Web design isn't rocket science, It's about asking the right questions
Our team has been asking clients of all shapes and sizes those questions for more than two decades.
So if you need help building a website; we're pretty confident that you've come to the right place.
We can help you to build your brand, drive your sales, raise awareness for your cause or increase your agency production capacity.
We've helped some of the UK's leading digital communications agencies to increase their production capacity. If necessary, we can offer a white-label design, build and hosting service.
Our work in the tourism, museums and visitor attractions industries has brought opportunities to work with online ticketing and collection database software integrations.
Our recent portfolio includes Events and Customer Relations Management systems. E-Surveys, E-learning and Resource Portals for both the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare industries.
We offer an agency level service for a fraction of the cost
Led by creative director, graphic designer and digital marketer Michael Auty - the team is experienced, independent and lucky enough to be based in both Sheffield and Leeds.
We're supported by a raft of award winning Copywriters, SEO, Social Media, brand development and advertising specialists.
All of this means that we're able to offer a service that competes with the big guns; yet comes with an affordable freelance price tag. Great news for you and your project.
Our team is small; we keep our overheads low so that your budgets can remain realistic. We work quickly, drawing on years of experience to deploy stable technical solutions.
We don't believe in asking you to support our fancy offices, Füssball tables and large project management teams; we think it's best if you talk directly to the designer and developer responsible for the design and build of your website.
This way, we’ll ensure that you're able to influence the design process effectively.
Our first large e-commerce website. Built on the leading open-source Magento platform and heavily integrated with point of sale software from Microsoft RMS in order to provide stock control across the website and 3 retail locations.
We re-rationalised the navigational structure and brought the site up to date, ensuring consistency of the brand messaging alongside printed materials and advertising output.
We don't believe in writing proprietary software that ties our clients into unbreakable contracts.
Using a project and budget relevant mixture of (.NET and PHP) open source e-commerce and content management systems to deliver our websites means that our clients enjoy a cost effective and sustainable online strategy that affords them flexibility, freedom and choice.
Technically - our sites will stand
shoulder to shoulder with work from any of the worlds largest digital agencies. We use the same high-speed, super scalable, up-time guaranteed hosting providers that they do; So that our customers can enjoy peace of mind when it comes to site security and data safety.
There isn't an SEO or website accessibility consultant on the planet that can tell us something we don't already know; we write fluent cross browser HTML5 / CSS3 and adhere to the the latest W3C web standards.
We pride ourselves on transparency, honesty and our no nonsense approach
We've worked on a wide variety of projects spanning everything from boutique businesses through small to medium sized enterprises, charities, not-for-profits and global corporations.
Covering the tourism, media, museums, retail, healthcare, technology, software and manufacturing industries; across both public and private sectors. Recently we've delivered
E-commerce platforms with Point Of Sale stock integration across multiple stores; Event, Ticketing, E-Learning and Customer Relations Management tools.
We've built blogs, photography, and architecture portfolios, asset management portals and educational resources.
We think it's fair to say that our team has a strong track record.
How can we help?
Our clients come in all shapes & sizes
Small to medium size businesses and charities
Do you need a small website to showcase your services or product? Are you looking for a blog or product / service portfolio site that you can maintain and update yourself? We can provide:
Bespoke site design and CMS integration from around the £900 mark
Simple online shops from approximately £1750
Google Analytics and Simple SEO tools come as standard with all our sites
Simple websites from £600
Corporate clients in the public and private sectors
For websites and e-commerce systems that demand more advanced functionality. We customise content management platforms such as Sitefinity, Orchard and Magento. We have great experience integrating:
The culmination of many months work in re-rationalising the hierarchy of business objectives, understanding the marketplace and the users journey through the decision making process led us to the crafting and re-shaping of content in order to communicate the core values of the Origin Global brand while providing real-time tools with which to aid the sales process.
Clients with Google top-spots for highly contested search terms are music to our ears. We undertook this project with relish - streamlining the proposition in order to bring the sales message up-to-date with current 'web-thinking'.
The results speak for themselves.
Role: Concept, Information Architecture, Design, CSS.
Working closely with the Opus Independents team; madewithpixels is very proud of what we've achieved in bringing the beautiful look and feel of this independent Sheffield based print magazine to the web.
