WordPress Web Design Melbourne
WordPress design your team can actually manage
I design and build custom WordPress websites that look like they were made for the brand, not assembled from a theme template. The result is a site your team can actually manage day to day without needing a developer for routine updates, and that your developers can build from accurately the first time.
Why WordPress is still the right choice for most businesses
Flexible, manageable, and built to last
WordPress powers a significant portion of the web for good reason. It is flexible, well-supported, genuinely manageable for non-technical teams, and has a plugin and integration ecosystem that covers almost any requirement. A well-built custom WordPress site gives you the control of a proprietary platform without the lock-in, and the freedom to update your own content without calling a developer every time.
Your team can manage it themselves
One of the biggest frustrations with bespoke or platform-built websites is needing a developer every time something needs changing. A properly built WordPress site with a well-structured Gutenberg block setup means your team can update content, add pages, swap images, and manage the site confidently without technical support for routine tasks.
Custom design, not a theme compromise
Most WordPress sites look like WordPress sites because they are built on off-the-shelf themes with the logo swapped out. A custom theme built on the approved design means the site looks and behaves exactly as designed, with no visible compromises forced by a template that was not built for this brand.
Performance and SEO built in from the start
Bloated WordPress sites loaded with page builders and unnecessary plugins are slow and hard to maintain. I build lean, clean themes with minimal plugin dependency, proper image handling, and SEO fundamentals built into the page structure from the start. A well-built WordPress site performs as well as most modern web platforms in practice.
Who I work with
I work with businesses and organisations that need a well-built WordPress site they can manage themselves, and with agencies that need a reliable WordPress designer and developer for client projects.
“Ash’s professional approach and experience allow him to seamlessly collaborate with both our team and our clients. His ability to deliver exceptional work across various disciplines has consistently impressed clients, who always rave about his creativity and professionalism. We couldn’t ask for a more reliable team player.”
Josh Hall
Art Director @ MKTG Sports + Entertainment
“Working with Ash is always a pleasure. His expertise in CSS and JavaScript animation libraries add a polished touch to projects. His handovers are clear and thorough, and he’s great to collaborate with during a build to keep everything on track. It’s rare to find someone with such a strong grasp of both design and development.”
Rao Abid Ali
Lead Developer @ BJM Digital
“We’ve been working with Ash for years now and he never disappoints. His wealth of web and UI experience has been invaluable to our digital offering, and clients love him for it. He brings an extra layer of craft and polish to everything he touches.”
Chris Harris
Creative Director & Founder @ Redkite.Design Agency
Chris Harris“Working with Ash was one of those rare experiences where the work comes back better than you imagined. His ability to bring motion and storytelling into a digital experience is genuinely impressive, and he does it without making it feel overdone. Real craft.”
Lee Mate
Head of Digital @ Excite Media Agency
“Ash is the definition of a pro. His creativity is consistent, industry-leading, and bang on time. Clients love when Ash is at the helm; he always listens intently where you feel totally heard, all the while his capabilities and understanding give total confidence in the design direction and execution of every project.”
Senior UX Designer @ GS1 Australia
“Working with Ash as a fellow designer was a great experience. He understood the brief quickly, worked confidently within the existing brand, and produced work that genuinely elevated what we had. His handovers were clean and well-considered, which made the whole process feel collaborative rather than transactional. I’d work with him again without hesitation.”
Product Designer @ TIG Freight
“Ash made the whole process straightforward from start to finish. He took the time to understand what TIG needed, asked the right questions, and came back with a site that genuinely reflects who we are as a business. Communication was clear throughout and the end result has made a real difference to how we present ourselves online.”
Marketing Manager @ TIG Freight
“Ash was a strong addition to the ThreeScoops team. He operates at a senior level across web, UI and brand, and consistently delivered work that clients were genuinely excited about. He fits into an agency environment naturally, takes direction well, and brings his own ideas to the table when it counts. Reliable, talented, and great to work with.”
Art Director @ ThreeScoops Creative
“From a developer’s perspective, Ash is exactly who you want designing the things you have to build. His files are well-organised, his components are logical, and he actually understands how things get built. He’s easy to collaborate with during a build and always open to a conversation if something needs to be adjusted. It genuinely makes the development process smoother when Ash has done the design work.”
