One of the biggest challenges in website design is striking a balance between aesthetics and functionality. Users expect an engaging experience, but poor usability can hurt engagement and conversions. This dilemma is especially pronounced in high-interaction components like search modules, booking flows, and navigations, where clarity and efficiency are just as crucial as branding and design.
This challenge was evident in a recent self-storage website redesign, where customers needed quick, seamless access to essential information to choose their perfect solution. Whether they’re comparing unit sizes, checking availability, or making a reservation, an intuitive and efficient website experience is critical to their decision-making process.
Through user research, we pinpointed friction points like confusing navigation and overwhelming content. We streamlined navigation, clarified content hierarchy, and optimized the search module for quick, effortless reservations. These updates resulted in a seamless, efficient, and visually engaging experience that strengthened usability and brand perception.
Aesthetics vs. Functionality: Why Both Matter to the User
Aesthetics play a key role in shaping user perception of a brand. A well-executed visual design creates an immediate emotional connection, influencing how users feel before engaging with the content. A sleek, well-designed interface signals professionalism and reliability—critical business factors.
However, aesthetics must be paired with a seamless user experience to be truly effective. If users struggle to find what they need, they will leave. Research from the Nielsen Norman Group highlights how usability issues can negatively impact business—no matter how stunning a site may be. Their studies reveal:
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Loss of Potential Sales: NNG estimates that approximately 50% of potential sales are lost because users cannot find what they need on a website.
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Reduced Repeat Visits: Around 40% of users do not return to a site after a negative first experience
This data reinforces the need for concise, well-structured content. While an attractive design may initially capture attention, poor usability leads to frustration and departure. Every design choice must enhance usability, not just brand aesthetics.
Striking a Balance: A User-Centered Approach to UX Design
At Red Door Interactive, we believe that great design is where aesthetics and functionality meet. A user-centered design approach ensures that we don’t just create visually appealing websites—we create digital experiences that are intuitive, efficient, and drive results. This means understanding exactly how visitors interact with a website's key digital touchpoints.
Our process begins with deep user research and testing to uncover pain points and identify opportunities for improvement. By studying real user behavior, we ensure that every design decision is backed by data, not just intuition.
To study user behavior on a high-traffic area (like a search module or navigation) we might set up A/B tests to compare how users interact across various design options to identify friction points. Examples of A/B tests might include how:
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An animated vs. static dropdown. Does animation help guide the user or slow them down?
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A vibrant vs. neutral color scheme. Does it direct their attention or create a distraction?
We can refine design choices by assessing how elements impact user decisions to achieve a seamless balance between aesthetics and usability. Our goal is to create an interface that is visually engaging and frictionless in functionality, ensuring users can accomplish their goals effortlessly.
Unpacking the UX Challenge for Our Self-Storage Website Redesign
The self-storage website redesign provided a perfect opportunity to put our balanced approach to the test. With customers relying on the search module to quickly locate and reserve storage units, it was critical to design an experience that was both visually engaging and frictionless in functionality. Our goal was to create an intuitive journey that guided users seamlessly from search to selection without unnecessary distractions or barriers.
Prioritizing Usability
Before refining the visual design, we focused on usability. We simplified the navigation, ensured highly legible typography, and structured search modules to provide relevant information at a glance. One key aspect of this process was designing a search experience that guided users naturally, reducing friction in their journey from search to booking.
For example, storage unit details needed to be clear without overwhelming users. Rather than cluttering the interface with excessive text, we used concise labels and intuitive icons to communicate essential information quickly. These labels and icons allowed users to scan options effortlessly and make informed decisions without frustration.
Enhancing with Aesthetics
Once the foundation of usability was set, we layered in visual elements to reinforce brand identity while maintaining clarity. Drawing from modern design principles, we incorporated clean lines, subtle animations, and a strategic color palette that created an engaging yet effortless digital experience.
Google’s Material Design principles served as a helpful framework for this process. As Steve Jobs famously said, "Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works." We keep this philosophy at the core of every decision.
Keeping it Simple
Since more than half of self-storage customers browse on mobile devices, ensuring a streamlined experience was essential. Studies show that reducing cognitive load—by minimizing unnecessary steps and decluttering the interface—can significantly improve conversion rates. With this in mind, we focused on simplifying key interactions.
Through intentional design choices, we eliminated unnecessary elements, reduced steps in the booking process, and ensured that the site remained intuitive across all platforms. The end result? A digital experience that looks great, functions seamlessly, and guides users toward their goals without unnecessary complexity.
By prioritizing usability first, we refined key interaction points, ensuring that navigation was clear, information was digestible, and calls to action were easily accessible. Once the foundational functionality was in place, we layered in aesthetics that complemented the experience, leveraging modern design principles, subtle animations, and a brand-aligned color palette to create an interface that was both inviting and highly effective.
Making Space for Smarter Design
Just like a well-organized storage facility maximizes space and accessibility, a compelling digital experience ensures users can find what they need effortlessly. By applying this mindset to UX design, we helped a self-storage brand create an intuitive, visually compelling website that drives conversions.
Balancing aesthetics and functionality is never easy, but it’s at the heart of what we do at Red Door Interactive. We craft UX solutions that bridge the gap between beauty and practicality, ensuring that digital experiences serve user needs and business objectives.
As the digital landscape evolves, we remain committed to helping brands build experiences that are as intuitive as they are visually compelling—because great design doesn’t just look good, it works better.