We used a heavily customised Wordpress to bring in-page editing of design heavy article pages - ensuring that the integrity of the Now Then brand identity remained true to the printed original.
Easily the most beautiful thing we've ever made with pixels.
Role: Concept, Information Architecture, Design, HTML/CSS, Project Management, CMS integration and development
Providing technical consultancy and build services to the talented Peter and Paul; madewithpixels collaborated on the MW-A website to provide a slick front-end experience and content management system for a heavily javascript enabled website for this London based Archtitects.
During 2012, Arc Heritage asked madewithpixels if we'd like to help document the history of Sheffield's iconic Castle Market. Due for relocation at the tail end of 2013; the market has a rich and colourful history. Using written or drawn submissions and stories, oral history recordings and both archive and contemporary photography; madewithpixels used a customised Wordpress installation to provide a stable and extensible content management system with which the project team can use to keep the content up-to-date.
Working with more beautiful branding from the wonderful Ward 57 design helped to lead the look and feel of the project. Lomo photography and typography set in Sheffield font foundry Stephenson Blake's Grotesque#9 helped matters along nicely.
Another collaboration with design and branding agency Peter and Paul. We performed a design consultancy and build role working with work from Peter and Paul's graphic designers to integrate a heavily customised Wordpress installation that provides the client with a fully content managed solution.
With site design and development undertaken entirely in-house; madewithpixels also developed the Stephen McCulley brand identity and art-directed the illustrated tiling backdrops produced by the fantastic Studio-Binky. We deployed a heavily customised Wordpress installation to provide a fully featured and highly extensible content management system enabling the client to take direct control of their content and SEO strategy with an easily understandable toolset.
Role: Information Architecture, HTML/CSS, Project Management, CMS integration
We were approached in the summer of 2013 to help this startup company find their feet with a web presence; Starting from a 'content comes first' perspective was key to the success of this small but perfectly formed static website.
madewithpixels likes projects with a social conscience. In 2011 we were approached by the Sheffield City Council Woodlands Team and Arc Heritage to produce a website which would document the existing Archaeological Site Survey of local landmark and designated National Monument and Conservation Area Wincobank Hill; Providing further interpretive content from both experts and amateurs alike in order to provide a context for the identification and understanding of this important historical resource.
A fully featured content management system and Google Map integration come together to provide a rich browsing experience that allows the user to explore, discover and most importantly; contribute to the future development of the project.
Another collaboration with lovely design and branding agency Peter and Paul. We performed a technical design consultancy role working with their graphic designers to integrate a heavily customised Wordpress installation that provides the client with a fully content managed solution.
Our first large e-commerce website. Built on the leading open-source Magento platform and heavily integrated with point of sale software from Microsoft RMS in order to provide stock control across both the website and the organisations three retail locations.
In order to improve the users experience; we re-rationalised the navigational structure and brought the aesthetics up to date, ensuring consistency of the brand messaging alongside printed materials and advertising output.
The Insight CBT Partnership has focussed 10 years of research and training of mental health teams and home carers in CBT for patients with severe schizophrenia.
In early 2010 we launched an online brand and resource portal that helps to connect the Insight Partnership with it's audience and the wider healthcare industry at large. Providing a platform from which CBT trainers and trainees can meet, interact and gain knowledge and training on the cutting edge of cognitive behavioural therapy.
We used our old favourite Telerik's Sitefinity CMS to provide full content and user management. Customising the software heavily to add case study Q&A sessions, chat rooms and PayPal payment integration for the varying levels of membership.
Role: Concept, Information Architecture, Design, HTML/CSS, Project Management
As part of the 2014 Festival of the Mind, the lovely people at Now Then Magazine asked us to help them conceptulaise a website based around a multi-platform project that used mixed media to raise awareness about issues of Fairness in Sheffield.
Role: Design Concept, Information Architecture, Design.
Our long standing relationship with the Continuum Group affords us the opportunity to understand their business needs with great clarity
When they asked us to help them re-rationalise their exisiting web-presence we were delighted. Taking cues from up-to-date portfolio style website design we developed a fully content managed publising platform that allows for the creation of some atypically creative page layouts.