Senior Developer @ BJM Digital
“Ash was a core part of the BJM Digital team for six years and his contribution to the agency was significant. He brought a level of craft and consistency to every project that clients noticed and appreciated, and he played a real role in helping us grow our digital offering. He’s the kind of designer who takes ownership of his work and makes everyone around him better. I’d recommend him without reservation.”
Director @ BJM Digital
“Ash is one of the most reliable designers I have worked with. He hit his deadlines, communicated clearly, and consistently produced work that clients got excited about. The feedback we received from clients about working with Ash was always positive, which says a lot.”
Digital Optimisation @ DuluxGroup
“Working with Ash was straightforward in the best possible way. He understood briefs quickly, delivered work that rarely needed significant revision, and clients genuinely enjoyed working with him. We regularly got unsolicited positive feedback from clients about Ash specifically, which is not something you can say about every designer.”
Senior Project Manager @ Jetstar
WordPress design and build process
From strategy and design through to a live, manageable WordPress site
Tools & Apps
01. Discovery and Strategy
Before anything gets designed I want to understand the business, the audience, and what the site needs to achieve. Who is it for, what do they need to do on it, and what does success look like for the organisation? This stage shapes every decision that follows.
Business and Audience Research
Understanding who the site is for and what they need to do on it. The better this is defined, the better every design and build decision that follows.
Competitor and Market Review
Reviewing what competitors and comparable organisations are doing online. Where the opportunities are to stand out and where the baseline expectations are.
Goals and Success Metrics
Agreeing on what the site needs to achieve so the design and build are pointed at real outcomes rather than just a visual deliverable.
02. Information Architecture and Sitemap
Structuring the site so users can find what they need and search engines can understand what each page is about. Page hierarchy, navigation, and content groupings all mapped and agreed before visual design begins.
Sitemap and Page Hierarchy
A clear map of every page, how they relate to each other, and how users move between them. Agreed before design begins so there are no structural surprises mid-project.
SEO-Structured Architecture
Page naming, URL structures, and content groupings built with search intent in mind from the start, not retrofitted after the site is built.
Navigation Design
Primary, secondary, and mobile navigation designed for clarity across all devices. Navigation that is obvious to first-time visitors and efficient for returning ones.
03. Wireframes and Prototype
Lo-fi wireframes establish layout and content structure before visual design begins. Once agreed, high-fidelity designs in Figma bring the site to life. Interactive prototypes let you click through the experience before a line of code is written.
Lo-fi Wireframes
Fast, low-detail layouts that establish content hierarchy and page structure before visual design begins. Easy and cheap to change at this stage.
High-Fidelity Design
Full visual design in Figma for every page template. Everything designed to production quality, including responsive behaviour across breakpoints.
Interactive Prototype
A clickable Figma prototype so you can see how the site feels to use before build begins. Sign off on the experience, not just the visuals.
04. WordPress Theme Build
Custom WordPress theme development built on the approved designs. Clean, well-structured code with a Gutenberg block editor setup that gives your team the flexibility to update content independently without touching the underlying theme.
Custom Theme Development
Bespoke theme built to match the approved designs precisely. No page builder templates, no off-the-shelf theme with the logo swapped out.
Block Editor and CMS Setup
Custom Gutenberg blocks and content structures that make updating the site intuitive for non-technical users. Your team should be able to manage content without needing to understand how the site is built.
Plugin Integration
Forms, CRM connections, e-commerce, membership, and other third-party integrations configured and styled to match the site design throughout.
05. Performance and SEO
A slow WordPress site with thin SEO foundations is a missed opportunity. I build performance in from the start and treat SEO structure as part of the build, not an afterthought. The result is a site that loads quickly and gives search engines everything they need to rank it properly.
Page Speed Optimisation
Image compression, lazy loading, clean code, minimal plugins, and proper caching configuration. Fast load times improve both user experience and search rankings.
SEO Foundations
Semantic HTML markup, heading hierarchy, image alt text, meta data setup, internal linking, and clean URL structures built in from the start and reviewed before launch.
