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James Dimachkie
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Sandy Pines Nesting Place

Client website, live2 min read

I made the Sandy Pines site to help visitors picture a retreat in Dobbins, California and compare its five planned stays. The retreat is still in planning, so the site also needs to make clear that booking is not available.

The live site has a stay selector, planning-stage answers and clearly labeled concept imagery. Booking and signup are not yet available. The result here is the delivered website; I am not claiming a commercial outcome.

A live client website for a retreat still in planning; booking and signup are not yet available.

Full scope and limits

Live client website. The retreat is in planning; booking and signup are not yet available.

Who did what

Me
I directed and delivered the site for my boss’s retirement venture.
AI
Development and imagery, under that direction.
Sandy Pines’ live homepage, captured September 6, 2026. The property scene is concept imagery.
Open full screenshot

A decision and its outcome.

Situation
Atmosphere can make a planned retreat look more finished than it is, and a visitor comparing stays could assume booking exists.
Decision
I kept the planning-stage FAQ and opening-updates link close to the stay details, and labeled the concept imagery as concept.
Reason
I wanted to introduce the place without suggesting that visitors could already book.
What changed
The stays are easy to compare and the opening status is easy to find; the September capture still says signup is coming soon.

Comparing the five planned stays

I kept the five stays in one selector so visitors can compare them on the same page. Choosing a stay changes its description, planned stage and occupancy. Each has its own details, even though booking is not yet available.

These are actual website captures from September 6, 2026. The property scenes are concept imagery for accommodation still being planned, as labeled on the live site.

The five planned stays with Pine Tipi selected, followed by its description, opening phase, and planned occupancy.
The selection and the information it changes, shown together. Property scenes are concept imagery. Open full image

Explaining what is still being planned

Atmosphere can make a planned retreat feel more complete than it is. The FAQ gives the necessary context: opening and direct-booking arrangements are still being finalized. At the September capture, the opening section said signup was coming soon.

The site introduces the place and its proposed stays. Booking and a working signup system remain future work; the website’s delivery is the result demonstrated here.

The live FAQ with opening and direct-booking answers expanded, both describing plans still being finalized.
The opening and booking answers, captured September 6, 2026. Open full image

Refining the page and phone experience

The July revisions brought the site into one continuous page. Older stay and FAQ routes redirect to their relevant sections. Later revisions refined anchor navigation and removed extra hero effects.

The heavier nightfall sequence runs only on wider screens when the visitor has not requested reduced motion or data saving. On a phone, the stays remain easy to browse in a compact horizontal selector.

Pine Tipi’s selected-stay details on a phone, with the description, opening phase, planned occupancy, and opening-updates link.
The selected stay’s practical details at 390px phone width. The concept scene remains secondary to the information. Open full image
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