360 Painting is a fast-growing residential and commercial painting franchise that has over 100 locations in the U.S. When Townsquare Interactive was commissioned to create a new site for the Charlotte, NC location, the goal was to freshen up the design while ensuring brand consistency across all of the franchise sites. I was allowed design freedom to make choices that would improve usability and redesign the user experience.
The old site was too rigid and static, dull to the eye, and not stimulating enough. I wanted to introduce energy into the design so that the site would be warm and welcoming and user-friendly. As early on as possible, I tried to achieve a balance between dynamic graphics and functionality.
One of the standout features I added was an interactive internal page section where paint cans burst into life with a playful "splat" effect on hover. That bit, taken from the magic of paint, adds movement and personality that subtly state the client's brand. The animation is inspiring without looking too basic. A bespoke set of icons and color-coded internal pages were also employed to help users distinguish content spaces and navigate the site more effectively.
To increase interaction, I included prolonged underline animations on key text elements throughout the site. These provide subtle visual hints that enhance readability and interaction. The overall UI aesthetic is simple in construction and depth-layered, allowing content and calls to action to be clear without overloading the user.
Color and imagery were instrumental in relaying the values of the brand. The site uses several accent colors to bring diversity and movement to every section, but red is the overwhelming brand color so that there is visual consistency and brand recognition. Smooth gradients and extremely judicious use of photography create a feel of atmosphere and craftsmanship. Full-bleed photographs combined with stacked text create expressive focal points, and asymmetrical composition creates a fresh, balanced look that invites the eye.
Responsiveness was a core part of the build. Every portion of the build was designed to react to mobile screens, making transitions between sizes seamless without compromising design integrity. Text and imagery were treated equally, with clear and readable content for every device. All three - accessibility, scalability, and performance - were constant considerations during the project.
Ultimately, this was a great redesign—it was a fresh approach for a franchise to introduce itself to locals through the web. The result is a vibrant, interactive, and highly usable site that reflects the creativity and professionalism of 360 Painting, customized for their Charlotte market but true to the national brand.
