Allie Marko Design Studio
Project Overview
Allie Marko Design Studio is a dynamic and innovative B2C firm specializing in interior and architecture design, weaving creativity into spaces that transcend the ordinary. The studio prides ourselves on delivering tailored and bespoke solutions that capture the unique essence of each client. Their design philosophy blends aesthetics with functionality and cutting-edge technology, prioritizing the integration of smart and intuitive elements.
My Role
As the UX/UI and Product Designer for Allie Marko's new interior design studio, I led the development of their brand website from scratch. My role involved weekly strategy sessions with the client, focusing on brand creation, market analysis, user research, business strategy, and the design of all high-fidelity pages.
Problem Discovery:
The client approached me with the goal of developing a dynamic, modern website, addressing their specific challenges:
1. The absence of a comprehensive and professional online presence is significantly limiting the client's ability to attract potential clients seeking design services on the web.
2. The client's brand lacks a cohesive identity that accurately reflects the studio's distinct style, delivers a strong visual impact, and communicates its design philosophy effectively.
3. There is a critical need for an efficient platform to showcase the client's extensive portfolio of interior and architectural designs to prospective customers.
Proposed Solutions:
1. Develop a professional, easy-to-navigate website that showcases the new brand identity, enhances value through user-friendly design, and stands out in the market.
2. Implement client-focused lead generation and contact mechanisms on the website, making it easy for potential clients to inquire and engage with the studio's services.
3. Incorporate a visually captivating section that tells the story of the studio, its values, and the unique approach to interior and architecture design.
4. Utilize social media integration to promote the content and engage with the audience.
What Users Seek:
Insightful discoveries
Embarking on the journey with Allie Marko Studio, I conducted interviews with homeowners who had previously sought interior and architectural design solutions. Engaging with 8 participants, I gathered insights into their renovation needs and challenges, distilling four key takeaways:
Market Analysis:
Crafting differentiation
In the competitive analysis phase, I aimed to gather insights to differentiate Allie Marko Design Studio and captivate potential clients. I examined market positioning, service offerings, and homepage and navigation strategies of competitors UBBS, Sarah Brown, and Mohd.
top menu content:
homepage offerings:
Information Architecture:
Laying the foundation
Armed with insights from Allie Marko regarding her service portfolio, process methodology, and showcased projects—coupled with comprehensive market research — I developed an information architecture for the studio. This foundational work aimed to streamline future design phases, ensuring coherence and clarity.
Brand Strategy:
Sculpting the brand's essence
My client sought to develop a vibrant brand identity that exuded professionalism and a commitment to exceptional, personalized design solutions. After thorough discussions about her vision, I crafted a brand strategy that captured the brand’s voice, essence, and message, ensuring alignment with her work's representation and resonance with the target audience. I was in charge of building a brand that would stand the test of time.
“
We, Allie Marko Design Studio, are your partner in creating extraordinary spaces that blend creativity, functionality, and sustainability to reflect your unique vision and values.
”
Brand Voice:
We are innovative, utilizing forward-thinking language that emphasizes cutting-edge design and innovative solutions, speaking to the future of interior and architectural design with optimism and excitement.
We are confident, communicating with certainty and authority about the studio's design capabilities, innovative solutions, and successful project outcomes.
We are approachable, maintaining a warm, inviting tone that encourages interaction and questions.
We are dynamic, our voice versatile, capable of discussing various topics from technical details to broader design trends with equal ease.
Brand Words:
Innovative
Dynamic
Tailored
Creative
Collaborative
Sophisticated
Vibrant
Sustainable
Taglines:
"Innovation Meets Elegance in Every Detail"
"Where Creativity Meets Functionality"
"Designing Beyond Boundaries"
"Elevating Spaces, Enriching Lives"
Brand Traits:
Allie Marko Brand Persona:
Finding a Visual Style
Visualizing identity
Following the strategic phase, I presented two creative brand concepts to my client, Allie. The first concept embraced refined elegance and a natural connection; the second leaned into sophisticated design. Each concept was accompanied by a curated color palette and mood boards, aiding visual comprehension and decision-making.
Option A - Neutral Elegance
The color palette exudes refined elegance, tranquility, and a natural connection, favoring timeless design and warm, welcoming modern environments:
Floral white symbolizes purity, clarity, and brightness. It reflects the brand's commitment to creating spaces that feel open.
Green masala symbolizes balance and renewal, reflecting the studio's commitment to eco-friendly materials and sustainability.
Dark grayish conveys strength and stability and represents the solid foundation upon which Allie Marko builds its designs.
Very dark shade of gray denotes power, elegance, and modernity.
Option B - Sophisticated Ensemble
The color scheme reflects a balance between nature and sophisticated design, embodying Allie Marko's vision for spaces that merge contemporary with timeless appeal:
Warm taupe accentuates a commitment to creating environments where elegance meets comfort.
Rich charcoal suggests sophistication and substance, offering a powerful counterpoint to the lighter tones.
Soft linen evokes a sense of comfort and serenity. It reflects the brand’s approach to spaces as sanctuaries of calm.
