Websites of Interest

Week of February 19, 2012
I've included the website for Analog because they have used CSS3 to achieve an embossed look to the text. It's pretty subtle, but when show side-by-side with the plain version, that little extra is nice. To achieve the look, they used a 1px text-shadow styling.

I'm including the website for Ben the Bodyguard more because I like the idea and content. "A Frenchman protecting your secrets. Yes, seriously." It's nice to see this service which is usually portrayed as technical/geeky in a fun James Bond-ish fashion. The designers and developers have really carried the theme thoroughly into every part of the app and website. As a side note, the site is using CSS3 too.

Finally, Matthew & Sara Are Getting Married is a bit more refreshing take on they typical wedding website. The simplicity of the design (and the concise text) is much more contemporary than most other "We're Getting Married" websites that I've seen that tend to suffer from kitschy overload. Like the previous two examples, this site is also using CSS3.

Websites of Interest

Week of February 12, 2012
The layout of Foxie Graphic's site first struck me as odd because of the right alignment. However, the "bookshelf" navigation was what prompted me to include this site on the blog. The down side is that this site takes longer to load that what I am normally willing to wait.

With a slightly different perspective than one might expect, Envira Media turns a design on its side (literally) to create unique areas for navigation and disparate pieces of information while keeping with a single theme.

Finally, Hem Jeans uses some small animation and layering to great effect. The belt loops and rivets do make the user work a bit harder to find the navigation, but I imagine the target audience for this brand would be willing to do the work in exchange for the unique approach. One thing I disliked about the site was that many of the pages (e.g. Lines, Fits) don't allow a user to navigate backwards. Returning to the home page is the only way to navigate elsewhere in the site.

Websites of Interest

Week of February 5, 2012

First up this week is Eclipse Creative Design Agency based in the UK. The theme of their website is based on the company's rural location and carries throughout the entire site and the blog. Small touches like the acorn images used for social media keep the site playful and light. The first page of the site features some upward vertical scrolling to climb the tree and learn more.

The Squad was another cool site. The design seemed fairly straightforward and simple, but unique.

Finally, there's the portfolio site for design Edgar Leijs. All of the mouse-over activity provide some interest and movement to what is otherwise a very minimalist site.

Websites of Interest

Week of January 30, 2012
Most apartment locator and real estate sites are packed with a clutter of information with little or no hierarchy. Espresso Apartments' contemporary, soothing website uses a neutral color palette and a spacious grid to make the often stressful task of finding an apartment more pleasant.

A fun and lighthearted portfolio site that I enjoyed was stedesign. The retro imagery, the cans on the shelf and the field for sending a message provided a cohesive yet not-too-serious feel to the work.

One of the favorite concepts I came across this week was that of Forefathers. The old-timey, circus-like imagery and writing showed that real thought was put into the group's own branding efforts. The imagery alone probably would have seemed slightly generic, but the wonderful tidbits of copy that give the typography and illustrations context is very enjoyable.