Colette Smith
colette smith
Woodbridge, Suffolk UK
Frontend Developer and Designer
Services
Squarespace Design and Dev, Website Tweaks, Website Tweaks, SEO Strategy, Photography, Brand Design
Course Taken
Standout Squarespace
01
Hi! My name is Colette Smith and I’m a Frontend Developer and Designer based in Woodbridge, Suffolk UK.
02
Outside work you will often find me with headphones on, exploring the latest art exhibitions, taking photos, dabbling in some diy, reading some trashy crime novels, practicing yoga, or just hanging out with my dogs and family. (VIEW)
03
But on a typical workday, I am usually deep in design work or debugging some code! You can often find me tweaking a website's layout, brainstorming solutions with my team, or dreaming up new ideas for a development collaboration—essentially, I'm always busy running my studio.
04
My day usually starts with COFFEEEEE.
05
Most of the time I am working on integrating micro interactions and animations.
“CS_STUDIO is a UK based independent creative studio, founded by Colette in 2018. Her approach is strategic and collaborative, bringing fresh ideas and a contemporary concept to her projects. She holds a software engineering certification, with a specialism in front end development.
Colette studied BA Fine Art at Central St Martins, University of the Arts, London.”
06
What are your first memories of the Internet?
I remember making myself a pure HTML site for my photography portfolio straight out of art school. It was definitely brutalist ... very basic CSS then!
07
What is the best part about the process of building websites for you?
The best part about building websites is the opportunity to create a platform that truly reflects who my clients are and showcases them at their best. It's incredibly rewarding to transform their vision into a functional and aesthetically pleasing online presence that not only meets their needs but also enhances their brand's image.
08
What is your favorite stretch or pastime in between coding?
Cuddling my dogs!
09
How would you describe your Standout Style in 2-3 words? Bold. Masculine. Monochromatic.
10
Share your unique style, your design philosophy and/or aesthetics that appeal to you.
I consider myself a design chameleon. I love studying vintage magazines and books to gather inspo as much as I love seeing what's new on Pinterest. I try my best to combine the best of new and old while providing a safety net depending on the niche my clients are in.
11
Which Standout workshops do you find yourself incorporating most often on your website projects?
STICKY CARDS! I love this feature and I’ve used it a few times, in the sites below. Croftcode →Simulated Aesthetic Scenarios →
12
What makes your work standout?
What makes my work stand out is the unique blend of artistic sensibility and technical expertise that I bring to each project. With a foundation in fine art from Central St. Martins and a specialisation in front-end development, I approach website design not just as a technical challenge, but as an artistic endeavour. This allows me to create bespoke websites that are not only technically robust but also visually compelling and perfectly tailored to each client’s brand and audience.
13
What are the biggest takeaways from the Standout programs?
Some of my biggest takeaways from the Standout programs revolve around maximising the potential of tools like Squarespace to deliver fully customised websites. I've learned to push the boundaries of standard templates by applying unconventional design techniques and advanced coding. This approach allows me to transform basic layouts into unique, tailored web experiences that stand out. It’s taught me the importance of thinking outside the box and adapting tools to meet specific artistic visions and functional demands.
Also the level of support received on the course was unparalleled.
14
What is your dream website project?
I would love to build a beautiful clean website for an architecture firm.
