near future through story-lines/characters and high-quality branded merchandise.
Since we completed this project we have also designed a Squarespace website for Lost In Taste.
I recently had the exciting opportunity to create the logo and branding for Big Oh! Box, a sex toy subscription service in Roanoke, Virginia. The brand is all about inclusivity and empowerment, offering gender-neutral, full-size adult toys designed for all couples. Their goal is to encourage exploration while removing the burden of decision-making, ensuring everyone can enjoy a sex-positive experience.
We recently had the opportunity to design the branding and logo for the Southern Rivers Roundtable, an initiative under the Crater Planning District Commission. The goal was to create a professional yet approachable look that represented both the environmental and regional focus of the organization. The Roundtable serves underfunded watersheds outside of the Chesapeake Bay area, promoting projects related to flood resilience, water quality, and outdoor recreation.
Michaela loved the original logo we created for her, but it was time for an update that better fits her unique aesthetic! She was also long overdue for a website to help streamline client intake for new services.
We were going for something with a more retro/vintage feel; Michaela came prepared with plenty of inspiration. I’m proud of the minimal warped typography effect and the carefully chosen rainbow color scheme — hinting at her studio’s emphasis on pride and inclusivity without being too in-your-face. It turned out GREAT on her tote bags!
Re-brand of New River Moving Arts. During this process I was responsible not only for the new logo design for 2-brands-in-one, but also for contributing to the re-naming process for the business. Blacksburg Dance Theater & Open Space Studios (formerly known as New River Moving Arts) is a multifaceted studio consisting of: dance, Pilates, martial arts, academics, and music education.
This post is part of a creative series where I reimagine and redesign logos for local businesses purely for fun. The current logos of these businesses are perfectly fine, and they continue to thrive without my input. These redesigns represent my personal take on what the branding could look like if I were hired for these projects. Please note that these designs do not represent the actual businesses; they are merely a product of my imagination.
This is the logo and brand design for Arielle Emmett, a licensed professional counselor in Blacksburg, VA. The client aimed to create a cohesive brand for her office’s signage and other professional materials. Her audience is primarily kids and parents of kids. She didn’t want any cliche or detailed imagery in the logo; she just wanted something simple to represent her brand. We aimed to start her brand with something affordable (it didn’t take me many hours to design) that she could build off of in the future if necessary.
When Building Beloved Communities called me the other day and asked how fast I could get this website live, I said, “Say less!” We completed the job and went live within just three days!
We designed the Lost In Taste menu on Canva from Day 0. I knew from experience how helpful a Canva menu is for a constantly evolving restaurant, so this was a perfect fit for them.
The staff at Lost In Taste has done a great job adhering to the styling queues I created in the first template, and I’m always impressed with what they are able to add and change while sticking to all the design principles we put in place for them.
We also designed the logo, branding, and website for this business.
After several versions and many price updates, it was finally time to convert Kabuki’s menu to a Canva document they could edit themselves.
When we first created this menu, Canva was not as popular of choice for this kind of thing, so it was done in Adobe InDesign and Adobe Illustrator. This required the owner to pay me every time he needed to change.
After about 10 hours of work, he can now make these changes himself, put part of his marketing budget towards other things, and make price changes to the menu more frequently to keep up with fluctuating food costs.
Graphic design and layout for Amelia’s new album
Squarespace Website Design & Infographic Design for Qentoros Inc., whose mission is to create an FDA approved, off-the-shelf, scientifically proven orthobiologic for the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries in horses.
Squarespace Website Design & Logo Design for Simon Kinsinger of Kinsinger Financial — a Financial Coach who empowers individuals and families to achieve financial freedom.
This is the logo and brand design for Sprout Wellness, an inclusive wellness coach offering online personal training for people of all bodies and abilities who want to reach their health and wellness goals with gentle support and guidance in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Service Area
Based in Blacksburg, Virginia, Gray Matters works with small businesses locally and across the U.S.
I help business owners and nonprofit directors turn messy ideas and half-finished marketing into clear brands, functional websites, and systems that make your work easier.
What Clients Say
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“I loved working with Sarah! She went above and beyond my expectations to build my website. I really felt like it was a collaborative process— I had an idea of what I wanted, and she turned that idea into reality. Even now several months after the site went live, she checks in to see how my site is performing in searches and does optimization things I don’t really understand (but that work!). I highly recommend Gray Matters.”
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“Building a business from the ground up is very exciting and challenging at the same time. When you find someone that shares your same enthusiasm and also has the talent to enhance your dreams… you know you’ve found a great business partner. I’m a hands on business owner who was able to let go with Gray Matters! Sarah was able to help me with logos, website, t-shirt design and just like their name, everything else in between. Thank you for your time and inspiration. I look forward to our future projects!”
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“Sarah Vogl was so EASY to work with! Efficient, professional, affordable. I cannot sing her praises enough! She listened to the ideas in our heads and created a beautiful website! If you want to check out our website, visit www.BuildingBelovedCommunities.com! 5 STARS! Thank you, Sarah!"
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Sarah is an superior website builder for a great price. I'm completely satisfied with my new website. The flow of the pages and uptick in responses has really made a difference for our service company. Compared to the other 2 companies I worked with before, I will always recommend her if you need a site built.
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Sarah Vogl is so positive and wonderful to work with. She is affordable, delivers a high-quality website, and I always refer her!
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I loved working with Sarah! She went above and beyond my expectations to build my website. I really felt like it was a collaborative process-- I had an idea of what I wanted, and she turned that idea into reality. Even now several months after the site went live, she checks in to see how my site is performing in searches and does optimization things I don't really understand (but that work!). I highly recommend Gray Matters.
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Sarah is great to work with! We contract with her for design services through our agency and she does amazing work for our clients every time!
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Sarah has an excellent eye! I used her skills to get some movement shots to use for web/social media purposes. She is professional, creative and easy to work with! You wont regret booking with her.
Why Gray Matters?
Creative work doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It can actually be fun. (Yes, really.)
With so many options out there — platforms, tools, design styles, marketing advice — it’s hard to know where to start or what actually matters for your business.
That’s where we come in.
At Gray Matters, we help small businesses make thoughtful, creative decisions that move things forward. With over 10 years of experience, we know how to turn big ideas and messy to-do lists into clear brands, functional websites, and marketing that feels manageable.
Think of us as your creative problem-solvers — here to make the process clearer, more collaborative, and a lot less stressful.
Ready to Transform Your Brand?
Whether you’re just starting out or ready to refresh your look, we’ll make your vision come to life with designs that truly speak to your audience. Let’s work together to create something amazing that elevates your business.
