
25 Beautifully Colorful Websites - Part 2 - nickb
http://vandelaydesign.com/blog/galleries/beautifully-colorful-websites/
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bigtoga
I'm a sucker for Top 25 cool stuff like this. Had it been 26, I probably
wouldn't have clicked lol. That's probably my maximum - 25. 24 - sure. 17 -
absolutely. 31? No since I don't believe anyone spent that much time checking
out quality "x" for a quick web article.

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josefresco
This (very un-hacker like) link would be more at home on del.icio.us/popular

Notice that most of the site's mentioned hardly have any "content/copy" on the
home page. A very un-SEO friendly tactic.

Pretty though.

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redorb
I think fast loading supersedes any decoration of this sort; however if you
can compress your images and use CSS to make a page look good why not..

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astine
Having an attractive website can be very helpful. Between two otherwise
identical websites, the more attractive one will probably get more use,
especially with certain target markets. Of course, it's also possible to get
carried away. One needs to also pay attention to utility, load time,
maintenance costs, etc. Ultimately, its really a matter of priorities.

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edw519
Wow, they are beautiful. Maybe too beautiful.

Is it just me, or do they look just a little unprofessional, almost like toys?

Brings up an interesting point - looks like there's a fine line between
beautiful and professional enough for a B2B site.

Looks like "FreeAgentCentral" has best nailed that sweet spot - beautiful,
professional, simple, and inviting.

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STHayden
I think the problem is that people use 'design' as too broad a term.

In my mind 'Good Design' is more of a technical comment that talks about
whether or not the piece follows the rules of design. If it follows the rules
then it's good design.

Good Design is not necessarily beautiful or striking. A lot of designers
(myself included) can get caught up in the mind set of 'beautiful' = 'Good
Design' which is not the case. Most sites should avoid looking ugly but do not
need to look beautiful. Also beautiful is often also associated with
intricate. Making an intricate design is a different skill set then creating a
sparse design. This keep a lot of beautiful sparse sites off these 'beautiful'
lists.

Good Design is not necessarily usable. I think usability is most important for
a website. A usable website focuses on grouping information in intuitive ways
so that users can find the information when they need it. Information is not
just text but buttons and actions as well. A usable website does not need to
be beautiful or have good design.

