

We released a new visual design and want feedback from our startup peers. - dannomatic
http://demeure.com/news/demeure/demeure-website-update.html

======
alexkearns
To be honest, I think it is very poor. There is no consistency. It looks like
the designer has tried to use every tool in the designer toolbox, from the
flowery logo and drop shadowed text to the bevelled buttons and decorative
borders.

Superficially it looks okay as there are some quite nice individual elements
but they don't fit together. A case of a design being less than the sum of its
parts.

I also counted no less than 14 different treatments of text (font size, font
type, color, etc). That is way too much and perhaps explains why the design
looks overly cluttered.

The dark borders around the main photos are too heavy for the lightness of the
rest of the design. The drop shadows make this worse. Get rid of them both.

Sorry to be harsh but you did ask.

~~~
becubed
Thanks for the honest feedback -- definitely appreciated. Text treatments can
indeed be reined in, as might several of the extraneous elements for the
reasons you've pointed out. Always good to get fresh eyes and concrete
criticism. Thanks again.

------
atarian
I would consider removing either the dropshadow and/or the beveled borders on
the images. I feel like it's drawing too much visual strength in relation to
the rest of the content. The images already take up a large portion of the
screen, no need to emphasize them any further. Other than that it looks great.

~~~
becubed
Can't tell you how many times I wrestled with those very details. Probably not
the best decision to go with both those effects. Argh, seduced by the shiny
bling once again!

------
Nat0
The site had a nice look overall. The pattern in the header drop-shadow is
kind of cool, but more distracting because it looks like it is being
accidentally covered up and a bit busy.

I agree with what others have said regarding the color scheme being a bit too
tan overall.

I also keep looking at the logo and thinking that is a bit too busy, and I
don't really understand why it has the floral shapes emerging from it.

The beveling on the image frames also feels a bit heavy, especially with the
dark drop shadow.

In general the imagery and the copy take a bit of analysis before getting a
handle on what the company is about, and even then I am not sure why I should
choose you for my vacation planning.

~~~
becubed
Thanks Nat0, you're reinforcing some themes emerging from this discussion.
Awesome.

The logo's a challenge to work with, though we're trying not to change it --
at least, not right now -- due to some brand recognition in the villa rental
industry.

------
mtgentry
Nice overall. A few thoughts:

-More color hierarchy. (Maybe too much tan?)

\- the 2nd photo is nice but the 1st and 3rd don't jump out at me. Invest in
great photos.

\- Uncertain about who you are and what you're selling. It says "browse our
villas" but they aren't really your villas, you only find the best ones right?
If that's the case you should mention somewhere on the main page the hours and
hours you've spent looking for only the best deals to save me time.

-the word villa seems really specific. A little intimidating since I'm not 100% sure how a "villa" differs from other accommodations.

good luck!

~~~
glimcat
Agree on the tan. It feels like the attentive draw between the main and side
columns should be better managed. As it is, it's too easy to drift between the
two, which detracts from what you're trying to present in the main column.

~~~
becubed
We're moving away from what was previously an even more brown-and-tan-heavy
design. With your encouragement, we'll keep trucking in that direction! Thx
too for the feedback re: main and side columns. Will look into that.

------
rickyprice
I personally like it, except for the flowers under the header that seem cut
off, and the logo seems to need some clean-up. Maybe just leaving the top
ornament on the "d" and the ending ornament on the last "e" could do the
trick.

------
pallinder
Getting some weird artifacts in the drop shadow at the top on Lion and Chrome
13.0.782.99 beta attached a screenshot.

<http://i.minus.com/ibV6ug.png>

~~~
becubed
LOL that's the best point of criticism so far. Unless I misunderstand what
you're referring to, those "artifacts" are in fact decorative elements
intended to echo the rather flowery logo. Some people love 'em -- but others
find them like motes of sand in their eye or itches they can't scratch.

~~~
pallinder
Thats funny, I thought Lion was acting up. So yeah, you guys should perhaps
think a second time about those :)

------
programminggeek
I know that this is terrible feedback, but I have to say it. Your site looks
like a blog. As a blog, it looks nice, but as a travel site I don't know if
blog is the vibe you want.

Also, I don't think there is a very strong call to action button on individual
villas. Request a reservation is below the fold at the bottom of the right
sidebar.

Overall, right now it seems like your site is designed for window shopping,
not reservation setting.

~~~
dannomatic
Hey dude, that's because you were reading the blog post about the site update.
Try here: <http://demeure.com> we're very much taking real live reservations
and processing real live credit cards.

=)

