Bevallen met Elsa
A service website for a doula and birth educator based in Deventer, Netherlands.
Project
Bevallen met Elsa is a website for Elsa Oude Stegge, a doula and birth educator based in Deventer, Netherlands. The brief was simple but specific: create something personal and trustworthy. The kind of website that a pregnant woman could land on and immediately feel that this person understands her. Every design decision was made with that feeling in mind.
Before and after
Elsa had an existing website that was functional but generic, with nothing to distinguish her from other doulas or communicate the care she brings to every birth. The redesign gave her a distinct visual identity, a clear structure, and a brand that feels as considered as the service she offers.
Two visual directions
The project started with two distinct visual directions. Direction A was soft and warm, blush tones, gradient textures, a lighter editorial feel common in the doula and birth world. Direction B was more grounded, olive green, terracotta and warm cream, rooted in the Sallandse Heuvelrug landscape around Deventer. Competitor research showed that most doulas in the Netherlands use soft pinks and blush tones. Direction B gave Elsa something more distinctive while still feeling warm and personal. Her love of nature, birds and the outdoors made the choice feel right for both of us.
The circle as a design element
The circle became the unifying visual element throughout the site. Elsa's portrait is framed by two overlapping circles, a shape that evokes something organic and natural, an egg, a pregnant belly, a sense of enclosure and safety. The same shape reappears as section title frames on the courses and doula pages, and again in the birth pool section where a circular diagram visualises the oxytocin chain during birth. The repetition was intentional. It creates visual coherence across pages without relying on heavy branding.
The about page
The About page was designed as an editorial spread, inspired by the visual language of Kinfolk and The Gentlewoman. Generous spacing, personal photography, long-form copy. The goal was to give Elsa's story the space it deserves and let visitors feel they already know her before making contact. On most service websites the About page is an afterthought. Here it is one of the most important pages on the site.
Typography and colour
Newsreader was chosen as the display typeface for its warmth and editorial quality. DM Sans balances it as the body font, keeping everything readable and approachable without losing the personal feel. The olive, terracotta and cream palette needed to feel calm without being clinical, and earthy without being rustic. It sits somewhere between a nature guide and a lifestyle magazine, which is exactly where Elsa's work lives.
Page structure and conversion
The site is built around four pages: Home, Over mij, Cursussen, and Doula en meer. The structure was designed to present a lot of information simply and clearly, without overwhelming someone who is pregnant and already making many decisions. CTAs appear at the hero, at the bottom of each page, and in the footer. Every contact button opens an overlay form, reducing friction so visitors can reach out at any moment they feel ready without navigating away from where they are.
Results
The site launched in early June 2026. On launch day Elsa received a new client inquiry through the website.
Type
Role
Role
Year
Link
Two visual directions
The project started with two distinct visual directions. Direction A was soft and warm, blush tones, gradient textures, a lighter editorial feel common in the doula and birth world. Direction B was more grounded, olive green, terracotta and warm cream, rooted in the Sallandse Heuvelrug landscape around Deventer.
Competitor research showed that most doulas in the Netherlands use soft pinks and blush tones. Direction B gave Elsa something more distinctive while still feeling warm and personal. Her love of nature, birds and the outdoors made the choice feel right for both of us.
The circle as a design element
The circle became the unifying visual element throughout the site. Elsa's portrait is framed by two overlapping circles, a shape that evokes something organic and natural, an egg, a pregnant belly, a sense of enclosure and safety.
The same shape reappears as section title frames on the courses and doula pages, and again in the birth pool section where a circular diagram visualises the oxytocin chain during birth. The repetition was intentional. It creates visual coherence across pages without relying on heavy branding.
Typography and colour
Newsreader was chosen as the display typeface for its warmth and editorial quality. DM Sans balances it as the body font, keeping everything readable and approachable without losing the personal feel.
The olive, terracotta and cream palette needed to feel calm without being clinical, and earthy without being rustic. It sits somewhere between a nature guide and a lifestyle magazine, which is exactly where Elsa's work lives.
Before and after
Elsa had an existing website that was functional but generic, with nothing to distinguish her from other doulas or communicate the care she brings to every birth. The redesign gave her a distinct visual identity, a clear structure, and a brand that feels as considered as the service she offers.
The about page
The About page was designed as an editorial spread, inspired by the visual language of Kinfolk and The Gentlewoman. Generous spacing, personal photography, long-form copy. The goal was to give Elsa's story the space it deserves and let visitors feel they already know her before making contact.
On most service websites the About page is an afterthought. Here it is one of the most important pages on the site.
Page structure and conversion
The site is built around four pages: Home, Over mij, Cursussen, and Doula en meer. The structure was designed to present a lot of information simply and clearly, without overwhelming someone who is pregnant and already making many decisions.
CTAs appear at the hero, at the bottom of each page, and in the footer. Every contact button opens an overlay form, reducing friction so visitors can reach out at any moment they feel ready without navigating away from where they are.
Type
Role
Year
Link
Results
The site launched in early June 2026. On launch day Elsa received a new client inquiry through the website.
Project
Bevallen met Elsa is a website for Elsa Oude Stegge, a doula and birth educator based in Deventer, Netherlands. The brief was simple but specific: create something personal and trustworthy. The kind of website that a pregnant woman could land on and immediately feel that this person understands her. Every design decision was made with that feeling in mind.