An Autumn Invitation
An Autumn Invitation
Project Overview
Project Overview
An Autumn Invitation is a Country Road Home interactive web experience and product campaign created for a Design Systems and Services class. The brief involved creating a seasonal product campaign from existing Country Road Home products and prototyping a mobile web experience to promote the campaign to customers. The web experience is to be accessible through a QR code in the window display of the Albert Park Country Road Home store.
An Autumn Invitation is a Country Road Home interactive web experience and product campaign created for a Design Systems and Services class. The brief involved creating a seasonal product campaign from existing Country Road Home products and prototyping a mobile web experience to promote the campaign to customers. The web experience is to be accessible through a QR code in the window display of the Albert Park Country Road Home store.
Discipline
Discipline
UX/UI Design
My Role
My Role
Collaborative UX Researcher
Collaborative UI Designer
Deliverables
Deliverables
Interactive web experience
Time Frame
Time Frame
6 weeks
View prototype
Initial Research
Initial Research
Initial Research
Understanding Country Road Home
Understanding Country Road Home
Understanding Country Road Home
Country Road Home is an extension of Country Road, an Australian clothing and lifestyle brand. The Home branch of Country Road offers many modern homewares across multiple needs, such as dining and decor, focusing on sustainability and providing high-quality products to customers.
Country Road Home's flagship Albert Park store opened in March 2025, creating an immersive shopping experience for customers. Products are showcased in domestic settings, styled as if they were being used in a customers home.
Country Road Home is an extension of Country Road, an Australian clothing and lifestyle brand. The Home branch of Country Road offers many modern homewares across multiple needs, such as dining and decor, focusing on sustainability and providing high-quality products to customers.
Country Road Home's flagship Albert Park store opened in March 2025, creating an immersive shopping experience for customers. Products are showcased in domestic settings, styled as if they were being used in a customers home.
Country Road Home is an extension of Country Road, an Australian clothing and lifestyle brand. The Home branch of Country Road offers many modern homewares across multiple needs, such as dining and decor, focusing on sustainability and providing high-quality products to customers.
Country Road Home's flagship Albert Park store opened in March 2025, creating an immersive shopping experience for customers. Products are showcased in domestic settings, styled as if they were being used in a customers home.
Employee Consultation
Employee Consultation
Employee Consultation
To better understand Country Road and its customers, a project team member consulted a visual merchandising designer who previously worked for the brand. Doing so helped us to understand what has worked well in previous Country Road campaigns and guided us when creating our own.
To better understand Country Road and its customers, a project team member consulted a visual merchandising designer who previously worked for the brand. Doing so helped us to understand what has worked well in previous Country Road campaigns and guided us when creating our own.
Key takeaways
Key takeaways
Key takeaways
Successful campaigns were authentic and resonated with customers.
Successful campaigns were authentic and resonated with customers.
Campaigns should be aspirational but achievable.
Campaigns should be aspirational but achievable.
All window display items that aren't Country Road products should be natural, sustainable, or high quality.
All window display items that aren't Country Road products should be natural, sustainable, or high quality.
Products online should be shown in situ to help users imagine them in their own homes.
Country Road divides their customer base into three different aesthetics - coastal, country and contemporary.
Products online should be shown in situ to help users imagine them in their own homes.
Country Road divides its customer base into three different aesthetics - coastal, country and contemporary.
Country Road divides its customer base into three different aesthetics - coastal, country and contemporary.
Understanding Users
Understanding Users
Understanding Users
User Demographic
User Demographic
User Demographic
Since the project outlines that the campaign is for Country Road Home, an existing brand, it was important that we identified the existing user demographic and target audience of the brand. We were able to do so through the meeting held with a former Country Road employee and details of the project brief*.
Since the project outlines that the campaign is for Country Road Home, an existing brand, it was important that we identified the existing user demographic and target audience of the brand. We were able to do so through the meeting held with a former Country Road employee and details of the project brief*.
Location
Location
Location
Majority of customers of the Country Road Home store are residents of Albert Park or St Kilda.
Majority of customers of the Country Road Home store are residents of Albert Park or St Kilda.
Majority of customers of the Country Road Home store are residents of Albert Park or St Kilda.
Age
Age
Age
The median age of Albert Park residents is 46. The Country Road brand targets those in their middle age as well.
The median age of Albert Park residents is 46. The Country Road brand targets those in their middle age as well.
The median age of Albert Park residents is 46. The Country Road brand targets those in their middle age as well.
Income
Income
Income
Albert Park has a higher average household income than many other Victorian states. Most customers are within the same income bracket.
Albert Park has a higher average household income than many other Victorian states. Most customers are within the same income bracket.
