Pawlak Pipes
Website Redesign & Branding
Client:
Pawlak Pipes
Handmade Briar Pipes
My Role:
Designer, Developer & Project Manager
Timeline:
3 Weeks
Year:
2025
The Challenge
Michal Pawlak has been creating the highest quality handmade briar pipes for over a dozen years. Each pipe is a unique work of art, crafted individually with precision and care. However, his website wasn’t reflecting the quality of his craftsmanship.
The old website had several critical issues:
- Built on outdated Joomla CMS with no clear structure
- Lacked cohesive visual design
- Missing essential call-to-actions
- Poor content organization
- Minimal search engine visibility
The Goals:
Before
After
Key Improvements
Visual Identity:
- Complete rebrand with elegant black color palette and subtle yellow accents
- Carefully selected typography for a sophisticated, minimalist aesthetic
- Design lets the craftsmanship of the pipes take center stage
Information Architecture:
- Restructured navigation with clear sections: Available Pipes, Pipe Archive, My Workshop, and About Me
- Each section serves a distinct purpose in the customer journey
Content & Storytelling:
- Added compelling narrative about Michał’s journey and craftsmanship
- High-quality pipe photography against clean backgrounds
- Each pipe showcased as the unique work of art it is
User Experience:
- Clear calls-to-action throughout the site
- Fully responsive design for all devices
- Intuitive navigation and improved content flow
Technical Implementation
The website was completely rebuilt from the ground up, migrating from the outdated Joomla CMS to WordPress with a custom Divi template. This platform switch provided better content management capabilities while allowing for custom development. Key technical improvements included:
WordPress + Divi
Migrated to WordPress CMS with a custom-built Divi template, combining visual design flexibility with custom code for enhanced functionality
Image Optimization
Compressed, properly sized images maintaining quality while ensuring fast load times
Custom Development
Enhanced the Divi template with custom HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to achieve the exact design vision and unique interactions
Analytics Integration
Google Analytics and Search Console for tracking visitor behavior and search performance
SEO Optimization
Semantic markup, meta descriptions, alt tags, and proper heading hierarchy for improved search engine visibility
Content Management
WordPress backend allows Michal to easily update available pipes, archive sold pieces, and manage content without technical knowledge
The Results
Following the website launch and Google indexing, the site experienced immediate improvements:
- Significant increase in organic search traffic
- Sales skyrocketed compared to the old website
- Improved search engine rankings
- Better user engagement and time on site
- Professional online presence that matches the quality of the craftsmanship
Takeaways
This project demonstrated how crucial it is for an online presence to match the quality of the product it represents. For artisan makers like Michał Pawlak, the website is the primary way potential customers experience the craftsmanship before making a purchase.
The three-week timeline proved that a focused redesign with clear goals can deliver transformative results. The immediate traffic increase and sales boost validated that sometimes the best approach is to strip everything back and rebuild with purpose, rather than trying to patch an outdated system.
Ready to set sail?
Let’s map out your digital journey together. Whether your site needs a refresh, your brand needs personality, or your marketing needs momentum - I’m here to navigate.