summit-painting-handyman/dev/continuity.md

# Continuity Log

Development log for tracking changes, decisions, and next steps.

## Entry Template

```markdown
## YYYY-MM-DD - Brief Description

### Changes
- What changed
- Why it changed

### Decisions
- Key decisions made
- Trade-offs considered

### Next Steps
- [ ] Follow-up items
```

---

## 2025-12-27 - Editorial Grid, Atmosphere, & Dynamic Text Reveal

### Changes
- **Structural Foundation**:
  - Narrowed the primary container (`--width-brand`) to **1140px** for a focused, magazine-style layout.
  - Implemented a strict **12-column grid system** (`.grid-12`) across all sections for precise content alignment.
  - Significant vertical rhythm update: Increased section padding to `py-32 md:py-48 lg:py-64` to solve the "short/stunted" section feeling.
- **Atmospheric Image Integration**:
  - **Hero**: Implemented a **pinned/sticky background** effect using `painting1.png`, allowing content to scroll over a fixed gritty texture.
  - **Expertise Mosaic**: Updated bento tiles with high-texture assets (`mixing1.png`, `shavings1.png`, `cloth1.png`) and added floating `shavings` connector assets to bridge section gaps.
  - **Service Area**: Layered `wall2.png` as a subtle atmospheric overlay on the mountain visual.
- **Dynamic Reveal Animations**:
  - Implemented a global **Intersection Observer** for scroll-triggered reveal animations.
  - Added "Sliding Line" text reveals for all major headings (H1, H2) using `text-reveal-mask` and `text-reveal-line` utilities.
  - Applied `reveal-item` fade/slide transitions to bento tiles, image cards, and trust badges.
- **Interaction & Polish**:
  - **Button Refinement**: Updated `Button.astro` with premium editorial tracking, bold uppercase text, and hover-lift effects.
  - **Soft Edge Masks**: Applied `mask-soft-edges` (linear gradients) to dark sections to create a seamless transition into the cream page background.
  - **Section Alignment**: Re-balanced all elements to specific column spans (e.g., col-span-7 content, col-span-5 media) for a high-end editorial feel.

### Decisions
- **Sticky Hero Background**: Chose a sticky background for the hero to create immediate visual depth and a "painterly" parallax impression.
- **Strict Grid Spans**: Used the 12-column grid to intentionally limit text line-lengths, mimicking premium print layout standards.
- **Connector Assets**: Used floating wood shavings (`shavings2.png`, `shavings3.png`) to literally "sew" sections together, breaking up horizontal division lines.

### Next Steps
- [ ] Audit the contact page for consistency with the new 1140px container and grid-12 structure.
- [ ] Review performance of high-texture images on low-bandwidth mobile devices.
- [ ] Finalize any remaining dead links in the refined footer.

---

## 2025-12-27 - Vibrant Bento & Editorial Polish

### Changes
- **Expertise Section Redesign**:
  - Rebuilt the Expertise section as a structured **Bento Grid** with high-impact imagery and interactive chips.
  - Added magazine-style numbering ("01", "02", "03") and hover-reveal logic for a high-end feel.
- **Dynamic Brand Marquee**:
  - Implemented a seamless scrolling marquee with bold brand essence keywords: "TRUSTWORTHY", "EDITORIAL", "ORGANIC", "STURDY".
- **Media Split Service Area**:
  - Refactored the Service Area into an asymmetric layout with a large, moody mountain visual on the left and neighborhood chips on the right.
- **Service List (More Than Just Painting) Polish**:
  - Added "stat" labels (e.g., "Precise", "Clean") to each service item for editorial precision.
  - Refined the layout with better card spacing and a floating stat badge.
- **Refined Site Shell**:
  - **Nav**: Updated button hierarchy and sticky behavior for better contrast and usability.
  - **Footer**: Added a top social bar, organized links into a three-column "Hybrid Footer" grid, and refined the "Pill" CTA section.

### Decisions
- **Bento Logic**: Chose to prioritize one large card for "Premium Painting" to establish it as the primary service, with smaller auxiliary cards for secondary services.
- **Marquee Integration**: Placed the marquee between the Expertise and Service List sections to serve as a high-energy visual divider.
- **Media Split**: Used a grayscale-to-color transition on the mountain image to emphasize the "discovery" aspect of locating the service area.

