My name is Peter Mühlbacher and I am a freelance web designer, based in Vienna, Austria. To a great extent I am inspired by Dieter Rams, a tremendously innovative designer holding the view that design does not only serve aesthetic demands, but rather clarifies the product’s structure or even makes it self-explanatory while being unobtrusive and timeless. As a result good design will be still be good in 10 years. That is how I try to create websites.

If you are interested in design, feel free to head over to the philosophy section.

1. talk

   The first step in any web design project is to figure out what the objectives are. I start off by asking you several questions regarding your business and your new website in order to get a better idea of what needs to be done.

2. design

   Once we have worked out which direction the project is moving towards to, we then come to the design phase where I design what has been discussed previously. After several proposals, when the final design has emerged, I can move on to step 3.

3. develop

   Here comes to nerdy part - what has been outlined on paper with some brief strokes, will now be converted into HTML, CSS, Js, PHP and several other languages you most probably have never heard of, and never want to hear of.

4. launch

   Finally, when you are pleased with the result, the hard work pays off and the website is going to be launched. Training and support is fully provided to ensure you have full control over your new website.

While being aesthetic, products should still be unobtrosive - in terms of web design: content is king,

Products fulfilling a purpose are like tools. They are neither decorative objects nor works of art. Their design should therefore be both neutral and restrained, to leave room for the user’s self-expression.

As a result we may come to the conclusion that good design is as little design as possible. After all the less fancy effects are used for a website, the less fashionable it is likely to look in 10 years.

Does this mean i only create simple websites?

No, even though they may purport to be "simple". that is what is called unobtrusive - finally your visitors should remember what you offer instead of glossy buttons and fancy colors. at the same time they should find their way and feel comfortable. to neglect latter would be a bad mistake as well:

The aesthetic quality of a product is integral to its usefulness because products we use every day affect our person and our well-being.

It may not be a rational decision (design works on an unconscious level), but if a user is confronted with a horrid design he most probably will not even take a closer look at your product.

To sum it up: good design accentuates a product by creating a unique and pleasant look and feel and enhances it by increasing usability. It does so subtly without upstaging functionality.

you can find me on

• twitter
  I'm fairly active here

• google+
  Cool stuff, but sadly there are hardly any people I know

or send me an email to peter@muehlbacher.me!