Albert Park has a higher average household income than many other Victorian states. Most customers are within the same income bracket.
Gender
Gender
Gender
The majority of existing Country Road customers are women.
The majority of existing Country Road customers are women.
The majority of existing Country Road customers are women.
*Since the web experience is to be accessible through a QR code in the window display of Country Road Home's Albert Park store, these are the primary target users of the prototype. Country Road's general target users were still considered throughout the project.
*Since the web experience is to be accessible through a QR code in the window display of Country Road Home's Albert Park store, these are the primary target users of the prototype. Country Road's general target users were still considered throughout the project.
User Personas
User Personas
User Personas
To help us create a campaign that aligns with the needs of current Country Road customers, three user personas were created over the three different aesthetics valued by Country Road - coastal, contemporary, and country. User personas were created collaboratively.
To help us create a campaign that aligns with the needs of current Country Road customers, three user personas were created over the three different aesthetics valued by Country Road - coastal, contemporary, and country. User personas were created collaboratively.
Gina Brown
Gina Brown
Gina Brown
Age: 61
Aesthetic: Coastal
Age: 61
Aesthetic: Coastal
Goals and Motivations
Goals and Motivations
Goals and Motivations
Create an inviting space for family gatherings
Spend quality time with her loved ones
Create an inviting space for family gatherings
Spend quality time with her loved ones
Create an inviting space for family gatherings
Spend quality time with her loved ones
Frustrations
Frustrations
Frustrations
The dreary atmosphere in cold months
Companies using cheap materials for profit
The dreary atmosphere in cold months
Companies using cheap materials for profit
The dreary atmosphere in cold months
Companies using cheap materials for profit
Maeve Byrne
Maeve Byrne
Maeve Byrne
Age: 45
Aesthetic: Contemporary
Age: 45
Aesthetic: Contemporary
Goals and Motivations
Goals and Motivations
Goals and Motivations
Spend more time with her teenage children
To make the most of the school holidays
To impress her extended family with her hosting skills
Spend more time with her teenage children
To make the most of the school holidays
To impress her extended family with her hosting skills
Spend more time with her teenage children
To make the most of the school holidays
To impress her extended family with her hosting skills
Frustrations
Frustrations
Frustrations
Difficult to find family activities in colder months
Her current home decor is mismatched
Difficult to find family activities in colder months
Her current home decor is mismatched
Difficult to find family activities in colder months
Her current home decor is mismatched
Gina Brown
Gina Brown
Gina Brown
Age: 38
Aesthetic: Country
Age: 38
Aesthetic: Country
Goals and Motivations
Goals and Motivations
Goals and Motivations
To add personality and style to her home
Invite her friends over for a night in
Create an interior that accurately depicts her Pinterest boards
To add personality and style to her home
Invite her friends over for a night in
Create an interior that accurately depicts her Pinterest boards
To add personality and style to her home
Invite her friends over for a night in
Create an interior that accurately depicts her Pinterest boards
Frustrations
Frustrations
Frustrations
Her rental home has bland furniture
Lacks time for in-person shopping
Her rental home has bland furniture
Lacks time for in-person shopping
Her rental home has bland furniture
Lacks time for in-person shopping
Empathy Mapping
Empathy Mapping
Empathy Mapping
I summarised findings from the three user personas in a single empathy map. This allowed me to better visualise the common goals and frustrations of the three user personas despite aesthetic differences.
I summarised findings from the three user personas in a single empathy map. This allowed me to better visualise the common goals and frustrations of the three user personas despite aesthetic differences.
Campaign Overview
Campaign Overview
Campaign Overview
‘An Autumn Invitation’ is a Country Road Home campaign highlighting the brand’s new autumn collection. The campaign focuses on showcasing how products can be used when styling homes to create warm and inviting environments for social gatherings.
‘An Autumn Invitation’ is a Country Road Home campaign highlighting the brand’s new autumn collection. The campaign focuses on showcasing how products can be used when styling homes to create warm and inviting environments for social gatherings.
Design Planning
Design Planning
Design Planning
Journey Mapping
Journey Mapping
Journey Mapping
Multiple journey maps were created by my team members to map the shopping journeys of customers. The journey map featured is the one most relevant to our project. Journey mapping helped us to envision multiple customer scenarios, understand customer goals and feelings and make design decisions to address these directly.
Multiple journey maps were created by my team members to map the shopping journeys of customers. The journey map featured is the one most relevant to our project. Journey mapping helped us to envision multiple customer scenarios, understand customer goals and feelings and make design decisions to address these directly.
Service Blueprint
Service Blueprint
Service Blueprint
Since our digital campaign will be accessed through a physical QR code, it was important to map the frontstage and backstage actions of our service to understand the connection between them. Doing this allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between digital and physical campaigning.
