The Plain Virginia – A Fresh Take on Small Town Charm

For this project, I focused on redesigning The Plain Virginia’s website, transforming it from a simple single-page site into a fully developed platform that highlights local news, tourist events, and community updates. While I didn’t take part in the branding, I expanded upon the existing logo, using it as inspiration to create a cohesive visual identity for the website. The goal was to refresh the site’s design while preserving its vintage, small-town charm, ensuring it felt both nostalgic and functional for modern users.

Their website before the redesign

Top 3 Flaws in the Original Website Design:

• Lack of Informative Content The initial design provided no substantial information about what makes The Plains, Virginia, attractive to visitors.

• Poor User Engagement The original site had minimal navigation and failed to showcase the town's unique features or activities.

• Overwhelming and Unclear Visual Design The background video and generic messaging didn't effectively communicate the town's value proposition to potential visitors.

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How I Fixed These Flaws:

• Content Depth I added comprehensive sections highlighting reasons to visit, including specific attractions like historic landmarks, outdoor activities, and local events. This provides clear, tangible reasons for tourists to be interested in the town.

• Enhanced User Experience The redesign includes multiple engaging sections with clear "Learn More" buttons, offering easy navigation and more information about different aspects of the town.

• Structured Visual Storytelling Instead of a repetitive looping video of a single horse, I integrated an engaging, clickable video tour that gives visitors a glimpse of what The Plains has to offer. This feature provides a sneak peek at the town’s charm and exciting activities, sparking curiosity and encouraging exploration.

Website Redesign

.Disclaimer: This project was created during my time as a Graphic Designer at Metro Nova Creative in Fredericksburg, VA. All work showcased reflects my contributions to the project while employed there. While I both designed and developed this website using WordPress and Elementor, I am no longer responsible for maintaining or updating their current live versions. As a result, any changes made on the live websites after my involvement may not reflect my original design or development work.