Project Overview

Over the past few years, I’ve partnered with several UK design agencies as a white-label WordPress developer, helping them bring high-end designs to life with modern, scalable, and maintainable code. These collaborations have covered industries ranging from property and architecture to e-commerce and online training.

My role typically bridges the gap between design and functionality. Taking Figma or XD layouts and transforming them into custom Gutenberg-based WordPress themes that perform seamlessly on both the front and back end.

The Challenge

Agencies often face the same set of challenges when outsourcing WordPress builds:

• Tight client deadlines and overlapping projects.
• A need for clean, maintainable code that fits their workflow.
• The pressure to deliver pixel-perfect fidelity from Figma/XD to the final site.
• Complex, industry-specific requirements such as CRM integrations, property search filters, and interactive galleries.

My Role & Process

My role typically begins once the agency’s design team has finalised the layouts in Adobe XD or Figma. From there, I take ownership of translating those designs into fully functional, custom WordPress themes — ensuring every detail of spacing, typography, and interaction matches the original creative intent.

I start by analysing the design system to identify repeating patterns and reusable components, then map those into modular Gutenberg blocks or template parts. This allows editors to manage content visually, while keeping the codebase lean, consistent, and easy to maintain.

The build process follows a clear, repeatable workflow:

1. Setup & Planning
   Define the theme structure, register post types, and establish global styles in theme.json.
2. Component Development
   Convert design sections into custom Gutenberg blocks using native attributes, SCSS for styling, and minimal dependencies.
3. Dynamic Integration
   Connect APIs, meta fields, and custom queries to make the content fully editable.
4. Testing & QA
   Validate across devices, optimise performance, and ensure the admin experience is intuitive for non-technical users.

Throughout, I maintain close communication with the agency’s designers and project managers, providing technical guidance and flagging any design constraints early. The result is a site that looks exactly as intended, performs flawlessly, and is built on clean, scalable code ready for client handover and long-term maintenance.