### Next Steps
- [ ] Review the mobile transition for the media split (ensure it stacks elegantly).
- [ ] Finalize the "Recipes" or "Project Stories" slider if real project data becomes available.
- [ ] Conduct a final cross-browser audit for animation performance (marquee and hover states).

---

## 2025-12-27 - Hero, Services, and Footer Design Revamp

### Changes
- **Hero Section Redesign**:
    - Replaced mountain background with a dark green (`#3A4D39`) color and a custom tileable pattern texture (`tileablepattern.png`).
    - Added a new hero visual on the right featuring a paintbrush and color swatches image (`brushandswatchestransparent.png`).
    - Implemented floating decorative service cards ("Deck Restoration" and "Ext. Paint") overlaid on the hero image with hover animations.
    - Updated typography to match the "Craftsmanship For Your Home" editorial style.
- **Services Section Redesign**:
    - Renamed and restructured the section to "Our Expertise".
    - Replaced the vertical list with a horizontal grid of three cards: "Interior & Exterior Painting", "Wood Restoration", and "Skilled Handyman".
    - Each card features a distinct background color (Sage or Forest green), unique service images, and "Learn More" call-to-action buttons.
- **Footer Redesign**:
    - Restructured the footer into two main sections.
    - Added a branding top section with a large logo, company mission statement, and a dark green background.
    - Updated the bottom section with a black background, maintaining the "Ready to Transform Your Home?" CTA and navigation links.
- **Lucide Icon Fixes**:
    - Updated all Lucide icon components in `src/pages/index.astro` to use `className` instead of `class` to resolve React linter errors.

### Decisions
- **Visual Consistency**: Chose to layer the tileable pattern at low opacity (20%) to add texture without distracting from the main hero content.
- **Card Styling**: Used varying shades of green (`#3A4D39` and `#739072`) for the services cards to create visual interest while staying within the brand's palette.
- **Layout Adjustments**: Shifted the hero content to a split-screen layout to accommodate the large paintbrush image while maintaining readability on all devices.

### Next Steps
- [ ] Verify responsive behavior across various mobile screen sizes.
- [ ] Replace placeholder "Map" component with a real interactive map or high-quality image.
- [ ] Connect the "Learn More" buttons and "Get a Quote" CTAs to their respective destinations.

---

## 2025-12-27 - Hero Screenshot Match Polish

### Changes
- **Hero background treatment**:
  - Moved the tileable pattern so it lives *outside* the hero card (page background) to match the reference composition.
  - Updated the hero card to a smoother forest gradient with a soft vignette/highlight, closer to the mock.
- **Hero visual composition**:
  - Added/strengthened the circular backdrop behind the brush/swatches image.
  - Nudged/scaled the brush/swatches to reveal more of the circle and create more negative space.
  - Repositioned/restyled the floating cards so they sit closer to the brush/circle like the provided screenshot.
- **CTA styling**:
  - Tweaked the secondary button to have a subtle dark fill + light border (instead of fully transparent) to better match the mock.

### Decisions
- Prioritized matching the mock’s “pattern outside the card” framing over keeping texture inside the hero card.

### Next Steps
- [ ] Replace the floating card text/labels (e.g. “Woodwork Care”) with final approved copy (if needed).

---

## 2025-12-27 - Expertise Mosaic Redesign

### Changes
- Replaced the prior 3-card “Our Expertise” layout with a **2-row mosaic grid** (icon tiles + image tiles + text tiles) to match the provided screenshot.
- Added a **patterned frame treatment** for the expertise section using `src/assets/tileablepattern.png`, including top/bottom pattern strips and subtle vignette.
- Reused existing site imagery assets (`closeupbrush4.png`, `cards.png`, `puttyknife2.png`) for the mosaic image tiles.

### Decisions
- Kept the section’s semantic heading (`h2`) as **screen-reader-only** to preserve accessibility while matching the screenshot’s visual layout.
- Implemented the mosaic with a responsive grid: stacks to 1 column on mobile, 2 columns on small screens, 4 columns on desktop.

