“Client Area” via Login Feature

I’m working on a new site for our company using WordPress as a CMS. I’m fairly familiar with it, but haven’t used the “Users” option very often during my past builds. I’ve got the login/logout feature working correctly but as of right now when a user types in their info it takes them to the dashboard, showing only what they have access to.

We’d like to be able to give a username and password to a client, and have it give them access to a page that we can post updates about projects we are working on for them. We’d also like to keep it so other clients can’t access each others project information. I’m also hoping to have this user-page follow the template format, not the dashboard format – so it looks like its just a sub-section of our company website.

I imagine it’s got something to do with wp_login_url($redirect) – but I have no idea where to redirect the user to that makes the page dynamically etc.

Its a bit complicated, but I’d appreciate any advice – or even someone simply pointing me in the direction where I can find more info. Thanks!