Responsive and Mobile Performance
Every template built and tested across mobile, tablet, and desktop. Performance and layout checked at every breakpoint before sign-off.
06. Launch and Handover
Pre-launch testing across browsers and devices, performance checks, and a structured handover so your team can manage the site confidently from day one. I do not hand over a finished site and disappear.
Pre-Launch Testing
Cross-browser and device testing, performance auditing, broken link checks, form testing, and a final SEO review before anything goes live.
CMS Training
A proper walkthrough of the CMS so your team knows how to update content, add pages, manage media, and keep the site running without needing developer support for routine tasks.
Documentation
Written documentation covering how the site is structured, what each block and template does, and how to handle common content updates. Useful for onboarding new team members down the track.
Featured WordPress projects
A selection of WordPress design and build projects across a range of industries and organisations.
More services
Get the full creative solution with my other services.
- View Service: eCommerce Web Design
eCommerce Web Design
WooCommerce design and builds that make browsing feel natural and buying feel easy. Designed around how customers actually shop, from product page through to checkout.
- View Service: Freelance Designer For Agencies
Freelance Designer For Agencies
Senior web and UI design delivered under your agency’s banner. White-label, embedded, or project-based. No overhead, no management layers, just reliable senior design.
- View Service: Web App Design
Web App Design
UX strategy and UI design for web applications and digital products. From user flows and wireframes through to a fully documented Figma handover ready for development.
- View Service: UI Design
UI Design
Interface design for web platforms, dashboards, and digital products. Wireframes, prototypes, and production-ready Figma files your development team can build from accurately.
- View Service: Design Systems
Design Systems
Figma component libraries, design tokens, and documentation that keep large UI projects consistent and scalable. Built so your team actually uses it, not just references it.
- View Service: Web Design
Web Design
Strategy, responsive design, and WordPress builds for businesses and organisations across Melbourne and Australia. Designed to perform as well as it looks.
WordPress web design questions
Common questions about custom WordPress design and builds
Why use WordPress over a website builder like Squarespace or Wix?
WordPress gives you significantly more control and flexibility than most website builders. You own the code, you are not locked into a proprietary platform, and you can extend it with virtually any functionality you need. For businesses that want a site that grows with them, integrates with existing tools, and can be customised without limits, WordPress is still the most practical choice for most projects.
What is the difference between a custom WordPress theme and an off-the-shelf theme?
An off-the-shelf theme is built to work for thousands of different websites. It comes with compromises, unnecessary features, and visual patterns that were not designed for your brand. A custom theme is built specifically for your site, your content, and your brand. It performs better, looks more considered, and is easier to maintain because there is no unused code or features getting in the way.
Will I be able to update the site myself after launch?
Yes. I build WordPress sites specifically so that your team can manage content, add pages, update images, and keep the site current without needing a developer for routine tasks. I set up the block editor in a way that makes sense for how you actually work, and I do a proper CMS training session at handover.
Do you use page builders like Elementor or Divi?
No. I build on the native WordPress block editor with custom Gutenberg blocks where needed. Page builders add significant bloat, slow sites down, and create long-term maintenance headaches. A custom block editor setup gives your team the same flexibility without the performance and maintenance cost.
How do you handle SEO in a WordPress build?
SEO fundamentals are built into the site structure from the start. Semantic HTML, heading hierarchy, clean URL structures, meta data setup via Yoast or a similar plugin, image alt text, internal linking, and page speed are all addressed as part of the build rather than added as an afterthought. I do not do ongoing SEO or content strategy, but the technical foundation will be solid from launch.
Can you redesign an existing WordPress site rather than rebuild from scratch?
Yes. Whether the brief is a full visual redesign, improving performance on an existing build, or cleaning up a site that has grown messy over time, I can work with what is already there where it makes sense. Get in touch with the details and I can let you know the most practical approach.
How long does a WordPress project take?
A straightforward business website typically runs 6 to 10 weeks from kick-off to launch. Larger or more complex sites take longer. I give a realistic timeline at the proposal stage and flag changes early if anything shifts.
What is your availability?
I take on a limited number of projects at a time to make sure each one gets the attention it needs. Get in touch with your timeline and I can let you know what is possible.
Want to discuss a WordPress design and build project? Get in touch.