Every business will eventually need a refreshed web design.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Joanne Ometz since 2017 on the branding and web design for her dog training business. Although Joanne was happy with my first design years ago, no business’s website should remain static as time marches on. She understood that every business needs a brand refresh and updated web design to remain competitive. As her business and team grew, it was time to develop a fresh, inviting look to reflect their core values.

The previous site could use some brightening up with more iconography, so that was where I began focusing my efforts. I used a simple shape with playfully bright, warm colors contrasted against a deep purple background to form a series of simple icons to represent Joanne’s various services.

Minimalist icons highlight their compassionate approach.

These colors work well as alternating blocks to divide the web pages into sections. I particularly like the sharp but not overwhelming contrast of white icons and text on the orange background. The minimalist icons below highlight another core value of The Dog Lady: kind and compassionate training free of any coercive techniques. Poppins and Noto Serif team up for a winning header-body typeface combo that is easy to read against every background.

Background patterns add energy to web page sections.

Solid color blocks maximize legibility for areas with lots of text, such as the class descriptions. I wanted to add a bit more pizzaz to other areas like the About and Testimonial sections on the home page. I looked to the original logo for inspiration and designed a randomized background pattern with the doggo silhouettes. Next, I applied an effect to the background so that when a user scrolls, the background pans or zooms. This extra visual energy creates a more dynamic experience for users browsing the site.

Fun and functional websites boost business.

The goals of the client are the driving force behind a web design project. The Dog Lady needed a site that conveniently guides potential clients to register for a class. They use third-party online software to manage registration. The backbone of the website is the Services pages, where buttons under class descriptions lead directly to the registration portal.

With the clear guidance from Joanne and some excellent photos on-site by K Brown Photography, we built something that far exceeds expectations for the typical local business website. The information is organized in a sensible hierarchy and easy to navigate on any device. The design is modern, vibrant, and dynamic without overwhelming the main goal of increasing class registrations. Most importantly, the website’s artwork carries forward the training center’s values of belonging, kindness, and compassion.