Another collaboration with design and branding agency Peter and Paul. We provided technical build services, working with their graphic designers to integrate a heavily customised Wordpress installation that provides the client with a fully content managed solution.
madewithpixels works closely with this popular visitor attraction to provide a comprehensive information portal for prospective visitors. Comprising both a desktop layout and responsive mobile site; Plus integration with a third party booking and CRM system - the graphical approach of this website is annually re-designed to stay inline with the attractions offline branded materials.
The content management system includes full in-page editing, masthead graphics and feature-box management in order to provide the client with powerful ways in which to communicate brand values and special offers to their audience.
Role: Concept, Information Architecture, Design, HTML/CSS, Project Management
The team at SOYO have got a good grip on the importance of effective graphic design in shaping their business identity.
Teleriks Sitefinity Content Management System provides full site publishing and the solution also Event management and offers the user great ways to interact with the site such as Blogs, 'members-only areas' and online Cocktail menus. Facebook integrated online booking forms complete the package in order that Soyo can continue to engage with its audience with targetted and focussed communications .
Role: Concept, Information Architecture, Design, HTML/CSS, Project Management
We took inspiration from local artist Geo Law's illustration for the Monday night event at Soyo for this review and rich media based website. Using Wordpress as a basis for content management; we customised the technology to provide a more comprehensive tool-set and designed an atypical layout that would communicate the brand values of the event.
Role: Information Architecture, Design, HTML/CSS, CMS Integration, Project Management
Another collaboration; this time with Kiosk - ex Designers Republic's founding member David Bailey's branding and advertising agency.
madewithpixels performed a technical build and web-design consultancy role to support the branding and page layouts provided by Kiosk. We used a customised installation of Wordpress to provide the client with a fully featured content management system, Google analytics access and solid SEO tools.
Role: Information Architecture, HTML/CSS, Project Management, CMS integration
Our friends at Soyo in conjunction with Sheffield City Council and South Yorkshire Police asked us to help the local club and pub management community put together this small website promoting the avoidance of noise nuisance in Sheffield City Centre.
madewithpixels works closely with this visitor attraction at the heart of Edinburgh's Royal Mile to provide a comprehensive information portal for prospective visitors. Comprising both a desktop layout and responsive mobile site; Plus integration with a third party booking and CRM system - the graphical approach of this website is annually re-designed to stay inline with the attractions offline branded materials.
The integrated content management system includes full in-page editing, masthead graphics and feature-box management in order to provide the client with powerful ways in which to communicate brand values and special offers to their audience.
Role: Concept, Information Architecture, Design, HTML/CSS, Project Management
Another collaboration with Peter and Paul. This time - they provided branding and illustration assets to support the concept, graphic-design and production build which was done in-house at madewithpixels. The use of parallax effects and javascript animation brings a sense of movement and dynamism to a simple layout. We had fun with this one and it shows.
Role: Concept, Information Architecture, Design, HTML/CSS, Project Management
The most enjoyable projects are always the ones in which your client gives you full trust and an open brief. 'Create something beautiful' they said; we'll let you be the judge of whether we achieved that.
Utilising an extremely atypical layout and taking visual cues from the wonderful local artist Michael Latimer's artwork we created a heavily customised Wordpress site that allows Opus Independents to showcase their art, music and spoken word events; Communicate with their readership via the now ubiquitous blog and most importantly - provided a cost-effective extra income stream by building a simple online shop with which the organisation could sell merchandise, subscriptions and back-issues of it's popular Now Then Magazine.
Role: Concept, Information Architecture, Design, HTML/CSS, Project Management, CMS integration and development
Mednet provide training to NHS mental health practitioners
In conjunction with pharmaceutical giant Janssen Cilag; madewithpixels launched a fully content managed website featuring Assessed and Certified Online Tests, Customer Surveys and Event Management functionality in order to provide Mednet with a suite of business tools that address their developing business needs.
Role: Concept, Information Architecture, Design, HTML/CSS, Project Management
Small but perfectly formed; this fully content managed portfolio website uses an atypical layout and navigational devices in order to present the photographers images with as much impact as possible. Strong use of javascript holds the layout together, providing a rich browsing experience.
In the Summer of 2009 madewithpixels launched this fully content managed website and online learning resource for Creswell Crags in conjunction with the British Museum.