Crisp white captures the essence of the studio’s design ethos—spaces that are clear, open, and full of possibility.
Client Choice - Option A:
Allie was drawn to the first concept, featuring green and dark grey colors that are both neutral and deeply expressive. This palette better represents her design studio's philosophy of creating spaces that are visually stunning and environmentally responsible.
Logo Evolution
Merging Elegance and Meaning
With elegance, tranquility, modernity, and nature in mind, I began developing the logo. I merged a couple of different logo concepts, which I presented to my client. During our brainstorming session, we settled on “Studio Ellie” combined with two different fonts. For the expanded version of the logo, we decided to add the supportive text “interior design”.
A - Main Wordmark - created from a beautifully structured typeface, the main wordmark elements speak to a brand that is both refined and confident (as “Studio” with a bolder font) and sophisticated (“Allie” with an elegant font)."
B - Supporting Text - reating just the right amount of contrast, the supporting text helps customers recognize the type of studio. It is used in a smaller font without being overly dominant.
Typography and Palette:
Crafting visual cohesion
To achieve visual harmony and distinction, I carefully selected three typefaces: ‘Baskerville’ for headings, reflecting importance; ‘Cera Pro’ for body text, prioritizing readability; and ‘SentaSans’ for the “Allie” portion of the logo, symbolizing the studio’s elegance. The color scheme, selected by the client, conveyed understated elegance, resonating with the studio's ethos.
Decoding Preferences:
A/B testing in action
When I began creating a high-fidelity prototype, I had numerous ideas on how to approach certain elements, so I conducted A/B testing with 8 users to gauge their preferences, from font styles to layout choices. The goal was to identify not only the more visually appealing options but also those that enhanced user engagement and promoted an intuitive user experience.
Which do you prefer in the text:
numbers or icons?
A - numbers
0% conversion - 0/8
B - icons
100% conversion - 8/8
Which style of presenting numeric data is more engaging?
A - lines under the numbers
75% conversion - 6/8
B - no lines, vertical alignment with number
25% conversion - 2/8
Which font style is better?
A - sans-serif
12.5% conversion - 1/8
B - serif
87.5% conversion - 7/8
Which text field style do you find more visually appealing?
A - outlined text field
37.5% conversion - 3/8
B - underline text field
62.5% conversion - 5/8
Which layout and text alignment works better?
A - left-aligned with line under
37.5% conversion - 3/8
B - asymmetrical alignment
62.5 conversion - 5/8
High Fidelity Explorations:
Refined Realizations
The high-fidelity designs for Studio Allie were meticulously crafted from the ground up, closely aligned with our established brand ideology. My objective was to create a seamless, dynamic website experience that is easy to navigate, ensuring that every element resonates with our brand's essence and enhances user interaction.
developed home page:
services page:
process page:
projects page:
about us page:
Client Feedback:
After reviewing the comprehensive suite of design elements I delivered, my client was thoroughly impressed. She expressed deep appreciation for the meticulous attention to detail, the harmony between form and function, and the thoughtful integration of her vision throughout the project.
“
I am impressed by the high fidelity of my website. It's such a dynamic and modern site. I didn't expect such outstanding work. Even our competitors, whom you analyzed, don't have such an expressive website. Your ability to capture the essence of Allie Marko and translate it into a visually stunning and intuitively navigable site has surpassed all my expectations. I'm truly excited to continue working with you on future projects to further enhance our brand. Your work speaks volumes, and I couldn't be happier with the results.
”
— Allie Marko, the founder of Studio Allie
Reflections:
Collaborating closely with clients often ignites a flurry of innovative ideas. Throughout the development of the brand ideology for the Allie project, we engaged in four detailed client meetings to thoroughly discuss every aspect. Whenever I had an idea, I sketched it out on paper and presented it to my client. My approach was open-minded and flexible during discussions of every element. I never hesitated to appear less than all-knowing; seeking the client's opinion was crucial for me, aiming to craft a brand that truly mirrors her philosophy and style. I presented multiple logo examples, shared my preferences, and engaged in brainstorming sessions that led us to refine our ideas and achieve superior outcomes.
Engaging with end users is vital when a designer juggles various implementation ideas and the client places their trust in your expertise. It's essential to remember that we're crafting a website to captivate customers and attract new users, not merely to satisfy our creative whims. Conducting A/B testing offered my client and me valuable new insights directly from users, helping us to understand their preferences more clearly. This process underscored the importance of designing with the end user in mind, ensuring that the final product resonates well with the intended audience.
Next Steps:
Collaborative Project Launch: Work alongside developers to optimize images, streamline code, and adopt best practices, ensuring a faster and more fluid user experience.
Analytics Integration: Implement analytics tools to monitor website performance, user behavior, and lead conversion rates, providing valuable insights for continuous improvement.
Establishing User Feedback Loops: Set up mechanisms like surveys and feedback widgets on the website to collect ongoing user feedback, maintaining a design that's truly centered around user needs.
SEO Optimization: Enhance the website's search engine visibility to improve its ranking in relevant searches, drawing more organic traffic and engagement.