The first homepage design is based on quite a refined concept and the design reflects this, I have included a number of rich & visual elements to frame the content and bring it out of the page.  The overall style of the site is like a plaque on smart, marble-effect wall. This promotes very positive and professional connotations and is inline with the professional branding and traditional look and feel of the Newtons logo.

I have included all of the elements we talked about on the homepage with some of the services, a short welcome message, daily updating news and some changing quotes above the fold of the page. The emphasis on the homepage is the expert tax & personal service that Newtons offers and this is communicated through the larger text and with imagery that emotes growth and nurturing.

The second design uses the same elements on the homepage as design 1 however the large strap-line and the overall look, feel & layout of the site has been simplified slightly. I have removed some of the graphical elements so that the header is spaced out more on the page. This lessens the immediate impact of the site but gives the content more room to breathe.

I have also removed the abstract photography and replaced this with a large, eye-catching icon that does not contain so many connotations as the photograph but is very effective as a visual icon and still fits in with the idea of nurture, growth, vibrancy and new life.

Design Features
The design layout is based on a 960px grid and works both two and 3 columns. The design template also incorporates dropdown navigation and a number of alternative icons that can be used in the service sections. The colour scheme, watermark and strap line are also updatable features although I think this particular colour scheme works well.

Feedback
The client was pleased with this design but opted for something more traditional, they did not like the dark background and chose a design alternative used lighter, less edgy colouring.

Contact me if you would like a similar template for your business or personal site.

The new site design includes a number of visual signposts on the homepage that are tailored to the target audience of Feist Hedgethorne, these are: Small Business, Medium Business and Personal tax. The header on the homepage will cycle through the 3 different homepage mastheads (see below) and the user can also choose one by pressing the alternative title next to the current one or by using the arrow on the right of the header to cycle through them. Each of these also incorporate a quote from a satisfied client, these could be related to the header or simply something that changes when the homepage is visited or refreshed.

I have included both the business news and the ICAEW logo around the masthead image, each which relates to Brighton and the title at the top left of the page. I think these images work really well in not only being visually stimulating but also communicating to the user something about that section i.e. small business is bucket and spade (building) and personal tax is art (personal taste).

The eye-catching design incorporates all of the brand colours from the logo, in particular the strong red colour in the header to grab the user’s attention and make it obvious which section of the site the user is in throughout their journey around the site.

On the homepage the contact details are included as a feature. This also contains the address and a preview of the Google map that links through to the location page. Next to the contact heading on the homepage is some logic included in the site that will either prompt the user to register (if they are not already) or welcome them back to the site.

I have also included some of the content pages so you can see how the layout works for the about us, services and resources pages. With the about page I have created a nice clean 2 column layout that is consistent with the homepage as well as an on-page contact form so that the user has the option of contacting the staff member directly or just sending a general enquiry.

The service page optimises the 3 column layout so that all of the services are visible on the left hand side of the screen and the related links on the right hand side. Finally I have also included a resources page design (more for my benefit when I come to build the site really), this is 3 column simply because there is so much content and this makes it much more easily navigable.

I think overall the design succeeds not only in using the Feist Hedgethorne brand colours across the site but also in the appropriation of what is quite a lot of content. The content has been separated very clearly and the on-page navigation makes it easier for the user to find what they want. Also because there are not too many top level navigation items it is not too overwhelming for the user although there are many tools for the user to use if they wish.

Anyway I really like the header in this site design and the deep blue, with a striking navigation and themed icon. I always liked the sites you see in the galleries with the large detailed icons in the middle of the page to immediately catch the attention of the user and wanted to create something similar.

As a media client I think it worked very well in terms of the icon and imagery used along with the bright and vibrant colours so that it would appeal to a wider and younger audience.

Contact me if you would like a similar template for your business or personal site.

We have outlined the need for some sites that need a refresh but cannot afford a complete re-design, therefore these templates are a perfect way for a client to have a contemporary design that suits their business without the expense.

I have deliberately made the design very clean and simplistic so that it will fit with a wide range of logos and the building of the site will be relatively straightforward. Look out for two more dropping by soon.

Contact me if you would like a similar template for your business or personal site.

I wanted to create a site that was a single page and that used dark and light shades of grey combined with a bright primary colour to highlight the links and content. I also created a loose theme and concept with the horse power logo and titles used in the design.

The design is available for purchase as a PSD template. If you are interested in this design or would like a custom design created for you then please contact me to discuss your requirements.

I started off with a a few sketches and a simple grid that I added the homepage content to in blocks so that I knew what I had to work with and I could then sort for order of importance with stages of styling and use of colour. This would then form the basis for the site and along with some excerpts from their print material, most significantly the “you can count on us” strapline and text beneath containing a short piece about Crompton Ward.

Next I began styling up the elements with backgrounds and headers, starting off with many blocks of colour then gradually removing these. I also added an accent colour that would make the smaller features still stand out in amongst the bold text and about message. Lastly I searched for a quirky and fun image that would reinforce one of the key services offered by Crompton Ward and compliment the accent colour used in the headings.

The clients initial feedback was very positive on the homepage concept and the remaining site pages are at an advanced stage of design.

The design is currently in development for the client.

It was also important that there was somewhere for client testimonials as the customer care and positive feedback was something that was very important to Xilo and they found alot of their customer base came from referals.

The site is currently being developed by a third party developer for the client.

Once we had taken this information we formed two different concepts, one that is shown here that is based on a montage of rich photography showing the staff from MGR in various shots doing day to day tasks. The other one were a number of characterisations of the various staff consisting of an animation that forms part of the current site. We had to brainstorm and storyboard all of the animations taken from our initial discussions about the staff and their likes and dislikes.

The route shown here is an interactive logo with the images of the staff doing day to day activities, the logo is zoomed in on to view the various photographs. This is to communicate that MGR is made up of it’s staff and the people who work there, which this does very effectively.

The final site was a layout that was requested by the client and that I designed around with simple shading a loose grid-style layout.