Web design can be just as much about the feel as it is about the look.
Take luxury website design, for example. Much more than crafting a client site that’s easy on the eye, it’s about encapsulating the essence of a high-end brand with a presence that goes beyond the product or service. It subtly invokes feelings of pleasure, comfort and sophistication while engaging users in a seamless online journey. Think: the digital version of quiet luxury.
So, how do you get that look and feel right for your client’s website?
Here, we’ll delve into the key elements that define luxury website design, taking tips from a luxury web designer, and highlight six luxury website examples built on Wix Studio that compel consumers to buy from high-ticket brands.
What is luxury website design anyway?
Luxury website design is the process of creating sites that reflect the exclusivity and elegance of high-end brands. The design approach focuses on aesthetic appeal and user experience, often leaning on refined design elements and intuitive navigation.
9 best practices for luxury website design
There’s no one magic formula to get luxury website design right. Often, it’s a mix of understanding your client’s brand and applying best practices—some of which we’ve taken from luxury web designer Juliana Laface, who shared her thoughts on the topic with Brad Hussey for Creative Crew’s Luxury Design in Action webinar.
01. Refine the client brand story
Luxury brands should have a compelling story that reaffirms why they’re positioned at the high end of their market. Whether you’re part of that brand-building process or not, you must be clear on your client’s USP, identity and values. It will help you understand their target audience and shape your designs.
Laface starts with an in-depth questionnaire with every client to discover their business goals, market, competitors, the brands they like and why.
“Then, that gets condensed down into a mood board where we pick out the look and feel for the brand,” she says. “They have to sign off on that before taking any further steps. I make sure that there's a lot of checks and balances in place so I'm not redoing any work.”
02. Make your luxury aesthetic stand out
Unsurprisingly, the ‘look’ part of ‘look and feel’ is critical in luxury website design.
Generally clean and refined, luxury websites ooze elegance and immediately tell visitors they’re engaging with a premium brand. Visual elements like typography, color palettes and high-quality visuals play their part while more dynamic content, such as high-res background video, creates an immersive experience that tells a brand story in seconds.
Leface looks for luxury aesthetic inspiration in places like Pinterest and Instagram. “Look at other luxury websites and study what they're doing and how they're making it work,” she says. “Then use that to hone your skills and determine what you could do for your next luxury website build.”
While you’re at it, check the new Cosmos app, which has become a new firm favorite among creatives looking for inspiration.
03. Customize where you can
You won’t catch Prada or Apple using the same fonts or imagery as their competitors. That’s because luxury brands pride themselves on being unique, which is reflected in their online presence.
Laface says customization is key and advises clients to put their money where their brand is and invest in custom elements and assets, like photography.
“There's nothing worse than creating a beautiful website and not having photography that matches the look and aesthetic,” she says. “I try to get clients to partner with local photographers for a brand shoot. Some people might be thinking, ‘How will they pay for it?’ But remember, our niche is high-end design, so clients usually either know that they need to do it or find the budget based on my recommendations.”
04. Make it minimal
“Luxury is quiet,” says Hussey.
So, the rule of thumb for luxury website design is to keep things simple. The aesthetics should be clean and uncluttered, allowing each element to properly breathe. Plenty of white space on each page creates a feeling of spaciousness and calm.
Be smart with design elements that help keep content to a minimum, such as hover effects to reveal extra text and hamburger menus. Laface’s own site is a fine example of how less is more in luxury website design.
05. Choose fonts that spell out luxury
Having the right fonts helps luxury brands communicate their identity and engage their audience meaningfully. Choose tasteful typography that’s clear and legible.
Consider sans-serif fonts like Helvetica or modern serifs such as Bodoni, which balance sophistication and readability and make for suitable choices.
For more fonts inspo, check out our predictions on the biggest typography trends of the moment.
06. Set the right tone with colors
Color plays a crucial role in luxury websites, influencing perceptions and evoking emotions that align with high-end branding.
Neutral tones like whites, grays and soft pastels can create a clean backdrop that allows high-quality images and product details to take center stage. Warm tones like muted golds or soft earth tones can create a welcoming atmosphere that resonates with comfort-seeking consumers.
Why not lean into sophisticated and on-trend colors, like Pantone Color of the Year 2025, PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse, a shade that invites us to slow down and indulge in everyday pleasures. If it sounds like a good fit for your luxury client, check out the Wix Studio x Pantone Color of the Year 2025 web capsule, where you’ll find Wix Studio design assets curated in the color.
07. Be consistent across brand assets
You’ll rarely see a high-quality brand show inconsistency across its designs. To help your client show the world its confidence in the quality of its brand, keep a consistent color scheme, fonts, brand voice and brand message across all your channels.
You can add a range of brand assets to your client kit before website handover to ensure they stay on the right track once they take ownership of their website.