### Next Steps
- [ ] Review and approve the tile text copy (Premium Painting / Handyman Services descriptions).

---

## 2025-12-27 - Logo Integration & Favicon Generation

### Changes
- **Generated Complete Favicon Set**: Used ffmpeg to convert logo-black.png into all standard favicon sizes
  - 16x16 favicon.ico (classic browser favicon)
  - 32x32 favicon-32.png (standard size)
  - 192x192 favicon-192.png (Android/PWA)
  - 180x180 apple-touch-icon.png (iOS)
  - 512x512 favicon-512.png (high-res/PWA)
- **WebP Optimization**: Converted all three logo variants to WebP format for modern browsers with transparency support
  - logo-col.png (2.7MB) → logo-col.webp (513KB) - 81% reduction
  - logo-black.png (781KB) → logo-black.webp (423KB) - 46% reduction
  - logo-white.png (1.5MB) → logo-white.webp (578KB) - 61% reduction
  - Initial attempt with AVIF failed due to libaom-av1 codec not supporting alpha channel transparency
- **Navigation Logo**: Replaced placeholder "S" badge with colored logo (logo-col.webp/png) in src/pages/index.astro:40-55
  - Used `<picture>` element with WebP + PNG fallback
  - Set to 48x48px size for optimal navigation display
- **Footer Logo**: Replaced placeholder "S" badge with white logo (logo-white.webp/png) in src/pages/index.astro:681-696
  - Provides clean contrast against dark footer background
  - Maintains brand consistency across page sections
- **HTML Head Updates**: Added complete favicon references in src/layouts/Layout.astro:19-24
  - SVG favicon (primary, with dark mode support)
  - ICO fallback for legacy browsers
  - Multiple PNG sizes for different contexts
  - Apple touch icon for iOS home screen

### Decisions
- **Logo Placement Strategy**:
  - Navigation: Colored logo for maximum brand presence on light background
  - Footer: White logo for contrast on dark background (#1c1917)
  - Favicons: Black logo as base for simple, recognizable appearance
- **Image Format Strategy**: Used `<picture>` element with WebP as primary format and PNG fallback for maximum compatibility and performance
  - Chose WebP over AVIF due to better transparency (alpha channel) support with current ffmpeg/libaom-av1 build
- **Favicon Approach**: Generated multiple sizes to support all platforms (web browsers, Android, iOS, PWA) from single source
- **Compression**: Leveraged WebP format for 46-81% file size reduction while maintaining quality and transparency

### Technical Details
- Used ffmpeg with lanczos scaling filter for high-quality favicon resizing
- Used libwebp encoder for WebP compression with alpha channel (bgra format) to preserve transparency
- All images maintain RGBA/BGRA color space for transparency support
- Progressive encoding for optimal loading experience
- AVIF attempted first but libaom-av1 codec incompatible with yuva420p pixel format, falling back to yuv420p which strips alpha channel

### Next Steps
- [ ] Test favicon display across different browsers and devices
- [ ] Consider creating a PWA manifest file to complement the favicon set
- [ ] Monitor AVIF adoption and adjust fallback strategy if needed
- [ ] Potentially create additional logo sizes for different marketing contexts

---

## 2025-12-27 - Hybrid "Eden" Design Implementation

### Changes
- **Aesthetic Overhaul**: Transformed the template into "Eden Style" (Editorial + Organic).
  - Adopted `Playfair Display` (Serif) for headings.
  - Updated color palette to Earth Tones: Deep Forest (`#3A4D39`), Sage (`#739072`), Cream (`#ECE3CE`), and Stone Black (`#1c1917`).
- **Structure Refinement (Hybrid)**:
  - Rebuilt "More Than Just Painting" section with a split "List + Floating Cards" layout.
  - **Restored** the unified "Rounded Dark Footer" to anchor the page.
  - **Cleaned** Hero background shapes (Geometric vs. Blurry) for a crisp look.
  - Updated `design.json` with new identity and tokens.

