LAURA EGLEY TAYLOR
Above: A sneak peek at Mothering.com’s new home page; Web Editor Kristina Morris-Heredia and Features Editor Candace Walsh in a redesign meeting
When I began working at Mothering almost one year ago, talk of Mothering.com’s new design was already underway. A er several attempts at renovation that paled in comparison to our idea of what our website could be, we decided it was time to search out the ideal designer. We found Kim Heilman. With Heilman’s impressive portfolio (Health. com, Stanford, and Berkeley Electronic Press, among others) and a specialization in working with diverse editors in far- ung places, we knew she was the designer who could visually express our message.
Working with Heilman, we delved into
color schemes, layouts, and an overall reworking of the Mothering image. We got in so deep that we ended up changing the site’s logo and inner framework as well.
We wanted to step up and let people know what Mothering is all about. We even asked ourselves, “What does it mean to be a Mothering reader?” It didn’t take long to realize that it means that you’re not afraid to go against the masses. You set your own trends. You follow your intuition. You know what’s best. It means that you’re bold. Beautiful. Aware of what needs to be changed—and not afraid to change it. So we chose a new color scheme, a new logo, and in the process gained a renewed sense of editorial identity.
As we continued our redesign process, we realized that perhaps our strongest point is community. e Mothering clan reaches far and changes lives. If we wanted to create a dynamic space, we needed to have the room and the structure to support it. So we began to plan the development of a
e new CMS interface will allow Mothering community members to interact with one another as never before. A er reading an article online, you’ll be able to post your comments about it. You’ll be able to create your own pro le page and take advantage of a host of new community features, including personal blogs and photo-sharing capabilities. You’ll always know what’s new on Mothering.com, but you won’t lose track of older material as the site grows. It will remain navigable, approachable, and cutting-edge— much like the magazine itself.
We now feel con dent that we’ve reached perfection—not because the site will be without aw (we’re sure there will be hiccups at the beginning), but because we’re expressing ourselves truthfully, authentically, and boldly.
We’re excited about the new Web design, and we hope you will be too. Let us know how you like it.
—Kristina Morris-Heredia
Web Editor
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