I am thinking about creating a new design for my website. Currently it uses a limited number of colors and I have tried to find some stats on what visitors prefer but found none.
My website is a combination of personal and business information and includes a blog.
What I would like is an opinion of whether minimalistic websites are the way to go or is it just hyperbole?
If anyone knows where I might find some statistics on visitor preferences, that might help too.
Another question comes to mind about whether or not to use the grid system, is that a good idea?
[list=1][]Who is the best classical composer?[]What is the best guitar?[]Who makes the best automobile?[]What is the best pizza topping?[/list] Get back to me on those.
You should use a grid system if you enjoy needlessly complicating your markup with presentation and bloating your stylesheet(s).
what do you consider a minimalist website? In terms of design and/or code?
Visual minimalism is a matter of taste, more than anything, and its definition highly subjective to boot. It’s your site, and partly a personal site, so you should go with what describes you and your style best. If it’s minimalist, I’d go for it, if it’s maximalist or a different flavor, then I’d go for that instead.
It is good and modern practice to keep designs flexible, readable, easy to use and access regardless of device, so I think that’d be a good dogma to go by.
As for grids, everything is a grid. Even if you use a single-column approach, you have established a grid. Whether or not to go with more complex grids, depends on a lot of factors, like how complex your content structure will be, how many reusable, modular elements you’ll want to have, and so on. If you go for a more complex grid, it’d definitely be better to create a grid yourself, creating only those structure elements you’ll actually be needing rather than using a pre-made grid framework of which you’ll likely utilize no more than 5%. Almost all pre-made grids come with a high level of complexity and inflexibility, something that often creates more confusion and bloat than needed.
That’s a very good answer. I was thinking that I was being old fashion but now I don’t based on what you wrote. I think that some people throw out a phrase such as minimal and simply want to make a trend. As it is a CMS, I do use 3 different templates to provide from 1 to 3 columns and that too is good enough.
imagekitty, I get the drift of your answer but it doesn’t say enough except for the grid comment. I know that design and style are very difficult aspects to narrow down.
I don’t really want to discourage you from trying grid systems. cssgrid.net has some good ideas for shrinking to mobile size. The media queries and calculations are there. Look st it and glean ideas but don’t just throw it at a production site.
I understood and didn’t take your comment as discouragement. I have decided not to get involved with the grid system because I do not think that I would be using it to its advantage. I have seen that site that you mention.
I prefer to use individuality rather than simply copying other popular websites whether or not visitors like my style and design.
