Web Design Studio in Brighton & Hove
I'm Gary Simmons, a freelance web designer and developer in Brighton and Hove. For twenty years I've designed and built websites end-to-end for growing businesses across Sussex and the UK: Design and code from one senior pair of hands, without the agency chain, plus SEO services via trusted local partners.
Bespoke website design for new & growing businesses
No two businesses need the same website. Whether you need five pages that win trust or a full ecommerce store, the process is the same: Understand what your customers need to see, design it around them, and build it properly. Human design, AI-assisted development: The bespoke route no longer costs bespoke money.
Brochure websites
For service businesses that win work through trust: Clear pages, honest copy, strong calls to action and the local SEO groundwork done properly.
Ecommerce websites
Stores designed to convert, not just look good. Product architecture, checkout flow and performance treated as seriously as the visual design.
Mobile-first, always
Most of your visitors are on a phone, so that's where the design starts. Fast on 4G, readable in sunlight, effortless with a thumb.
Choosing the right platform
Most projects land on one of two platforms, and I build on both every week. The honest answer to "which one?" depends on what your website mainly does: Sell products, or publish content and win enquiries. Here's the short version, and I'll happily give you an honest recommendation for your specific case.
Shopify
Selling products- The default for ecommerce: checkout, payments, inventory and hosting handled at scale.
- From customised themes to fully bespoke stores, my Shopify design and development services cover the lot.
- Setup, migrations from WooCommerce and others, and ongoing optimisation once you're trading.
WordPress
Content & flexibility- The right tool for content-led sites: services, blogs, portfolios and anything with lots of pages.
- As a WordPress developer I build bespoke themes you can edit yourself, with no page-builder bloat.
- Custom functionality, integrations and full ownership of your site and data.
Not sure? That's normal, and it's a five-minute conversation rather than a research project. Tell me what the website needs to do and I'll tell you what I'd build it on, including when the answer is the platform you're already on. If you already know your route, dig straight into the detail on the Shopify and WordPress pages.
UX and UI design
Good web design is user experience design: The research, structure and interface decisions that make a site effortless to use. The same discipline runs through everything I build here, and for mobile apps, SaaS products and dashboards I offer it as a service in its own right, from wireframes and prototypes through to accessible, developer-ready interfaces.
Visual identity and brand consistency
A website is usually where a brand gets tested hardest, and inconsistency is what quietly erodes trust. When a project needs it, I design the identity and the website together, so the logo, colour, typography and tone carry from screen to print and packaging without drifting. One designer across both means your brand feels like one thing everywhere it shows up.
Selected projects
Start a project
Why hire a freelance web designer?
Because for most growing businesses, one senior designer-developer beats a five-person agency on the measures that matter: Speed, cost, accountability and the quality of the conversation. You talk to the person doing the work, every time.
One pair of hands
Design and development from the same brain. Nothing gets lost in a handover because there isn't one.
Fixed pricing
A fixed quote before we start, and the number doesn't change unless the spec changes.
Brighton-based, UK-wide
Face to face across Brighton, Hove and East Sussex when it helps, remote-friendly everywhere else.
Built to be found
Clean structure, fast pages, proper metadata and schema on every build. SEO isn't an add-on, it's the foundation.
Frequently asked
How much does a new website cost?
It depends on what the site needs to do, so I put a fixed price on a clear brief rather than pretending one number fits everyone. As a guide, a brochure website is a smaller project than an ecommerce build, and for stores I’ve published a full breakdown of Shopify store costs in the UK. Tell me what you need and I’ll come back to you with a real number.
How long does a website take to build?
A focused brochure site can be live in two to three weeks. Larger builds and ecommerce projects typically run three to six weeks. I agree a realistic timeline before we start, and then stick to it.
Can you redesign my existing website?
Yes, and it’s a big part of my work. Sometimes that’s a full rebuild, sometimes it’s a redesign on the platform you already have. I’ll audit what’s there first and tell you honestly which route gives you more for your budget. For Shopify stores I’ve compared the two routes in Shopify theme vs custom development.
Do you handle the content and SEO too?
Structure, metadata, performance and schema are part of every build but I will refer you to one of my SEO friends to help with audits, a content plan for launch and ongoing requirements. If you need specialist copywriting or photography I’ll tell you, and for restaurants and cafes my hospitality design services cover photography and websites as well.
Will I be able to update the site myself?
Yes. Every site I hand over is editable by the people who run it, with training included. You shouldn’t need a developer to change your opening hours.
Do you only work with Brighton businesses?
No. A lot of my clients are local to Brighton & Hove, and I take on projects across East Sussex too, from Lewes to Eastbourne and Hastings. Plenty are further afield though, and distance has never been the reason a project struggled. Email and video calls cover almost everything.
Still have a question? Book a quick 30-minute call
Let's talk about your website
Tell me what you’re trying to achieve, whether you know exactly what you need or just know the current site isn’t working, and I’ll reply within one working day with an honest take, and arrange a time to have a chat.
Arrange a free chat Book a 30-min call
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