Last updated on 23rd April 2026
It’s been a while since the last update — as the work has picked up, the journal has taken a back seat. But keeping a record of the journey matters, so here we are.
Q1 has been the most productive stretch since launching Studio Payne in August 2025. A real focus through January and February paid off, with February turning out to be my best month by some way. This update covers the projects, the launches, a couple of personal highlights and what’s coming next.
The Studio Payne brand refresh
February also saw something a little closer to home — a refresh of the Studio Payne brand itself.
I spend my time helping other businesses build strong brands, but mine had quietly drifted into “that’ll do” territory. The original identity was designed when Studio Payne was a side project. Now it’s my full focus, it needed to reflect that.
The process reinforced something I already tell clients: a brand identity guide is worth its weight in gold. It keeps everything consistent and saves you rebuilding from scratch every time. If your work has evolved, your brand should too.
Read more about the Studio Payne brand refresh here.
The latest website design and graphic design projects
Lyneal Trust — accessible web design for a Shropshire charity
The Lyneal Trust is a Shropshire-based charity providing canal holidays for people with disabilities. It was important from the start that this project went beyond aesthetics — accessible design was at the heart of everything, making sure the website works for every visitor regardless of ability.
The Trust already had something quietly working in their favour. Years of genuine community presence had earned them coverage and links from authoritative outlets including the BBC, the Shropshire Star and the Whitchurch Herald. Those editorial links carry real SEO weight, telling Google that the organisation is credible and locally relevant. The redesign gave that strong foundation a website worthy of it.
It’s the kind of project that reminds you why this work matters. Supporting a charity that does so much for people across Shropshire, and making sure their online presence reflects that properly, felt like a privilege.
Taylor Support — web design for a Telford support provider
Taylor Support are a specialist support provider based in Telford, helping people with disabilities live with confidence, choice and independence. Their previous website had been sitting in the background for a while and wasn’t doing justice to the work they do in the community.
The new site is modern, warm and engaging, built around real imagery that gives visitors a genuine picture of what Taylor Support are about. For anyone arriving at the site for the first time — whether that’s a potential client, a family member or a referrer — the experience now matches the quality of care behind it.
Other website launches for small businesses in Shrewsbury
Two more websites launched in Q1, both covered in more detail in a recent article on affordable web design for small businesses in Shrewsbury.
Tanya at MiTime Beauty, based in Hanwood, wanted something more polished than her DIY attempt and wasn’t sure she could justify the cost. A one-page website later, she could.
Simon is a stonemason based in Shrewsbury, and at Callaghan Stoneworks he needed something more substantial to establish his heritage stone masonry business — a multi-page site with a video hero and dedicated services pages that lets the quality of his work do the talking.
Read more about both projects here.
Branding and graphic design for Shropshire businesses
A couple of really exciting branding projects have launched this quarter — sadly not ones I can share details on just yet, but hopefully more to come on those soon.
On the graphic design side it’s been a varied few months. A sales deck for a premium food brand and a beer can design for a client event among the highlights. The kind of projects that keep things interesting and ticking along.
Community and sponsorships
Something I’ve been keen to build into Studio Payne from early on is genuine local involvement — not just working with local businesses and charities like the Lyneal Trust, but supporting the Shropshire community in other ways too.
Studio Payne has become a sponsor of the Shropshire Premier Bowls League this quarter, covering print, fantasy and predictions leagues. It’s a small contribution but one that feels right for a studio rooted in Shropshire.
Studio Payne is also supporting Market Drayton Town FC with email hosting. Good to be playing a small part in keeping local clubs and organisations running.
What’s coming
A few things I’m looking forward to sharing soon.
A brand and website for a ceramic artist is currently in progress — a project that’s been really enjoyable to work on and one I’m hoping to share more details on shortly.
Several existing clients are also expanding their websites and developing their local SEO presence, which is great to see. Getting a website live is the start, not the end, and it’s rewarding to be working with clients on that longer journey.
There are also some promising conversations in the pipeline around partnerships with complementary services — nothing to announce yet, but potentially some exciting new ways to support clients beyond what Studio Payne offers directly.
A few personal notes
January and February were heads-down months. Real focus, minimal distraction, and the results showed.
March ended with a trip to Prague. A stunning city, though I’ll be honest, the bars got more attention than the architecture. Highly recommend.
This update is being written from a slightly different location… I’m currently a week into a road trip across Texas. A bit of downtime after a strong start to the year felt well earned. More on that in the next update, no doubt.
Thanks for reading. If you’d like to work together on a website, branding or graphic design project, get in touch — always happy to have a chat.
