Redesign review

[Sam]

OK, this (http://host191.ipowerweb.com/~minglewi/taylor2/) mockup is currently on its 3rd redesign. Please let me know your thoughts on it. Some basic/obvious stuff. Its Valid XHTML 1.0 and CSS as of the time I post this (and I don't plan on making any changes that should effect that). I realize the page-weight is pretty heavy, but that isn't much of a problem since most of the images that are causing the delay are using shea image replacement, so you still see the text while the page is loading. Other than that, please, tear it apart.

Note: None of the anchors go anywhere, its just the front page for now.

[Neczy]

I'm not a big fan of those shades of green, but that is just a personal thing. The only thing that I really am not a fan of is how big the copyright notice is at the bottom. It is bigger then the actual font of the page used for the content which I don't like. If you made it smaller it would look nicer.

Also, I am not positive but the links "home, shop, real estate" etc may look better centered-- but again I am not sure, but you may wanna take a look.

[Sam]

Thanks Neczy,
Good call on the footer, I've shrunk the fontsize considerably. I might agree with you on centering the nav, but I can't find any way to do that (without otherwise compromising the layout).
Everyone else, keep 'em coming

[Ben Rogers]

Yeah, I'm not a giant fan of the colors either, but it is a personal thing. I really like the layout, though. the body bg would do well as #fff IMO, and then the current whites be darker. also the links could have white bgs and green text, and maybe the text could be lighter :hover with a gradient pic in the bg...

[Sam]

Originally posted by omega
and maybe the text could be lighter :hover with a gradient pic in the bg...
you mean like this (http://www.ryanbrill.com/)? I thought about it, but I think I've already borrowed enough of his ideas (negative margins and the little articles icon).
I also don't really like the green, and have proposed like 7 other schemes, but the client really wants greens. Any ideas on how to make the green less craptastic would be helpful.

[Ben Rogers]

No... I meant making it look like the nav links were coming off the main section, and then being pushed in :hover. AS for the greens.... try some richer greens- think evergreen.

[Neczy]

Well you could be an ass and make a php style switcher, make other colors then green and then say its there, just not...there.

As for the centering-- yeah that is interesting... Because of the "float: left;" it lines up to become horizontal, and with a "float: left;" you cant use "text-align: center;". Seems like too much work with not enough of a design change to be worth it heh.

Other then the things we discussed I would say that it is a nice design with a nice flow. Good Job.

[Ben Rogers]

<suggestion type="unneccesary/inane">Maybe floating it to the right would make it a bit more interesting... o.O

[Neczy]

heh.... Thats just crazy enough it might work!! [insert many exclamation points here]

[Ben Rogers]

Originally posted by Neczy
heh.... Thats just crazy enough it might work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*AHEM* Now that that's taken care of...

[Neczy]

~nods~ thanks, heh.

[Paul Jr]

Originally posted by Sam
Thanks Neczy,
Good call on the footer, I've shrunk the fontsize considerably. I might agree with you on centering the nav, but I can't find any way to do that (without otherwise compromising the layout).
Everyone else, keep 'em coming
If you know roughly the width of navigation items then all you have to do is center the <ul> like you would center anything else — but the width of the <ul> has to be exactly (or as close as you can get; the closer the better) the width of the items inside. So, as small as you can get it without having links start dropping to another line.

So, assuming (for example) you have three nav items, each with a width of 100 px and 4px of horizontal padding, then the ul’s width would be 324px.


Anyhoo, I like what you did with the thumbnails on the left side. Nifty. One other thing I’ll complain about is the narrowness of the content.

[Sam]

Paul - I would set a width to the ul, but as of now the links are relatively resizable, and i'm pretty sure doing that would make them less-so. As to the content narrowness, thats because the center column only exists on the front page for a short newsletter type thing. After that the site switches to a 2 column layout (bowman inspired)

[Paul Jr]

Originally posted by Sam
Paul - I would set a width to the ul, but as of now the links are relatively resizable, and i'm pretty sure doing that would make them less-so.
If the dimensions are set in ems (or another such unit), and the <ul>’s dimensions are set in ems (or another such unit), then the flexibility shouldn’t be compromized.

Originally posted by Sam
As to the content narrowness, thats because the center column only exists on the front page for a short newsletter type thing. After that the site switches to a 2 column layout (bowman inspired)
Ahh, I see (that sort of looked familiar :p).

