Project Overview
For this build, I migrated an existing Joomla website to WordPress while faithfully recreating the original design and layout. The goal was to preserve the site’s established visual identity while improving functionality, performance, and long-term maintainability through WordPress’s more flexible environment.
The Challenge
The client wanted their website to look the same but function better. The Joomla version had become difficult to update and required developer intervention for even minor content changes. The challenge was to rebuild the entire site in WordPress so that it visually matched the original, but performed more efficiently and was easier for the client’s team to manage.
The Solution
I rebuilt the site from the ground up in WordPress, carefully recreating the Joomla design using custom layouts and CSS so that the new version appeared nearly identical to the original.
While maintaining the existing look and feel, I restructured the site’s content and navigation within WordPress for smoother functionality and improved accessibility.
The migration included setting up all pages, menus, and content, optimizing for faster load times, and configuring WordPress to make content updates straightforward for non-technical users. The result is a site that looks the same on the surface — but functions more cleanly, runs faster, and is far easier to maintain behind the scenes.
Key Features
Rebuilt the full Joomla website in WordPress, matching the original design
Improved performance, usability, and content management
Simplified navigation and structure within WordPress
Optimized for speed, stability, and long-term maintainability
Delivered a site that is visually consistent with the original but significantly easier to update
Results
The new WordPress site retains the familiar look the client’s audience recognized, while delivering smoother navigation and faster load times.
The client can now make updates and manage content independently through WordPress’s visual editor, reducing their reliance on developer support and lowering long-term maintenance costs.
Takeaway
This project demonstrates how a faithful Joomla-to-WordPress rebuild can modernize a site without changing its design.
By reproducing the original aesthetic while improving speed, functionality, and ease of management, the site now offers the best of both worlds — a familiar appearance with the reliability and flexibility of WordPress.
