Back in the summer of 2023, when I was sixteen, I spent a significant period focused on web development, building two distinct websites using the WordPress platform. Now, at seventeen, looking back, it was a valuable experience that involved tackling different challenges and objectives. The first project was about establishing my own online space, samuelkorenberg.com, whilst the second involved collaborating with my mum to create a professional website for her therapy practice here in London, capucinekorenberg.com.
My site
Building my own site, samuelkorenberg.com (where you are likely reading this), was an important project focused on creating my own digital identity and showcasing projects and interests I have taken up over the years. Using WordPress, I aimed for a clean and modern design to serve as an online portfolio documenting various aspects of my life.
It served as both a practical exercise in learning applying a new skill that I could leverage and utilise in my future, for example in aiding my mum with her Therapy business. This site also allowsto me to establish a refined and proffessional presence in the online world, which in this day and age is essential.
Therapy site
Alongside working on my own site, the project for my mum at capucinekorenberg.com required a different focus – more collaborative and client-oriented. We worked together to define what the site needed to achieve for her therapy practice, discussing everything from its structure and content to setting up professional email accounts linked to the domain. The goal was a professional, welcoming, and informative site built on WordPress that clearly communicated her services.
A key part of this project was the design. We decided to incorporate elements inspired by Hokusai’s ‘The Great Wave off Kanagawa’. This wasn’t arbitrary; it connects directly to my mum’s recognised expertise in Japanese art, partly known through her work at the British Museum. We integrated this theme into the WordPress design carefully, ensuring it felt personal and relevant to her profile, yet remained appropriate for a therapy context.
Functionality was also crucial. The site needed clear navigation and detailed service information. Using WordPress’s capabilities, we integrated booking and payment systems based on Paypal. However, we made a considered decision to launch the site with these features initially turned off. This phased approach allowed the website to go live and gain visibility, while giving my mum the flexibility to start managing online bookings when she was fully prepared as she was currently still in College.
Once the site was live and the booking system later activated, it proved effective. It was rewarding to see my mum’s schedule fill steadily over time, confirming the website was successfully connecting her with clients. Interestingly, the site also became a contact point for inquiries related to my mum’s Hokusai expertise. People already familiar with her reputation in the art world, perhaps through the British Museum, used the contact form to reach out. It highlighted how the website, combined with her existing profile, made her accessible.
That summer of development in 2023 was intensive but incredibly useful. Tackling two different WordPress projects simultaneously – one for personal branding, one client-focused – provided broad experience. It covered collaborating on requirements, design considerations, technical implementation using WordPress, strategic decisions like the phased rollout, and seeing the tangible results. It definitely solidified my technical skills and gave me a much better appreciation for how tailored websites can effectively serve specific, real-world purposes.
Leave a Reply