The Cat Nap originated from my own need to establish a healthier morning routine. During the winter semester, when icy weather and a lack of sunlight made early mornings especially challenging, I struggled to get up for my 8:30 class across campus. Recognizing that the absence of natural light was impacting my motivation, I set out to create a solution. The result is the Cat Nap light—a warm, inviting way to wake up. Unlike other morning lights, the Cat Nap stands out with its distinctive cat shape, thoughtful packaging, and a complementary app designed to enhance the waking experience.

These preliminary sketches of the Cat Nap light. After finalizing my design on paper, I proceeded to create the 3D model using the online application Womp. To achieve the desired look, the product required 3D printing with elastic resin. To ensure light could pass through, it needed to be entirely hollow, which also helped reduce printing costs.

First Iteration

After completing the 3D printing of the squishy cat, I proceeded to print a base designed to attach securely to its underside. This base houses the light, which can be turned on or off by pressing down on it. To achieve a warmer, incandescent hue for the light, I applied a yellow paint to its exterior. The next deliverables for this project included the development of the products branding, a complementary app, and the design of packaging for the light.

This is the evolution of the Cat Nap logo. Initially, the product was named "Day Light"; however, I decided to incorporate "cat" into the name to reflect the product's feline shape and its alignment with the logo. The logo development process was extensive and involved numerous iterations beyond those showed above. It was only after receiving the advice to separate the product name from the cat icon that the ideal logo design was achieved.

The main differences between the old app wireframes and the revised ones are the color scheme and the integration of the new logo on the home screen. Previously, the app featured an unrelated green and purple background, but I opted for a gradient of yellow to orange to evoke the colors of a morning sky. This change aligns the app's design with its branding. The app’s primary functions are to connect to Cat Nap lights via Bluetooth and set a morning alarm.