Client wants clean but not stark

[extravaganza]

Hi,
This site has hit a road block. The client wants it looking clean but thinks it is too stark right now. She said she liked sites like go.family.com and babycenter.com


I did a really rough comp with color panels behind it - not sure if that is the right direction or not. There is a big blank space under "start here" button that I am awaiting the client to decide what she wants to do with.

Any advice is really appreciated!

[Shyflower]

The drop shadows on both designs are making your layout look really old fashioned. Looking at babycenter.com, I see that you are considering modeling after that site. However, if you look at their use of drop shadows, you'll see they are under the element and very faint.

My preference wouldn't be to use them at all.

[extravaganza]

Good point about the drop shaddows - replaced them with a very faint stroke. Thanks for the advice. Client wanted swatches of color stuck into the nav bar - I really don't think it works but that is what the client wants. New version ...

[Shyflower]

I'd take the pink out of your swatches and substitute another color. Maybe yellow? Right now it looks like a series of dotted lines that puts the navigation links off center. Replacing the pink will make it look more like a color bar.

[Hurstool]

How about putting the nav swatches only under the words, instead of across the whole bar. They are pretty distracting. I agree with removing the pink, you need a more cohesive color scheme. You might get some help for that here: http://www.colorschemer.com/schemes/

[extravaganza]

Thanks both of you for the feedback. This is actually the colors scheme she wants. I sent her to http://kuler.adobe.com/ to come up with something and she found this predesigned scheme and she REALLY liked it ... so that is what I have to work with. Go figure.

I hate the swatches in the nav bar - when I do the next versions I will try out both of your suggestions.

Thanks!