Designing for everyone: Why accessibility should start at the beginning

I recently worked on a Squarespace website accessibility audit and remediation project that turned into a great learning moment; not just for the client, but for me too. It reinforced something I believe deeply:

Accessibility works best when it’s built in from the start, not added later.

Here’s a short reflection on what we encountered and the small but impactful changes that made the site more inclusive for all users.

The Challenges We Faced

Squarespace has a lot of good built-in accessibility features, but when a site is customized without accessibility in mind, things can start to break down.

Some of the things we noticed:

• Form styling overrides:
  The site used custom styles for contact forms, but these changes unintentionally removed native label associations and disrupted keyboard navigation. Squarespace’s default forms are generally quite accessible, but those benefits disappear when key elements are overridden.

• Duplicate navigation landmarks:
  On mobile, the navigation included multiple folders using the same aria-label, which made it confusing for screen reader users. Each folder sounded the same, making it hard to know where you were in the menu.

• Contrast issues on mobile:
  A “Read More” CTA button looked great on desktop, but the same text turned invisible against a dark background on mobile. It’s a good reminder that accessibility includes responsiveness, what works on one screen might not work on another.

What We Improved

The fixes were simple, but meaningful:

• We restored form accessibility by removing or adjusting the problematic custom styles.

• We used a small enhancement to add unique aria-labels to each mobile nav folder.

• We updated the CTA styling.

• We included an Accessibility Statement to document what was done and where future improvements could be made.

Key Takeaways

This project served as a reminder that accessibility isn’t a separate phase; it’s a perspective that can inform every stage of the design process:

• Start with semantics: Use native elements and think about how assistive technology will interpret your design.

• Think beyond aesthetics: Customization is great but not at the cost of usability.

• Test as you go: Simple checks (like colour contrast tools or keyboard-only navigation) can catch issues early.

It doesn’t have to be complicated, and small tweaks can go a long way.

final thoughts

The client cared deeply about their users and was eager to improve things once we identified what wasn’t working. That collaboration made all the difference. As designers and developers, we have the opportunity to guide that process and make it part of the foundation, not an afterthought.

If you’re working on a site and wondering where accessibility fits in: it’s right there with the first wireframe, the first style choice, the first content block.

Let’s design with everyone in mind.

Need help with accessibility or custom design?

I’m a Squarespace & Shopify Designer & Developer focused on creating beautiful, functional, and inclusive websites. Whether you're starting fresh or need help improving your existing site, I can support you in building an experience that works for everyone.