VFM Associates Website Redesign & Development

Project Overview

As Creative Lead at VFM Associates Ltd, I was responsibile for the redesign and rebuilt of the company website to better serve their international consultancy branches. I needed to deliver a solution that was not only performant and professional, but also maintainable by our in-house team without relying on external developers or complex technical dependencies.

Technical Approach

I chose a JAMstack architecture using Eleventy (11ty) as the static site generator, paired with Decap CMS (formerly Netlify CMS) for content management. This combination provided the perfect balance of performance, security, and editorial flexibility.

The static site approach delivered fast page loads and excellent SEO performance, crucial for a consultancy operating across UK, France, and Spain markets. By hosting on Netlify, I leveraged their global CDN, automated deployments via Git, and built-in form handling – eliminating the need for complex backend infrastructure.

Key Features & Implementation

Multi-language Architecture: Implemented i18n support to serve content in multiple languages, allowing VFM to maintain consistent messaging across their international offices while tailoring content for regional audiences.

Headless CMS Integration: Configured Decap CMS to provide a user-friendly editorial interface, enabling non-technical team members to update content independently. This Git-based CMS workflow maintained version control while abstracting away technical complexity.

Responsive Design System: Created a mobile-first, fully responsive design using semantic HTML and modern CSS, ensuring optimal viewing experiences from mobile devices to desktop displays.

Netlify Forms Integration: Implemented the contact form using Netlify's native form handling, providing instant email notifications and spam protection without requiring server-side code or third-party services.

Development Process

Starting with wireframes and design mockups, I established a clean, professional aesthetic centered on VFM's core values and service offerings. The monochromatic photography paired with strategic use of VFM's navy blue brand color created visual hierarchy while maintaining professional gravitas.

I structured the 11ty build to separate content from presentation, using templating to ensure consistency across pages while allowing flexibility for unique page layouts. The modular approach made it straightforward to extend functionality and maintain the codebase.

Outcomes

The completed site provided VFM Associates with a modern, performant web presence that:

• Reduced page load times significantly compared to their previous CMS-heavy solution
• Empowered content editors with an intuitive, Git-backed CMS
• Scaled effortlessly to support multiple languages and markets
• Required minimal ongoing maintenance due to the static architecture
• Achieved strong SEO performance through fast load times and semantic markup

This project marked my transition from designer to frontend developer, demonstrating that thoughtful technology choices and clean implementation can deliver exceptional results while prioritizing user experience and editorial workflow.

Technologies Used: Eleventy (11ty), Decap CMS, Netlify Hosting, Netlify Forms, HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, Git.