### Decisions
- **Hybrid Approach**: We combined the trustworthy/sturdy feel of the original template (Rounded Footer, Clean Shapes) with the premium/editorial feel of the new reference (Serif fonts, Floating UI cards).
- **Typography**: Paired `Playfair Display` with `Plus Jakarta Sans` to balance elegance with modern readability.

### Next Steps
- [ ] Visual QA of all service pages (if expanding beyond single page).
- [ ] Connect Contact Form to backend/service.
- [ ] Replace placeholder "Map" with actual embed or image.

---

## 2024-12-27 - Minimal Template Setup

### Changes
- Created minimal Astro development template
- Single example blog post showing MDX structure
- Minimal section examples (hero, experience, skills, featured-project)
- Simple contact page example
- Utility scripts: AVIF conversion, AI commit messages
- Design system documentation in `dev/design.json`

### Stack
- Astro 5 + React 19 + Tailwind CSS 4
- TypeScript
- MDX content collections
- Cloudflare Pages deployment
- pnpm package manager

### Structure
- Content-driven architecture with type-safe schemas
- Example content showing data structures
- Utility scripts for common tasks
- Clean development environment

### Next Steps
- [ ] Replace example content with your own
- [ ] Customize design system as needed
- [ ] Configure deployment

---

## 2025-12-27 - Homepage Redesign & Component Refactor

### Changes
- **Aggressive Component Refactor**: Broke monolithic `src/pages/index.astro` (780+ lines) into reusable Astro components:
  - **Site Shell**: `src/components/site/Nav.astro` (sticky nav with mobile menu using `details/summary`), `src/components/site/Footer.astro`
  - **UI Primitives**: `src/components/ui/Container.astro`, `src/components/ui/Button.astro`, `src/components/ui/Section.astro`, `src/components/ui/SectionHeading.astro`
  - **Homepage Sections**: `src/components/home/Hero.astro`, `src/components/home/ExpertiseMosaic.astro`, `src/components/home/ServiceList.astro`, `src/components/home/WhyUs.astro`, `src/components/home/ServiceArea.astro`

- **Fixed Dead Navigation Links**: All CTAs and nav links that pointed to non-existent `#contact` now route to `/contact` page

- **Created `/contact` Page**: New `src/pages/contact.astro` with:
  - Contact information card (phone, email, location, hours)
  - Service areas chips
  - Contact form with name, phone, email, service dropdown, project details
  - Consistent styling with homepage

- **Mobile Navigation**: Added functional hamburger menu using native `details/summary` (no JavaScript required)
  - Shows all nav links, phone number, and CTA
  - Toggle icon changes from hamburger to X when open

- **Services Section Redesign**: Replaced confusing mosaic grid with clean 3-column card layout:
  - Each card has image, icon badge, title, description, and "Get a Quote" CTA
  - Clear visual hierarchy and relationship between elements
  - Bottom CTA for consultation

- **Footer Links Fixed**: Service links now point to `#services` instead of dead `#` links

### Decisions
- **No JavaScript Mobile Menu**: Used `details/summary` HTML pattern for mobile nav to stay Astro-first and reduce client-side JS
- **Separate Contact Page**: Chose dedicated `/contact` page over inline section to allow for future form integration
- **Component Granularity**: Created both low-level UI primitives and page-specific section components for flexibility
- **Phone Number**: Using placeholder `(312) 456-7890` from `dev/design.json` - needs updating with real number

### Technical Details
- All components use brand tokens from `src/styles/global.css` (`--color-brand-green`, `--color-brand-sage`, etc.)
- Button component supports `primary`, `secondary`, `outline`, `ghost` variants
- Section component supports `default`, `white`, `dark`, `accent` backgrounds
- Mobile menu auto-closes when navigating (native browser behavior)

### Next Steps
- [ ] Update placeholder phone number/email with real contact info
- [ ] Add form submission handler (Cloudflare Functions or external service)
- [ ] Create `/privacy` and `/terms` pages (footer links currently dead)
- [ ] Add scroll-margin-top to sections for better anchor navigation with sticky header
- [ ] Consider adding subtle entrance animations to homepage sections

