Front-page four-horsemen review memo: verdict + staged dev-theme sprint results + preview links

ad18e1826ec2119d59eedb644d12c17fda84f25a · 2026-06-23 18:15:54 -0700 · Steve
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A pending-approval/frontpage-four-horsemen-review-20260623.md
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commit ad18e1826ec2119d59eedb644d12c17fda84f25a
Author: Steve <steve@designerwallcoverings.com>
Date:   Tue Jun 23 18:15:54 2026 -0700

    Front-page four-horsemen review memo: verdict + staged dev-theme sprint results + preview links
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+# Front Page Review — designerwallcoverings.com — Four-Horsemen Design Panel
+
+**Date:** 2026-06-23 · **Reviewer:** vp-dw-commerce surface · **Status:** STAGED ON DEV THEME — AWAITING STEVE'S GO TO PUBLISH LIVE
+**Question asked:** "Is the front page professional? Ask the 4 horsemen and fix if needed." → then "stage the dev-theme sprint and dtd."
+
+---
+
+## ✅ STAGED & VERIFIED ON DEV THEME (2026-06-23) — live untouched
+
+Per DTD verdict B (3/3 unanimous), the P0+P1 sprint was staged on a **fresh clone of the current live theme**, not the stale documented dev theme (whose homepage is a different `newwall-home` lineage and would misrepresent the fix).
+
+- **Dev theme:** `[Dev] Front-Page Sprint 2026-06-23 (from 5.1)` — id **143955820595** (unpublished; a 395-asset 1:1 clone of live main `Steves Version 5.1` / 143933472819).
+- **Preview (while logged into admin):** `https://designer-laboratory-sandbox.myshopify.com/?preview_theme_id=143955820595`
+- **Theme editor:** `https://admin.shopify.com/store/designer-laboratory-sandbox/themes/143955820595/editor`
+
+| Fix | File patched | Verified in preview |
+|---|---|---|
+| **P0** footer apostrophe → "the **nation's** leading resource" | `sections/footer-group.json` | ✅ bug gone (`nation's leading resource`) |
+| **P1** above-fold trade value bar (repurposed the dormant `pxs-announcement-bar`: enabled + retext, charcoal #262626 / #fff, links to trade-only-benefits; desktop + mobile-short copy) | `sections/header-group.json` | ✅ renders both variants |
+| **P1** mobile hero overlay — title/subhead/CTA now absolute-positioned OVER the image (was stranded below it) | `sections/home-slideshow.liquid` (scoped `<style>`) | ✅ `contentOverlapsImage:true` + visual |
+| **P1** hero contrast scrim (gradient behind hero text, stronger on mobile) | same | ✅ legible desktop + mobile |
+
+Screenshots: `audits/frontpage-review/dev-desktop-hero.jpeg`, `dev-mobile-hero.jpeg` (after) vs `dw-hero-viewport.jpeg`, `dw-mobile-top.jpeg` (before). Patch scripts: `shopify/frontpage-sprint/`. Staging commit `ec7c74e8`.
+
+**To publish live (Steve-gated):** approve, then publish theme `143955820595` to main (or cherry-pick the 3 patched assets onto live 5.1). All edits are pure settings/CSS — fully reversible by re-publishing 5.1. **Not done without your explicit go.**
+
+---
+
+## TL;DR — Is the front page professional?
+
+**Yes — professional and structurally sound, but "very good e-commerce," not yet "flagship."** No live regression. Panel: 2× NEEDS-WORK (graphic, UX) / 1× COMPLIANT (structural) / 1× 2.5-of-5 advisory (interior). The staged sprint above closes the embarrassing typo + the highest-value polish gaps.
+
+### Panel scorecard
+| Horseman | Verdict | Score |
+|---|---|---|
+| 1 · Graphic Designer | NEEDS-WORK | 3 / 5 |
+| 2 · UI/UX Designer | NEEDS-WORK | (IA 3, CTA 2, nav 3, trust 4, mobile 2, conversion 2) |
+| 3 · Standing-Rules Steward | COMPLIANT | structural pass |
+| 4 · Interior Designer (advisory) | advisory | 2.5 / 5 |
+
+## Regression myth, put to rest
+`window.Flickity === undefined` on homepage AND `/collections/new-arrivals` — the init-abort fingerprint (`reference_dw_theme_grid_init_abort`). But **latent, not live**: collection grids are Boost-SD-rendered (independent of Flickity), measured `giantImages:0`, no overflow, sort + density controls both present. The "all grids blow up" symptom does NOT manifest on the current layout. Footer "Wallpaper Glossary/Calculator" = allowed (SEO carve-out).
+
+## Deferred (P2/P3 — NOT in this sprint)
+- **P2:** move press band up below hero; unify section-header typography; Brand McKenzie editorial framing; pull COLOR/MATERIAL out of primary nav + add SAMPLES.
+- **P3 (creative call, yours):** interior designer recommends swapping the butterfly-triptych hero for a full-bleed in-situ room (wallcovering as protagonist) and committing each scroll to one color story. Say the word and I'll mock options.
← ec7c74e8 Stage front-page sprint (P0+P1) on dev theme clone of live 5 · back to Designer Wallcoverings · auto-save: 2026-06-23T18:23:51 (2 files) — DW-Agents/vendor- 04106ead →