Since our digital campaign will be accessed through a physical QR code, it was important to map the frontstage and backstage actions of our service to understand the connection between them. Doing this allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between digital and physical campaigning.
Design Principles
Design Principles
Design Principles
Four key design principles were established collaboratively that helped us to connect customer and brand values to our project outcome. These principles were kept in mind throughout the project.
Four key design principles were established collaboratively that helped us to connect customer and brand values to our project outcome. These principles were kept in mind throughout the project.
Brand Expression
Brand Expression
The Country Road Home identity is seen in the campaign through colours and materials, giving existing customers a sense of familiarity.
The Country Road Home identity is seen in the campaign through colours and materials, giving existing customers a sense of familiarity.
The Country Road Home identity is seen in the campaign through colours and materials, giving existing customers a sense of familiarity.
Building Community
Building Community
The overall concept of the campaign encourages community and gathering, while the choice in colour and aesthetics invokes warmth and comfort.
The overall concept of the campaign encourages community and gathering, while the choice in colour and aesthetics invokes warmth and comfort.
The overall concept of the campaign encourages community and gathering, while the choice in colour and aesthetics invokes warmth and comfort.
Experience Interactivity
Experience Interactivity
The physical display invites customers into the store, while the digital experience encourages them to share their postcard with friends. The physical and digital experiences should tie into each other.
The physical display invites customers into the store, while the digital experience encourages them to share their postcard with friends. The physical and digital experiences should tie into each other.
The physical display invites customers into the store, while the digital experience encourages them to share their postcard with friends. The physical and digital experiences should tie into each other.
Visual Inspiration
Visual Inspiration
Visual Inspiration
Collating visual inspiration was a necessary step in creating a visual identity for both our campaign and prototype. All visual inspiration was put together as a group.
The colour palette for An Autumn Invitation was inspired by existing colours seen in Country Road products and branding. Deeper shades of these colours were used to align with the autumnal theme of the campaign. We also wanted to lean into the idea of physical invitations and handwriting to visualise the concept of inviting people into a home in a tangible manner.
Collating visual inspiration was a necessary step in creating a visual identity for both our campaign and prototype. All visual inspiration was put together as a group.
The colour palette for An Autumn Invitation was inspired by existing colours seen in Country Road products and branding. Deeper shades of these colours were used to align with the autumnal theme of the campaign. We also wanted to lean into the idea of physical invitations and handwriting to visualise the concept of inviting people into a home in a tangible manner.
Campaign Mood Board
Campaign Mood Board
Campaign Mood Board
It was important that campaign visuals were well communicated within our prototype, too. We wanted to lean into the idea of physical invites while still maintaining a modern style and communicating all necessary campaign information.
It was important that campaign visuals were well communicated within our prototype, too. We wanted to lean into the idea of physical invites while still maintaining a modern style and communicating all necessary campaign information.
Prototype Inspiration
Prototype Inspiration
Prototype Inspiration
Designing An Autumn Invitation
Designing An Autumn Invitation
Designing An Autumn Invitation
Initial Ideation
Initial Ideation
Initial Ideation
Once a visual concept was decided on for our campaign, key screens of our prototype were sketched to guide us while designing our prototype. Since our prototype is a single page and heavily uses parallax scrolling techniques, higher quality wireframes were not designed to allow creative freedom and experimentation.
Once a visual concept was decided on for our campaign, key screens of our prototype were sketched to guide us while designing our prototype. Since our prototype is a single page and heavily uses parallax scrolling techniques, higher quality wireframes were not designed to allow creative freedom and experimentation.
Design Development
Design Development
Design Development
The first step we took in designing our prototype was experimenting with colour and type to create a design system that would be used consistently throughout the prototype.
The first step we took in designing our prototype was experimenting with colour and type to create a design system that would be used consistently throughout the prototype.
We then began experimenting with layout and the designs of key screens to see how our drafted design system would look in our final prototype. This allowed us to make any necessary changes before designing our final prototype.
We then began experimenting with layout and the designs of key screens to see how our drafted design system would look in our final prototype. This allowed us to make any necessary changes before designing our final prototype.
Landing screen
Landing screen
Landing screen
Welcome screen
Welcome screen
Welcome screen
Footer
Footer
Footer
Design System
Design System
Design System
After seeing our proposed design system in draft designs, we were able to refine our design system to better suit our designs and campaign concept.
We opted to use Figtree, a sans-serif font, for all of our non-decorative text, as it is much sleeker and easier to read than the previously tested serif fonts. The style of our buttons was used to develop necessary icons, too, and the colour palette is the same as in our testing.
