When addressed with the task of presenting a website and entering my blog, I was inspired to find a site that would push the envelope in complexity. The website that I’m presenting at www.cb2.com does exactly the opposite.
This retail website sells furniture and home accessories and you will find it successfully intriguing in its simplicity. When the site loads, the instant splash of color and product lets us know we have found the site we’re looking for. The use of bright colors paired with grey and black communicates the contemporary nature of the furniture and accessories. There are many products and categories on the site, but the clean organization and use of white space in the iconic product photography allows us to focus on where we want to go.
The type headings across the top of the website are paired with pictograms that further communicate the categories. The categories themselves, such as decorate, eat, and party, remind us not to take ourselves too seriously. Upon a choosing a category, a Flash sample immediately grabs our attention and presents a whimsical animation to our eyes. The animation quickly ends, and we are presented to the left with broad categories to choose from. Each of these broad categories is color coded with a new bright color that excites us invites us in for more fun.
I think the hierarchy in the layout of this website is structured in a logical way. It seamlessly takes you deeper into the site, and each layer quickly loads and presents more detailed information. Upon choosing one item, that product is cleanly presented and fully embraces the entire screen. We are then presented with even more options to view the object such as a table in not just one room setting, but actually different room settings. When you find a product you like, it seems to keep unfolding new information, anticipating the questions you may have.
Usually when a retail site gets to the boiler plate issues such as customer service or returns the fun and festivity quickly comes to an end. I invite you to click on careers, or gift cards and see that again, they have more Flash to dish up for us.
In conclusion, I think the complexity of this site is masked by its clear communication and consistency. The color palette and visual connections made this a stimulating site to navigate. The Flash animations enhanced the experience of the website rather than becoming an annoyance. One of the compelling reasons I wanted to showcase this site was because as a beginning Flash designer, it seemed beyond my current abilities but also seemed like it was something attainable.
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