Jim provided the color scheme and the idea to use wood textures in the website design. (The host station at the salon is constructed from a beautiful piece of wood) With a clear vision provided by the client creating this simple and masculine design was easy-peasy. Details like Polaroid-esque photo frames and a chalkboard menu are fun additions. The wonderful photographs of the salon are by Jensen Hande and they fit perfectly into the design.
When deciding how to lay out the home page I considered what the most important information an existing or potential client would need from a salon website. Having searched for salons online before, I knew they would need to know the hours of operation, how to book an appointment and how to contact and find the salon. I also knew how frustrating it was to find a salon in the area and have that information buried in the website's interiors. This is why on the Hawthorn site the salon hours, location and book an appointment button are all very prominent and in multiple locations.
Beyond those basics, the site houses all the information a potential client could need to know why they should trust their hair to the talented Hawthorn stylists and about the high-end products used in the salon. A blog gives the salon a voice of the website.
Because Hawthorn needed a website that they could maintain on their own, their website was built in Expression Engine. EE is simply the best Content Management System around. Using the website's control panel, the Hawthorn staff can easily add new staff bios, news stories, products and edit the salon hours. The about page information and services section are a breeze to edit and expand using the CMS.