Scope

Design and develop a comprehensive digital platform for Little Oaks Interiors, a virtual interior design service founded by Sophie in early 2023. The project encompassed complete brand identity creation, UX/UI design, full-stack development, and deployment of a platform that connects clients with personalised interior design consultations and services.

Process

Brand Strategy & Identity Design

Collaborated with Sophie to establish the brand foundation for Little Oaks Interiors, focusing on her vision of transforming spaces into "vibrant, functional havens." Developed a comprehensive brand strategy that captured her personal journey and passion for creating spaces that tell unique stories.

Logo Design: Created a distinctive logo that balanced organic sophistication with modern accessibility. The design incorporated oak leaf motifs to represent growth and natural beauty, while maintaining clean lines that work across digital and print applications.

Colour Palette: Developed a warm, earthy colour scheme anchored by sage green, warm oak, and soft cream tones. These colours reflect the natural elements of interior design while conveying trust and creativity.

UX Research & Strategy

Conducted extensive user research to understand the virtual interior design market and client expectations. Identified key user personas, including busy professionals, new homeowners, and design enthusiasts seeking personalised guidance.

User Journey Mapping: Mapped the complete client experience from initial discovery through project completion, identifying opportunities to streamline the consultation process and showcase Sophie's expertise.

Information Architecture: Structured the platform to prioritise portfolio showcasing, service explanations, and seamless booking functionality while maintaining Sophie's personal brand story.

UI Design & Prototyping

Created high-fidelity designs in Figma that reflected the brand's warm, approachable aesthetic. Focused on visual storytelling through before/after project galleries, client testimonials, and Sophie's design philosophy.

Design System: Established a cohesive design system with custom typography, button styles, and component libraries that maintained consistency across all platform touchpoints.

Mobile-First Approach: Designed responsive layouts ensuring optimal experience across all devices, recognising that many clients would browse and book services on mobile.

Frontend Development

Built the frontend using React and Next.js for optimal performance and SEO. Implemented smooth animations and transitions using Framer Motion to create an engaging, premium user experience.

Key Features:

• Interactive portfolio gallery with project filtering

• Seamless consultation booking system

• Real-time chat functionality for client communication

• Responsive design optimisation

• Performance optimisation for fast loading times

Backend Development

Developed a robust backend using Node.js and Express, with a PostgreSQL database for secure data management. Implemented comprehensive APIs for user authentication, appointment scheduling, and project management.

Core Functionality:

• User authentication and profile management

• Appointment scheduling with calendar integration

• Secure payment processing through Stripe

• File upload and project gallery management

• Email notification system for client communication

DevOps & Deployment

Implemented a complete CI/CD pipeline using GitHub Actions for automated testing and deployment. Configured cloud infrastructure on AWS with auto-scaling capabilities to handle varying traffic loads.

Infrastructure:

• Docker containerization for consistent deployment environments

• AWS ECS for scalable container orchestration

• CloudFront CDN for global content delivery

• RDS for managed database services

• Automated backup and monitoring systems

Solution

The completed platform successfully established Little Oaks Interiors as a professional virtual interior design service, effectively communicating Sophie's personal brand and expertise. The comprehensive solution delivered:

Brand Impact: The cohesive brand identity and storytelling approach resonated with target clients, establishing trust and differentiation in the competitive interior design market.

User Experience: The intuitive platform design resulted in a 40% increase in consultation bookings within the first three months, with users praising the seamless booking process and visual portfolio presentation.

Technical Performance: The platform maintained 99.9% uptime with average page load times under 2 seconds, supporting Sophie's growing client base without technical constraints.

Business Growth: The integrated booking and communication system streamlined Sophie's workflow, allowing her to focus on design work while the platform handled client management and scheduling automatically.

The project successfully transformed Sophie's interior design passion into a scalable virtual business platform, combining beautiful design with robust functionality to support her entrepreneurial journey and client relationships.