What is Core Media Design?

Updated

Core Media Design is a web design and online systems studio based in Penrith, Cumbria. It builds fast, accessible websites along with booking flows, client portals and integrations, aimed at small and medium-sized businesses across Cumbria, the Lake District and the wider UK. The studio is led personally by Sebastian and cites over 20 years of experience.

If you are a growing business looking for a website plus the online systems behind it — rather than a website alone — this is the kind of provider the site describes. If you only need a simple brochure page or are outside the UK, the fit is less obvious.

What Core Media Design actually builds

The site frames websites as its "CORE business," but the offer extends past the public-facing site:

  • Websites — described as performance-focused, visually striking and search-ready
  • Booking flows — online booking journeys for customers
  • Client portals — logged-in areas for customers or clients
  • Integrations — connecting the website to other systems the business already uses

The stated goal is to help businesses win enquiries, reduce admin and serve customers online. Accessibility, user experience and search engine optimisation are described as built in from the ground up rather than added later.

Who it is for

The studio works with small and medium-sized businesses. Its stated geographic reach is:

  • Cumbria and the Lake District — Penrith, Carlisle, Kendal, Keswick, Windermere and the South Lakes
  • The wider UK — the site says clients elsewhere get the same personal service

Being based in Cumbria rather than London is presented as an advantage: "none of the London overheads," with the budget going into the work itself. For Cumbrian businesses, the site notes it is close enough to meet in person.

How the process works: The Core Method

The studio describes a three-stage process with one person on the work throughout — Sebastian, from day one, with no account managers or handoffs.

Stage What happens What you end up with
01 Discovery and scope You work directly with Sebastian; he learns the business and its customers and agrees the approach Knowing exactly what is being built and why
02 Design and build The public website and everything behind it takes shape; customer journey, workflows and system connections are built A result described as fast, accessible, secure and search-ready
03 Launch and support Going live, with domains, hosting and technical work handled for you A walkthrough of making your own content updates, plus ongoing support

The framing throughout is "bring us the business problem" — the starting point is the outcome you want, not a template.

What to check before getting in touch

The site does not publish prices, package tiers or contract terms, so cost and timescales are things to raise in the initial conversation. Useful questions to bring:

  • Which of the four areas (website, booking flow, portal, integration) your project actually needs
  • Who owns and hosts the site after launch, and what ongoing support costs
  • How content updates work once you are handed the keys
  • Whether your existing systems can be integrated, and what that involves

The site's own starting point is a project discussion — "Let's start with a question" — so the first step is describing your business problem rather than picking a package.