Need an online resource to help me style a web applcication.

Question

I have a website that I put together and it's functional but it doesn't look nice. I've assigned CSS classes and IDs to everything to make it easier to come back and add styles later, but I have NO skills when it comes to eye-pleasing colors and layouts.

There are many sites that offer free website templates, but they're all so specific that I can't seem to find one that will help me style my website.

Can anyone suggest a site that has simpler CSS examples? I don't need a tutorial; I understand CSS, I just can't do "pretty".

Honestly, if my wife doesn't pick out my clothes, I look terrible... I need help with styling.

Thanks

-Kevin (Oh, and if stackoverflow isn't the right place to ask something like this, please direct me to the more appropriate place.)

Answer 1

Hmm. You are talking about a web application, right? How about JQuery UI? It would imply using JQuery on the UI end, too, so I don't know whether this is really helpful for you, but it brings a number of very nice-looking application templates, and pre-styled controls.

Answer 2

Thus .. You want to learn how to design and choose colors?

To start, you can get some template inspiration at CSS Drive and CSS Zen Garden. You can choose and combine "good colors" at CSS color scheme designer.

More hints can be found at Google using "css design templates" and "css color schemes".

Answer 3

There are some basic things you can do to make your design look less like a developer designed it :):

1. White Space! Lots of white space! If you think you've used too much white space, add just a little bit more. Minimum of 20-30px padding/margins between major interface elements.
2. Use different fonts other than the web safe defaults. Look in to using something like Typekit.
3. Read up on color theory. Don't stick to the overused blue, black and white color scheme.

There are plenty of tips we can give you here, but good design sense is built up over time. Some other resources you can check out are:

• http://smashingmagzine.com
• http://doctypetv.com

Answer 4

I'd advise to hire a freelancer for this job.

Especially, if the functionality is already done and site is pursuing any kind of commercial success.

Answer 5

Imagine if somebody said "I drew a Web application in my sketchbook. I need an online resource to help me program it. I'm really bad at programming." It sounds silly when it's applied to your discipline, doesn't it? But honestly, you can't just look at one resource and all of a sudden be a good designer any more than you could look at one resource and suddenly be a good programmer.

If this app is just for fun, sure, take the resources people have recommended (Zen Garden, etc.) and have a grand old time. But if this is meant to be a "serious" project, you should hire somebody who actually knows design. Go to school and learn design yourself if you want, but have enough respect for the craft to realize that it's not something you can teach yourself in seven days.