One of my favourite projects is taking a site that already has a strong concept and helping the design better support that vision.
This particular redesign focused on atmosphere, readability, and visual identity.
Before
The original layout functioned well enough, but several elements were competing for attention:
✧ inconsistent spacing ✧ weak visual hierarchy ✧ colours lacking cohesion ✧ important information buried beneath decorative elements ✧ mobile experience requiring improvement
A common challenge is that a site can have excellent writing and worldbuilding while the presentation struggles to communicate its strengths.
After
The redesign focused on:
✧ establishing a clear visual hierarchy ✧ refining spacing and readability ✧ creating a stronger colour palette ✧ improving navigation flow ✧ increasing accessibility and contrast ✧ ensuring responsiveness across devices
The goal was not simply to make the site prettier.
The goal was to make the site feel like the world it was trying to portray.
What Changed?
✦ Rebuilt forum headers
✦ Redesigned category structure
✦ Refined membergroup styling
✦ Improved profile presentation
✦ Simplified navigation
✦ Introduced stronger thematic colours
✦ Increased readability throughout
Design should support storytelling.
When visitors arrive on a site, they should immediately understand its tone, setting, and identity.
That first impression matters. Interested in a redesign, refresh, or second opinion on your current skin; check out my Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/astarterenya
