Zellar Homes Website Complete!

I'm very happy to announce that the Zellar Homes site is complete!

Zellar Homes came to me by the way of Jaime Brooks, a previous client and friend of mine.  David and Robin of Zellar Homes had some high expectations stemming from their experiences with previous web developers.  I believe that the design and functionality of the website has exceeded their expectations.

I started off from scratch with a completely custom design that remains consistent throughout the site with flowing curves and rounded corners this site is both elegant and modern.  The home page features one main photograph that can be updated by the client automatically.  On either side of the main photo there are two 'wings' as we have come to call them that are animated.  Each wing disappears behind the main photo then reappears with a new image.

I also provided a simple blog/news section for Zellar homes which allows them to post any announcements easily.  The bio section of the site continues to use rounded corners for the images, each of which can be changed at will by the client.  I also provided a form that would email David, Robin or Kristen depending on who the visitor wanted to contact.

Each page can be updated by the client using an easy to use WYSIWYG editor built into the site so they don't have to log into a control panel, they need to simply log into their website.

The locations section provides a place for Zellar Homes to showcase the multiple developments that they currently have built.  The client can add new locations, update their descriptions as well as the pictures and order them on the fly.  The location pictures feature a nice, light, overlay with the name of the development.

The gallery is a custom piece of work that initially shows the visitor a grid of thumbnails and names of the different models that Zellar Homes builds.  Once a user clicks on a picture that are brought to the models individual page that provides the visitor with more pictures as well as a description, and if available a floor plan.  By clicking on the main photo there is a 'lightbox' like popup that displays the additional pictures.

The client needed a way to add/delete and update their models frequently so I provided a management system for them to do just that.  Once logged in the client could update every aspect of a model, while looking at the grid view of the gallery they could drag and drop the models into the order they wish, and once looking at an individual model they could manage the photos using an AJAX uploader, from there they can order the photos and indicate whether the photo should be included on the home page in the 'wings'.  They can also update the description and manage the floor plans.

Due to the complexity of the site I spent about a month and a half working on all the functionality.  I'm very happy with how the site has turned out.  Robin and David have also expressed their satisfaction in the project and we are already planning their next online project!

The site is live here: http://www.zellarhomes.com

Jaime Brooks Website Complete!

I am very happy to announce the completion of Jaime Brook's website!

This has been quite an adventure, Jaime already had a site and asked me to create a new website that was similar to the old site.  Even though the styles were similar to the old site, this was a complete overhaul including a completely custom layout and a few revisions on the color choices.  We finally decided upon black and gold, the colors of the Hunt broker she now works under.

The site includes many features, including multiple jQuery functions with pop-outs and other features.  There are multiple forms throughout the site for visitors to fill out and are emailed to Jaime.

There is also a simple admin control panel that allows Jaime to manage the content on many of the pages (CMS) as well as a property management tool. This tool allows Jaime to update, delete and add property listings that automatically creates a listing page.  There is also the added functionality for Jaime to add photos to the listings which sets up a photo gallery on the listing page.  Jaime can also link a property to a YouTube video for virtual tours which are automatically added to the listing page.

Overall, I am very pleased with how the project turned out, Jaime has been a pleasure to work with and we were able to complete the project in just over a week!

Site is live here: http://www.jaimebrooks.com

TKM-Designs Gets a Facelift!

Before

After

I am extremely excited to launch the brand new design for my freelance business, TKM-Designs!

This was a complete overhaul of the previous design.  The design includes a slick Web 2.0 style layout and buttons, and a completely new Logo to incorporate the latest family addition, the business is still called TKM-Designs, but to logo now contains a superscript 2 to represent the two M's in the family, Makenna and Myla. The site utilizes the jQuery framework for the portfolio carousel on the home page as well as custom tooltips and pop-out images.  The site also features a client control panel which includes a calendar to track events as well as upcoming payments and a live testing environment to visually see the progress of the current project.

I am extremely please with out the site turned out!

TKM-Designs Grows by 19 Inches

On June 5, 2010 my wife gave birth to our second daughter, Myla Jade!

AM/PM Alpaca Haven Website Complete

I am pleased to announce the completion of AM/PM Alpaca Haven's website!

The site included a completely custom designed with HTML, CSS and Javascript.  The client already had a logo, so I built the site around that and integrated the current logo seamlessly into the site.  There is also a mini inventory management system for the client to add, delete and update the animals in their herd, backed by a MySQL database and written in PHP.  There is also a custom contact form for users to submit comments.

Site is live here: http://www.ampmalpacas.com 

8 Reasons To Choose A Freelance Web Designer

1. From start to finish, you’re talking to the top creative designer on the job, so your project specifications don’t need to be relayed before action is taken.
2. There are no separate account managers, senior creatives or junior designers, each with differing interpretations of the design brief.
3. You’re hiring the person responsible for 100% of the graphic design portfolio
4. Phone calls go directly to the person working on your project — not a sales person or account manager.
5. With many freelancers working from home, they can often pass on considerable savings made through low overheads.
6. Design revisions can frequently be made almost immediately after the request.
7. Billing enquiries and delivery timeframes can be clarified at the same time as specific design discussions.
8. Freelance designers and small design firms can be a great resource for future website upgrades because the designer who designed your website is probably the owner, chances are he won't fire himself or be looking for a better career opportunity.

Top Ten Reasons To Have A Website

1. Cheap Advertising: What other form of marketing has the potential to reach millions of users instantly! In fact, according to recent numbers there are over 1.7 BILLION people using the Internet today! Over 250 million Americans are online, that’s over 70% of the US population!!

2. No Closing Time: When you own a website, your business is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No vacations or sick time!! Every customer is different, some go to bed at night, and some are just getting up. With an online presence, your customers can see your information and/or buy your products while you sleep!

3. Save On Marketing: With printed marketing, the information becomes outdated as you add new products and services. The recurring cost of revisions and new prints can add up. With a website your updates are instantaneous, saving you money!

4. Wonderful Neighbors: The great thing about the Internet is the ability to link to another website, or have other websites linked to yours. This increases your visibility by opening up multiple streams of traffic, and is essentially FREE traffic!

5. Instant Customer Service: By providing the answers to some of your Frequently Asked Questions, your customers can get immediate help! You can also utilize forms to interface with your customers. You can get instant feedback and respond to questions much faster!

6. Go Green: In today’s world, companies are putting more and more thought into how they are affecting the earth. With an online presence, you can reduce your need for printed materials, thus using less of the worlds diminishing natural resources. The Internet is a renewable resource!

7. Level The Playing Field: Online, it doesn’t matter how much money you have. A website costing $100 can be more accessible and of higher quality than one that may have cost thousands. It doesn’t matter if you are a fortune500 company or if you only employee a handful of people, with the right design you can compete with anyone!

8. It’s Easy: By using a pre-made template, you can have your website up and running in a matter of a few clicks! You can also find freelance designers who can create a one of a kind website at a low cost.

9. It’s Your Image: A website will enhance your companies image allowing you to provide an image rich representation of your company globally!

10. It’s Expected: in today’s technologically advanced world your customers expect you to have a website. The Internet is the first stop for most consumers! If that isn’t enough reason, think about this: Your competitors have most likely already invested in their online presence! And if they haven’t, then all the more reason to beat them to the punch!