about

Meet the creative mind behind Modern Design, a boutique brand identity and web design studio nestled in the heart of Ōtautahi, Christchurch, NZ.

Serena Mayen founder of Modern Design is a branding and web designer from Christchurch

Meet the designer

Hi, I’m Serena

As the founder of Modern Design, my passion lies in crafting unique and professional design solutions for businesses all over New Zealand. The result? Inspiring brands and websites that stand out from the crowd.  

With over two decades of experience as a graphic designer, I’ve lent my expertise to a myriad of industries and became a trusted partner for digital agencies in delivering high-quality brands and websites for leading New Zealand organisations. Yet, my heart always yearned for something more personal, more connected. 

Modern Design was born out of this desire to balance my professional passion and personal life – allowing me to work from home, spend precious time with my kids, and offer stellar service that aligns with the budget of small businesses. 

What sets me apart is the wealth of strategic knowledge amassed over the years, and a burning passion for collaborating with businesses in creating their brand identity and websites. It’s more than just work for me – it’s a way of making a difference in the world of businesses, one brand at a time. 

I take great pride in the feedback I receive from my clients, including: 

  • My professional and friendly approach
  • Excellent time management skills
  • Streamlined, professional process
  • Creating brands that clients take pride in
  • Exceptional problem-solving skills

A glimpse into my world

A few of my favourite things

Curiosity
My design inspiration comes from myriad diverse sources, keeping my work fresh and innovative. 

Gin and Tonic
I have a soft spot for Botanical Gins, especially the locally owned Reefton distillery Little Biddy.

Star Gazing
There’s something magical about a clear night sky with no light pollution – it’s my way of connecting with the universe.

Ugg Boot Slippers
My trusty companions, they come everywhere with me! 

Sunshine
I’m a sunshine chaser, always looking for a warm, sunny spot to bask in.

Family
My home is filled with fun, laughter, and love. I take immense pride in being the best Mum and partner I can be.

General FAQs

I with all sorts of business owners and entrepreneurs, and love to take on different projects. I’ve worked with: Health + Beauty; Finance + Accounting; Food + Beverage; Photographers and more.

After filling out the client application, you’ll hear back within 48 business hours (M—F) to talk more about details. I will schedule a zoom call and prepare your custom proposal. From there, you’ll receive the design contract to review and sign as well as the project deposit invoice to secure your slot in the studio calendar.

The payment terms are 50% before work begins to secure your booking, 40% on design signoff and the final 10% when the website is ready to go live. If you need a longer term payment plan I suggest making smaller payments earlier on before work begins. I’ll keep your project booked out and ready to start when you are.

Depending on your needs I use WordPress, Squarespace and Shopify.

I offer custom packages based on the specific goals of the client. Before your custom proposal is created, we’ll discuss your budget and unique website needs.

There are plenty of talented designers and developers out there – so why should you work with me? I pride myself on approaching branding and website design as not just creating something beautiful, but working with you to build a brand that is going to work just as hard as you do.

Client Love

“Thank you for making my new website. I wanted to let you know that it is working really well and I have had a lot more people booking first appointments online!
Thank you too for the video instructions. I have downloaded it and I am looking forward to adding some more content soon.”

“It is a pleasure to work with Serena. Her professional, yet friendly approach made us feel we were in good hands at all times. Serena produced a beautiful brand for our business, which is fundamental to shaping who we are as a company. Through a structured, yet flexible approach, she was able to help our team clarify and define our message and create the ‘feel’ we were after. I highly recommend Serena to any business looking to create or enhance their brand identity.”

“I love Serena! She is wonderful to work with and I am very happy with our end result which was delivered on time. I contracted Serena on the recommendation of a friend to redesign my website. I found Serena super easy to work with, I got everything I wanted. When something wasn’t going to work, Serena went away and found a solution – I didn’t have to try and work it out myself. I also really liked how budget conscience Serena was when suggesting website plan and add-on options. I would highly recommend Serena, she is the best I have come across and so lovely.”

“Serena from Modern Design created our logo and website for us and we couldn’t be more thrilled! Serena worked with us to find a design that we were happy with and understood from the start what we were looking for. The website is of high quality and we’ve had innumerable compliments from our friends and family and more importantly from clients about the website.”

“I can’t emphasise how happy I am.

The site is absolutely fantastic.”

“Serena did an excellent job for ACL. She brought her fresh approach to our design. Great time management skills and follow up.”

“Branding and website design was not an aspect of owning a small business that I was able to do myself in an effective way. I had a very short time frame and Serena helped me focus and deliver my ideas for the brand and website in an enjoyable way. She always delivered on time and when she said she would.”