While working for Sandhills Global as the UI/UX designer, I had the opportunity to design and develop a custom WordPress site for The King’s Inn, a small motor lodge in Sidney, Nebraska. The project was part of a charitable initiative in partnership with Sidney Table of Grace, a local nonprofit focused on food security and housing. It was a unique chance to bring thoughtful design to a meaningful, community-centered setting.
Discovery & Planning
We kept the scope simple—a single-page layout that delivered the essentials: room types, amenities, location, and contact. I researched hotel sites of all sizes to understand user expectations and translated those patterns into something approachable and scaled for a small business.
We kept the scope simple—a single-page layout that delivered the essentials: room types, amenities, location, and contact. I researched hotel sites of all sizes to understand user expectations and translated those patterns into something approachable and scaled for a small business.
Design Approach
The visual design leans warm and timeless. I used a soft, neutral palette with spacious layout and cursive typography in select headers to reflect the lodge’s charm. Imagery was selected for authenticity over polish, keeping things real and welcoming. The flow moves naturally from intro to rooms, then to amenities and contact—minimizing the need for extra clicks.
The visual design leans warm and timeless. I used a soft, neutral palette with spacious layout and cursive typography in select headers to reflect the lodge’s charm. Imagery was selected for authenticity over polish, keeping things real and welcoming. The flow moves naturally from intro to rooms, then to amenities and contact—minimizing the need for extra clicks.
Interaction & Animation
Animations are subtle but add a lot to the experience. There’s parallax in the hero, gentle fade-ins as you scroll, and a logo transition that pins a smaller version in the middle of the header for continuous brand presence. All animations were built using GSAP for performance and fine-tuned motion.
Animations are subtle but add a lot to the experience. There’s parallax in the hero, gentle fade-ins as you scroll, and a logo transition that pins a smaller version in the middle of the header for continuous brand presence. All animations were built using GSAP for performance and fine-tuned motion.
Development Details
The site was built as a custom one-page WordPress theme using hand-coded HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP. I structured the backend to make key sections editable while preserving layout integrity. Though the client has edit access, I still help her maintain the site as needed. She’s busy running a food pantry and remains an incredible person to collaborate with.
The site was built as a custom one-page WordPress theme using hand-coded HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP. I structured the backend to make key sections editable while preserving layout integrity. Though the client has edit access, I still help her maintain the site as needed. She’s busy running a food pantry and remains an incredible person to collaborate with.
The finished site is calm, clear, and inviting—built to grow with the mission it supports.