Hello everyone,

 

My usual designs are quite blocky, straight down the middle kind of designs (like this one here). I'm starting on a site for a new client, and want to try something a little more interesting.

 

They haven't given me the content yet, but I do have their general ideas and page titles so I have been able to create the basic layout and design with filler text and placeholders for images.

 

This is what I have come up with: http://wellerwebdesign.com/sewpassion/design.jpg

 

The top bar would stretch across the entire width of the screen, as with the footer.

 

Let me know what you think!

This is pretty interesting. You have a very unique type of homepage header design, its not 'new' but its something with the custom font and dark colours that make it very clean. Your custom font choice has very nice kernelling and also probably because I'm on Firefox. Anyway, that was targeted at your personal website.

 

I think the design which you've presented for Sewpassion is basic and very straight to the point. Your call to actions are immediate as I am asked to not "Miss Out!" and "Get in Touch". If signing up and contacting Sewpassion is the primary goal of this website then well done, mission accomplished, just sit back, drink tea and collect money. If not then...

Having icons or images for the Products, Services.. etc. would peak the interest (not sure if you intended to add images there).

 

As you said, it's a basic layout and design so I don't want to say too much. Overall I think its pretty good for a first mockup.

Edited April 21, 201313 yr by _Jabba_

I like it
I agree using icons or images for the Products and Services, etc. sections will work well.

You need to have more white space I think, it looks a bit busy atm to me. I would have also made the body font a few shades lighter, just to increase the contrast between headlines and body text. Not too light, just enough to be red easily.

 

Other than that, I would have stitching more throughout the design, as it is a "Sew passion", I would have had a few nice textures, too, to go with the overall theme.

 

It is going well, looking forward to see more.

Thanks for the feedback! I really appreciate your input, as the high majority of this community probably has way more experience than I do.

 

@Jabba yes, the client wants the primary purpose of the site is to simply provide information about the business and have users connect with the company via newsletter sign-up and Facebook.

 

@Teodora I definitely agree with the white space, I'm throwing around a few different spacing ideas right now so we'll see how that goes. I'm going to add icons as well, and try to get some more textures and interesting bits to fit into the overall "Sew Passion" theme.

Thanks again, I'll update this thread when I have made some more alterations.

It's rubbish. Only joking, I'm just being irksome I really like your colour choice and the font. I do think (only judging from this jpeg) that the leading is off abit. Make use of your whitespace. I think you should let your main content dominate a bit more over the sidebar as it's looking a little 50-50. The biggest thing for me here is the use of space. Totally manageable, so that's a good thing. Other than that, I'm liking the layout and colour

Thanks for the feedback alias, a very good point!

 

I've updated the link with a slightly different layout, I'm still working on it but am going to update it as I go so that I can get feedback on whatever is my latest revision.

Got a no-go from the client, so I started from scratch and came up with something else. They want something with a red colour scheme (gave me their logo for reference) and more use of graphics.

 

You can see it so far here: http://wellerwebdesign.com/sewpassion/design_v2.jpg

 

Any advice would be welcome!

I prefer the first one but both are great. I think the nav bar in the second is bolder and easier to see where you want to go.

Thanks PF, I actually prefer the first one also

 

I've created a lighter version of the same 2nd design for comparison: http://www.wellerwebdesign.com/sewpassion/design_v2_light.jpg

In my opinion, the design is good however there's something which lacks in the eye of a user. I agree with the above comment, that graphics should be included in the design. It will help to entertain the visitor of the website.

I like the first in terms of colour and the second(a) in terms of layout.

 

I do find the red on black to be a bit jarring for a sewing site. Those colours remind me of horror films and war and the red draws a lot of attention to the navigation. Perhaps more pink and less black? I'm guessing that you (or your client) wants to push the "passion" idea.

 

Is that a preexisting logo or did you design it?

@mantis That's the companies pre-existing logo used on the second design, not my work.

 

I agree that right now the red on black is too bold, I'm trying to create a lighter version with a similar layout. I still need to keep the red as per the client's request.

You can change the tone considerably just by adding a third colour. Red is hard to work with though as it has so many connotations.