[the tree]

I know I'm only meant to be looking at the layout but...
Picking a faucet doesn't have to be difficult, it actually can be fun
ROFL:D :D Yeah some of my happiest memories are in the plumbing isles of DIY stores.:D :D

[Neczy]

haha

[Sam]

Thats not the actual content. Those will eventually be user inputted stories, so i put that in there for fun.
Thanks for the reviews so far guys. keep 'em coming (I'd like to hear from the big guns especially)

[Sam]

I've changed the header banner to a karenika pic (with permission), and added a brightcreative inspired background. I think it decrapped the green a little, but let me know your thoughts on the revisions.
(link) (http://host191.ipowerweb.com/~minglewi/taylor2/)

[Conor]

I prefered the old header, this one doesnt seem to "match" as well

[Sam]

I redid the color pallette. a lot richer greens imo. Let me know what you think.

[Sam]

Originally posted by RefreshF5
I prefered the old header, this one doesnt seem to "match" as well
Match the theme or the color scheme?

Also, would anyone care to weigh in on whether or not there's too much blank space in the contractors div?

[Conor]

I think it matched the theme of the site better.

[spufi]

Here's the couple things I noticed. One, not all of the images have their height and width defined and thus they shift the layout as they load. Since your images can be grouped into different sizes, I see no reason not to define those properties in CSS. Secondly and one of complete personal opinion, I think you went a little over the top on the amount of borders. The side areas are very busy and it took me a sec, or two to adjust to all of the colors, images, and whatnot going on.

[Neczy]

Yeah all of the darker colors make the site seem cluttered and unorganized. Also the header image matches nothing on the site IMO, and doesnt seem to make sense, I liked the other one better.

[MstrBob]

I really have to agree with spufi. It's visually very, very busy. Your eye should be drawn to the text, but it's drawn to everywhere but the text. You have 2, 3, in some places 6 different borders around things! It's too much. And the headers bother me. Maybe it's the font, or them being white, but they bother me. Maybe a darker or richer background green for them?

But, otherwise, well done. I REALLY like the hover links, in which the pictures become color. The ul custom bullet images are nice, and the background works. Although I get Conor saying that the image doesn't "fit" the scheme (didn't see the first one, though) I like it, because it breaks up the green and gives color - a little breather. If it were green... I'd gorge my eyes out to stop the green :p.

[Ben Rogers]

Despite what Bob said, I think that the old header would work better. I like the busy, over-bordered look mainly because it's something different. It's not sleek, but not everything needs to be. I think that all the little touches just work... and my only complaints are the colors (which have improved... they're not flat anymore, and have more "oomph" :)) and the new header.

[Sam]

I finally talked the client into letting me change the color scheme at my discression, so I thought I would ask here first. What color scheme do you think would work with this page? keep in mind i can change the header image if need be.

[spufi]

Personally, the overuse of borders is to me a bigger issue than the color scheme, which I kind of liked.

[Ben Rogers]

Differing opinions there- colors are the biggest issue, while the borders are what I like...

As for the colors, it's personal preference really. Seeing as it is a business site, I think light, 'easy on the eyes' colors would serve well; with a large amount of white.

[Sam]

Ok, more changes made:

Changed the color scheme entirely (and got rid of a lot of borders), tell me what ya think.
Added Shop page
New header

Let me know what you think, and the sooner the better cuz i'm kinda under the gun here.

[MstrBob]

I'm liking the red, but that yello-beige-ish color at the top background and bottom footer doesn't seem to sit well with me. Borders are toned down nicely. The top navigation still bothers me, though. Maybe if you ditched the boxes and had the font change color?

[spufi]

Originally posted by MstrBob
I'm liking the red, but that yello-beige-ish color at the top background and bottom footer doesn't seem to sit well with me.

And here's one of the problems with changing colors schemes. You change it because people don't like it, and then they have issues with the new color scheme too. At some point you just have to pick one and go with it.

I would try a different color of border for the menu links, or maybe dropping them to tone it down a bit, but that's about it.

[Ben Rogers]

"You can't please everyone." I'm not a big fan of the new colors (though they are an improvement" and would lean towards something lighter. I say junk the red and go with the beige. It'll fit, seeing as most of your photos have some wooden component. Also, if you do this... well, you're gonna have to figure out the borders for yourself...

Beige, white, and black. Clean, proffessional, legible, and attractive. And yours for just $19.99!

[Neczy]

Okay, Lemme start with what I like about the new look, starting from the top!

I like the new header, it is very visually stimulating, and crisp. I don't really like that dark tan color, it doesn't match much else on the site with all the reds. I would tone down the red, and down down the tan and then make it a more light layout. Your borders are looking good, and I think your 'footer' with copyright notice needs a bit of padding- top and bottom, as it seems a bit tight. Also, just noticing this and am too lazy to edit my post thus far, I am definately liking what you did with the horizonatal links at the top of the page. They are centered, which looks MUCH better.

<edit>After looking at the page a bit more the red background and tan colors are growing on me, and seem to work with the site</edit>

I definately think you are going in the right direction, and with just a bit more fine tuning should look great.