---

## 2025-12-27 - Editorial Cohesion & Moody Identity Implementation

### Changes
- **Layout Refinement**:
  - Narrowed the primary content container (`--width-brand`) to **1200px** for a more focused, high-end editorial feel.
  - Increased section vertical spacing and added significant breathing room between blocks.
- **Hero Transformation**:
  - Replaced the split-screen hero with a centered, high-impact "Moody Hero" layout.
  - Integrated `brush1.png` as an atmospheric background texture with radial lighting and blended gradients.
  - Enhanced typography with larger, more intentional serif and italic pairings.
- **Visual Depth & Texture**:
  - Implemented a page-wide subtle texture using `tileablepattern.png` on the `body` background.
  - Refactored `ExpertiseMosaic`, `ServiceList`, and `ServiceArea` to use semi-transparent backgrounds (`bg-brand-cream/50`) and backdrop blurs to melt into the page texture.
  - Standardized all section rounding to match the "Pill" design language.
- **"Pill" Footer Implementation**:
  - Rebuilt the footer to precisely match the brand identity guide.
  - Added a floating dark green "Pill" CTA section that anchors the page.
  - Refactored the bottom links into a "Hybrid Footer" three-column grid (Contact, Branding, Links).
- **Design Token Standardization**:
  - Renamed all remaining `stone-` and `#3a4d39` references to brand tokens (`brand-dark`, `brand-green`, etc.) across the entire codebase.

### Decisions
- **Centered Hero**: Moving to a centered hero created a more direct and atmospheric first impression, allowing the `brush1.png` texture to serve as the "canvas" for the site.
- **Narrower Width**: Reducing the width from 1440px to 1200px immediately improved the "editorial" feel, making long paragraphs more readable and visual assets more balanced.
- **Page-wide Texture**: Using a very subtle (1.5% opacity) texture on the `body` instead of per-section backgrounds eliminated the "abrupt transition" issue.

### Next Steps
- [ ] Review mobile responsiveness for the new centered hero and layered footer.
- [ ] Finalize the interactive map or neighborhood visualization in the `ServiceArea` section.
- [ ] Audit all secondary pages (Contact) for the new container width.

---

## 2025-12-27 - Full-Page Beautification & Bento Refactor

### Changes
- **Expertise Mosaic Redesign**:
    - Completely rebuilt the section as a high-impact **Bento Mosaic**.
    - Replaced standard cards with large, background-image-driven tiles.
    - Added hover-reveal descriptions and magazine-style numbering ("01", "02", "03").
    - Integrated glassmorphism UI elements for icons and CTAs.
- **Service List (More Than Just Painting) Polish**:
    - Rebuilt as a premium card with a subtle pattern background and rounded layout.
    - Replaced the simple list with a grid of icon chips for handyman services.
    - Added a floating "200+ Jobs Completed" badge for social proof.
- **Service Area (Service Area) Redesign**:
    - Transformed into a "Community Card" with a full-width mountain backdrop (`mountains.png`).
    - Added a floating, glowing map marker badge and stylized neighborhood tags.
    - Included a bottom trust bar with core value indicators (Licensed & Insured, etc.).
- **Navigation (Nav) Refinement**:
    - Enhanced the sticky header with backdrop-blur glassmorphism.
    - Added a sub-brand line ("& Handyman Services") and refined typography with better tracking and bold uppercase weights.
    - Improved hover states with animated underlines and subtle shadow transitions on CTAs.
- **Layout Breathing Room**:
    - Increased vertical margins between large sections (to `mb-48` in some cases) to create an airy, premium "editorial" feel.

### Decisions
- **Photography First**: Shifted the design to lead with high-quality, large-scale photography to better showcase craftsmanship.
- **Micro-Interactions**: Added scale and rotate animations on hover for cards and images to make the site feel responsive and high-end.
- **Glassmorphism**: Used backdrop filters (`backdrop-blur-xl`) on navigation and floating elements to maintain legibility while overlaying beautiful imagery.

### Next Steps
- [ ] Add smooth-scroll behavior to the whole page for better anchor navigation.
- [ ] Finalize mobile responsiveness for the new bento tiles (ensure text remains readable over images).
- [ ] Update the placeholder project counts/years once real data is available.