After seeing our proposed design system in draft designs, we were able to refine our design system to better suit our designs and campaign concept.
We opted to use Figtree, a sans-serif font, for all of our non-decorative text, as it is much sleeker and easier to read than the previously tested serif fonts. The style of our buttons was used to develop necessary icons, too, and the colour palette is the same as in our testing.
Changes Made
Changes Made
Changes Made
Landing screen
Landing screen
Landing screen
The bold red background on the landing page was found to be too harsh for the warm and inviting feel we wanted our digital experience to have. The background colour was changed to a light cream as a result.
The bold red background on the landing page was found to be too harsh for the warm and inviting feel we wanted our digital experience to have. The background colour was changed to a light cream as a result.
Before
Before
Before
After
After
After
Welcome screen
Welcome screen
Welcome screen
Minimal changes were made to the welcome screen to make it more visually appealing. More elements were added to fill the empty space, and a 'scroll to enter' prompt was added at the bottom of the screen to guide users into the experience.
Minimal changes were made to the welcome screen to make it more visually appealing. More elements were added to fill the empty space, and a 'scroll to enter' prompt was added at the bottom of the screen to guide users into the experience.
Before
Before
Before
After
After
After
Footer
Footer
Footer
The prototype footer was majorly changed to allow space for page links and an ackowledgement of country.
The prototype footer was majorly changed to allow space for page links and an ackowledgement of country.
Before
Before
Before
After
After
After
Final Prototype
Final Prototype
Final Prototype
Landing page and introduction
Landing page and introduction
Landing page and introduction
An invitation animation is used as a loading screen to increase user engagement as soon as the website is loaded. The campaign is then introduced to users using minimal text and various images.
Postcard creator
Postcard creator
Users are able to create a custom postcard that they can share or download, reinforcing the campaign concept of invitation and hosting gatherings with Country Road.
Product carousel and footer
Product carousel and footer
Creating a more animated product carousel differentiates the web experience from the regular Country Road website. The inclusion of a pre-footer allows users to navigate to key pages in a more visual, simple manner.
In Summary
In Summary
In Summary
Prototyping credits
Prototyping credits
Prototyping credits
Prototype elements that I had a direct hand in designing:
Landing page (collaborative)
Home page (collaborative)
Campaign introduction - final screen
Product carousel
Final footer
Prototype elements that I had a direct hand in designing:
Landing page (collaborative)
Home page (collaborative)
Campaign introduction - final screen
Product carousel
Final footer
Reflection
Reflection
Reflection
Completing this prototype in a group setting taught me the importance of being confident but not set in personal design decisions. It was necessary that I was able to complete portions of our prototype without input from others, while also being open to that input and iterating my designs as a result of such.
I was able to gain experience in designing around an existing brand identity rather than creating my own, which was challenging due to aesthetic limitations and catering to an existing customer base.
Completing this prototype in a group setting taught me the importance of being confident but not set in personal design decisions. It was necessary that I was able to complete portions of our prototype without input from others, while also being open to that input and iterating my designs as a result of such.
I was able to gain experience in designing around an existing brand identity rather than creating my own, which was challenging due to aesthetic limitations and catering to an existing customer base.
An Autumn Invitation
Project Overview
An Autumn Invitation is a Country Road Home interactive web experience and product campaign created for a Design Systems and Services class. The brief involved creating a seasonal product campaign from existing Country Road Home products and prototyping a mobile web experience to promote the campaign to customers. The web experience is to be accessible through a QR code in the window display of the Albert Park Country Road Home store.
Discipline
UX/UI Design
My Role
Collaborative UX Researcher
Collaborative UI Designer
Deliverables
Interactive web experience
Time Frame
6 weeks
View prototype
Initial Research
Understanding Country Road Home
Country Road Home is an extension of Country Road, an Australian clothing and lifestyle brand. The Home branch of Country Road offers many modern homewares across multiple needs, such as dining and decor, focusing on sustainability and providing high-quality products to customers.
Country Road Home's flagship Albert Park store opened in March 2025, creating an immersive shopping experience for customers. Products are showcased in domestic settings, styled as if they were being used in a customers home.
Employee Consultation
To better understand Country Road and its customers, a project team member consulted a visual merchandising designer who previously worked for the brand. Doing so helped us to understand what has worked well in previous Country Road campaigns and guided us when creating our own.
Key takeaways
Successful campaigns were authentic and resonated with customers.
Campaigns should be aspirational but achievable.
All window display items that aren't Country Road products should be natural, sustainable, or high quality.
Products online should be shown in situ to help users imagine them in their own homes.
Country Road divides its customer base into three different aesthetics - coastal, country and contemporary.