What a Frozen Hot Tub Taught Me About Web Design ❄️

This past weekend, my husband and son and I went glamping in the snow. We stayed in a cozy little geodesic dome tucked into the woods in Promised Land, Pennsylvania. 

To be honest, I’ve never really been a snow and cold weather person, but this experience was different and turned into something so unexpected and magical! 

When we arrived at the campsite, the wood-fired hot tub outside of our dome was completely frozen solid!

Most people would’ve shrugged and said, “Well, guess that’s not happening.”

But not my husband.

He spent hours hauling wood, building a fire, and tending to it carefully. Not rushing or forcing the process, just giving it the attention and patience that it needed to slowly melt the ice. 

By the next afternoon, that once-frozen tub was the perfect temperature for the 3 of us to enjoy. We spent hours soaking in the hot tub throughout the weekend, surrounded by the beauty and peacefulness of the forest and snow.

It was absolutely magical!

But here’s what really struck me:

There was something deeply satisfying about the physicality of it all — stacking the wood, lighting the fire, tending the flames. Doing the work that felt tangible, grounded, and real.

It didn’t feel like “work.”

It felt alive.

And it made me think about business.

So much of what we do online (especially now with AI tools) can start to feel cold and automated. Things can look polished and efficient on the surface, but without depth and strategy, online experiences can feel impersonal and disconnected.

The brands that truly warm people up are the ones that are tended to like that fire.

They aren’t rushed.  

They aren’t automatically generated with AI or copied from someone else’s template.  

They’re built with real meaning and layers of love and intentionality.

And people can feel the difference. 

When I design a website, I’m not just arranging colors, photos, and fonts. 

I’m gathering all of the pieces to tell a story, and carefully crafting it in a way that creates depth and meaning and value. 

We’re melting the ice that’s been sitting between you and your audience — introducing you in a way that feels warm, authentic, and inviting. Together, we create a digital experience that doesn’t just look good — it resonates, connects, and makes people feel something real.

And here’s something else the snow reminded me of:

Rewilding matters.

Being outside in all seasons — even the uncomfortable ones — brought a feeling of clarity and simplicity back into my life that I didn’t realize I’d been missing.

Your website should feel like that too — not cluttered, overcomplicated, or trying too hard. Just clear, grounded, and purposeful.

Because when your brand is aligned and fully alive, people feel it.

It draws them in.
It warms them up.
It stays with them.

Just like stepping into warm water in the middle of winter.

So if your website or messaging feels a little… frozen right now, I’d love to help you build that fire and bring it back to life.

Warmly,

Alyssa Stiles
Squarespace Expert & CEO, Alyssa Stiles Web Design

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