The site integrates functionality from Google maps and the Museums offline object database; allowing the user to explore the surrounding heritage area and providing access to the object collection and research resource for those not able to visit in person.
The site features blogs, forums, event management, downloads, polls, research resources and many more exciting features which ensure that this has become one of the countries premier visitor attraction websites.
Creswell Crags is powered by Telerik Sitefinity CMS
Role: Concept, Information Architecture, Design, HTML/CSS, Project Management
Providing technical design consultancy to branding agency Peter and Paul; madewithpixels collaborated on the Bespoke Homes website to provide technical build and a slick front-end experience with a full featuered content management system for this heavily javascript enabled website which showcases high-end architecture for London based properties.
This leading software compliance asset management company based in Sheffield approached us in 2012. Their software is highly technical and their market technically savvy - armed with a strong marketing team; Qualsys understand their audience beautifully and understand that their audience engagement is a critical factor in facilitating a positive reaction from the buyer; After all - their decision is an important and expensive one.
Working in a purely graphic design capacity; madewithpixels produced an extensive set of page templates and layout guides for their in-house development team to integrate with their content management platform.
ay-pe provide CGI, video production and interpretive media services from their semi-rural location near York, North Yorkshire. A minimalist design approach and some funky javascript effects bring this website and integrated Wordpress blog to life. Providing a platform for ay-pe to showcase their incredibly creative work and engage with their audience.
Role: Concept, Information Architecture, Design, HTML/CSS, WordPress Integration Project Management
madewithpixels works closely with this important visitor attraction to provide a comprehensive information portal for prospective visitors. Comprising both a desktop layout and responsive mobile site; Plus integration with a third party booking and CRM system - the graphical approach of this website is annually re-designed to stay inline with the attractions offline branded materials.
The content management system includes full in-page editing, masthead graphics and feature-box management in order to provide the client with powerful ways in which to communicate brand values and special offers to their audience.
Role: Concept, Information Architecture, Design, HTML/CSS, Project Management
Working with like-minds is always a pleasure. When our friends at Club60 asked us to help out with their web presence we jumped at the chance. Working with another piece of branding from Ward 57 Design and collaborating with them on design we re-rationalised the colour palette and hierarchy of content in order to re-purpose the site into something a bit more business-like and upfront with the proposition.
Role: Concept, Information Architecture, Design, HTML/CSS, Wordpress Integration
madewithpixels works closely with this popular visitor attraction to provide a comprehensive information portal for prospective visitors. Comprising both a desktop layout and responsive mobile site; Plus integration with a third party booking and CRM system - the graphical approach of this website is annually re-designed to stay inline with the attractions offline branded materials.
The integrated content management system includes full in-page editing, masthead graphics and feature-box management in order to provide the client with powerful ways in which to communicate brand values and special offers to their audience.
Role: Concept, Information Architecture, Design, HTML/CSS, Project Management
I've worked with some great web designers in my time. But the team @madewithpixels are absolutely amazing.
Andrew Coulthard,
Director - Futura Consulting
We have worked with madewithpixels for a number of years, this reflects on their great understanding of our requirements and their hard work in meeting our needs
Maria Smith,
Creswell Heritage Trust
They provided all of the features we asked for at a price the other design companies we approached couldn't even get close to.
Mark Welch,
Manager, SOYO
Michael is a passionate designer with the ability to grasp difficult concepts and translate these into stunning visuals for the web.
Darren Bristow,
Director - Quba New Media
madewithpixels are responsible for successfully translating the Now Then design aesthetic to the web. After careful consideration of our requirements and our brand image, they produced a functional custom-built website which sits proudly alongside the printed magazine. Friendly, approachable and always available, Michael is a versatile designer with a flair for creativity and good eye for what works. Highly recommended.
Sam Walby,
Editor - Now Then Magazine
Michael is one of the best designers we have used in terms of creativity and understanding of user centred design.
Matthew Williams,
Director - Quba New Media
madewithpixels take basic concepts and create something both beautiful and functional. Through their passion and hard work, the results speak for themselves.
Matt Cottril,
Founder - SOYO Live
The team at madewithpixels made E-commerce look easy. We couldn't be happier with our new site. Great service, great price. Thanks very much!
Simon Spinks,
Managing Director, Aquaculture