08. Form an emotional connection
Connecting with luxury consumers on an emotional level is key to winning their hearts and minds. Your client’s brand story, where you share details of its heritage and values through engaging content, plays an important role. Like Leface, do some client interviews to uncover the best of their background.
If your client is big on sustainability or strong on causes, make it known on their website. But be genuine. No one likes green- or charity-washing.
Also, consider creating members-only areas or VIP sections to make customers feel part of an elite group. Highlighting limited editions or exclusive collections also creates a sense of urgency and desirability among consumers.
09. Provide a seamless user journey
Luxury shoppers should be treated with the comfort they crave. Prioritize seamless navigation and intuitive interfaces that make it effortless for them to get where they want to go. A well-structured layout will enhance the visitor experience and reflect the brand's commitment to quality.
Likewise, luxury consumers expect efficiency, which means slow websites will send them packing. Make sure your client site runs at optimum speed and looks good on all devices.
To ensure all of the above is covered, follow the principles of good website design.
Watch the full Creative Crew interview with Juliana Laface.
6 luxury website design examples to get you inspired
Leface has two key pieces of advice for agencies who want to tap into the luxury website design market: let your portfolio justify your prices and provide an accurate representation of your brand across your channels.
She encourages agencies to adopt a “luxury mindset” and focus on clients who see value in their expertise and are willing to invest.
Before you adopt that luxury mindset and build your next client site, take a look at these six luxury websites.
01. Onyx Vacations
Designed by Laface, the website for luxury travel company Onyx Vacations immediately sells you a dream: “an extravagant escape from everyday life.” If those words don’t grab you, the background video of different exotic locations will.
The website’s clean layout, high-quality visuals, refined typography, unassuming color palette and concise messaging all work together to create an inviting online presence that resonates with luxury travelers seeking exceptional experiences.
Spot the ‘Become a VIP’ CTA in the top right corner—a smart way to upsell by tapping into the FOMO-obsessed luxury user looking for optimum service.
02. BEC Furniture
The dark-themed website for Indian furniture company BEC Furniture shows minimal sophistication at its best. The stunning photography against a black background gives us a sense of the detailed craftsmanship that goes into the brand’s pieces. Each image is surrounded by tons of white space without ever going into minimalist overkill.
The ‘Meet the brothers section’ gives authenticity to the brand and enhances its sophisticated image. Notice, too, the tiny detail that adds an extra magic touch to the site, such as the hero fold’s play button to help us get BEC’s pronunciation right, plus the digital clock in the footer giving us local Delhi time.
03. StudioLux
Designed by Rocket Web Labs, the website for award-winning real estate web design and marketing agency StudioLux does a fine job of communicating the company’s commitment to elevating brands within the luxury real estate market.
A mix of slick background video, high-res imagery, a clear layout and some nifty scroll and hover effects give this site a high-quality feel.
Customers parting ways with large sums of money won’t always take your client’s word at face value, so Studiolux dedicates a full fold to its latest work and uses quotes from clients to build credibility and trust.
04. Nicole Louise Couture Events
Another Laface creation, the website for luxury wedding planner Nicole Louise Couture Events ticks all the opulence boxes. Background video, a tasteful color palette, clean layout and high-res images position this events company in the premium bucket.
And there’s room for some insider benefits, too, as Louise gives visitors a chance to be the first to hear “the confessions and adventures of a luxury wedding producer” by subscribing to her newsletter. A simple offer but an opportunity for the client to show their authentic self.
The text in the third fold perfectly encapsulates what luxury design—whether for a wedding or a website—is all about: “No repeat designs, only designs that walk your guests through your story and immerse them in the unique celebration.”
05. One Bellot
Crafted by Aūra Studios, the website for One Bellot establishes the company as a high-end lifestyle brand offering highly curated travel experiences. Like wine-tasting and sailing, the site’s homepage video covers everything you can imagine luxury travel entails.
Stylish typefaces, a clean and crisp layout and striking high-res imagery make this site a design rooted in classic luxury but with timeless modern influences.
We were intrigued by the background story of founder Christopher Bellot in the ‘Our Story’ section, who’s described as “an eternal student of luxury.” Add to that some seriously big names dropped in the Partners section and the ‘Plan my vacation’ CTA suddenly looks quite compelling.
06. Wix Studio templates
Luxury website design is at its best when it’s unique. However, if you need some inspo or don’t have the time to start from scratch, numerous luxury-themed Wix Studio templates give you an early-stage advantage in your build. For starters, check out the website template for luxury car rental company Atra Elite Car Rentals, which could serve as a solid foundation for a client that sells luxury cars or provides a high-end chauffeur service.
Sign up for Wix Studio and craft your next luxury website design today.
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