20. Marcus Thomas

This is a designer site. First off I love the color scheme and the choice to use a black and white photo with the designers name in the background. I also like the way that the header shows icons to represent the designer and I think that's a simple and creative way to have the header look. I also like that they used a simple box in the middle of the screen to explain what the website is about and it really sums up what your looking at in one sentence.

19. Aardvark Brigade

This is a site for social media and popular news. The thing that really drew my attention to this site and that I think makes it different then other sites is the way they have the body area seemingly bent and folded over top of an image that appears to be underneath. I think the blue planetlike image underneath looks really awesome and that slight detail really makes this site professional and interesting.

18. Square Factor

Square Factor is a designer site. I think it's really cool that they separated the two main functions of their business by two separate black and white sides of the page. I think its really cool that the image in the middle appears to break on one side and they have the title of the website in the middle of the page. The simple design of the website really guides your eye around the page and the orange details really add an interesting feel to the site.

17. Studio

I thought this site was unique and awesome because they have these gifs showing their content as the background and when you scroll over them they light up as it's shown in the shocking and revealing box. I like that they took a different direction then traditional websites and their site really is awesome to look at just in itself.

16. Saganowski & Co

This is a site called Saganowski & Co. It is really cool in that they use a blacked out image as the background and bold white and blue type showing the content. I like the simple design of this site and the fact that you can scroll through information without the information cluttering the site.

15. juicebox

This is a site called juicebox and it is another designer site. I love this website. One of my favorite parts about this website is that they have an image with a black overlaying color with the information about their website and content inside the image. I also like that they did the same concept in the background with a gray image going underneath the area of the content. I also like that they used a neon blue just a few times that really draws attention against the simple black white and grey of the rest of the website.

14. dotfusion

This is a site called dotfusion and it is a digital agency. They had a really cool approach to designing this website in that they have an image that upon scrolling over it shows more clickable images to the right with a little bit of information underneath. I thought that was a unique element in their site.

13. Vlog it

This is a really cool site. Upon visiting the site you see the icon in the middle of the screen and around it form these photos wrapping around each other. I thought that was a really cool and unique idea for them to do. Also the color scheme with just a simple black background and a simple black circle in the middle with white text looks really nice in contrast with the bright colorful images that make up their content.

12. International

It may seem like theirs nothing to this website but there is. As you scroll down the image in the middle rotates and tilts to eventually create the letters of the brand INT for International. It's a really cool and unique idea for them to do that and I've never seen anything like it.

11. small studio

Small studio is a design website. The cool thing about it is that you can use the very bottom arrows to scroll though the different content on this site. I think they had a unique approach to the design of this site and it's very effective in capturing attention and getting all the information into their site while avoiding a cluttered look. I really like that they have such a small navigation/header bar at the top with just the most simplified word for each link.

10. the escapist

This site is an online magazine for video games and gamers. They have a really cool layout in that all the elements seem very compact and upon looking at it there is a lot going on and a lot of images in a close space. They managed to make the design really nice despite having so much content and images packed into it. I like the way they have the large image pointed off on the sides that acts as an arrow for the next image and article. I also like how the navigation bar appears to be an extension of the shape of the image,and the social media icons that fall just perfectly balanced on top of the navigation.

9. Smashing Magazine

This is a site for Smashing Magazine, which is a magazine for designers. I love that instead of layout of the site with elements being in boxes from top to bottom, they have the boxes longer vertically and laid out from left to right. I also the way they handled the navigation in that there is a simple navigation bar first, and then a more detailed one right next to it organized by category. I also like the way they have the right of the screen organized with the search bar and the simple graphic images for their important links and even their advertisements don't look out of place on the site.

8. IRE

This is a site for investigative reporters and editors. What I like best about this site is that they changed up the traditional looking layout of a site and chose to do things a little differently. First off I like that they have the navigation being at the very top with the header on the left side overlapped by the content on the right. I think that's a really interesting way to lay out the site. The fact that they used a simple black, gray and white color scheme communicates professionalism and seriousness, which is appropriate for the subject of the site.

7. Paula Scher

This site is about a designer and artist named paula scher. The thing I like best about this site is that the image header is HUGE. I like that they went out of the box a little bit in that instead of having a header at the top left like many websites do, they chose to have an image covering most of the page with the name of the artist in the bottom right of the photo. I think having her picture with her art in the background of the site like they did says everything it needs to say about her and about what the website is about. I also like the way the typography is laid out in that its very evenly spaced and clean with a different font being used for just the title and quote on the right side.

6. Polygon

This is  a site for reviews of popular game consoles. The thing that I thought was particularly awesome that I've never seen any site do before is the scrolling window. When you first view the site you see the green and blue boxes and as you scroll down they go up as the content of the page below it appears to stay in the same place. That was awesome. I also like the style of the site in that they chose to use bold solid colors and just a simple white outline of the game console with a label underneath. The design is simple and it gets the point across immediately from looking at it.

5. Liquor

Liqour.com is about exactly what the name says. I thought the design of this site was really interesting because I hardly ever see modern looking websites with vertical stripes in the background like they have, but with the way that they made them it looks very subtle and nice in the background of this site. I also like how the only element that goes all the way horizontally across the page is the header/navigation. It looks nice with the gray on top of the blackish grey background. Otherwise, I would have made the article photos bigger and fill up the space seeing that there seems to be a large awkward gap in between the ads on the right side and the article images. Overall though the site is nicely done.

4. Zimbio

This is a site for celebrity and media information and popular news. The thing I like best about this site is that it's so simple yet so sophisticated and clean looking. I like that they used a simple grey and white color scheme with just a little bit of color in the header for the site and the navigation. I also like that they have the large photo with an article description on top of the photo, with a scrolling option to see different articles. Overall the spacing of all the elements looks perfect and the site is very clean and concise.

3. dogster

This is a site for dogs and dog related stuff. Mostly what I wanted to say about this website that I liked was the use of icons in the background. It looks really nice with the tint just a bit off from the background color it really adds interest without taking away from the actual content of the website. I also thought it was interesting that they chose to have the header without a border just kind of blending in with the background.

2. Ning

Ning is a designer website. The thing I chose to capture the bottom of the website because first off, I like the illustration going across the footer, with the social media icons. having those there really hides the wrapper and gives the feeling that all the space is really being used on the screen. I also like that the header scrolls with the website, it really shows unity with it being the same look and feel as the footer and other elements of the website. The last thing I want to say is that I like how they used a pattern, it's not too much and it just adds that perfect amount of texture and dimension to the top and bottom of the website.

1. National Aquarium

There's a lot of things I like about this website. My favorite part is that when you scroll over the black and white link photos they show up in color. I think that's a nice touch especially when the color scheme of the website is so dark and the color really brings attention to the photos. I also like how the main photo is blurred out on the edges it really gives a smooth transition of the background and the wrapper and looks really cool. I also like how they did the navigation bar, with down arrows that give you more options upon scrolling over them. It lets the website be simple and concise but has all the elements only a click away from the homepage.

22 Words

22 Words is a site full of interesting information and articles. There is really a wide variety of categories of information contained in this site. The body area is very similarly laid out to many websites in which the content in displayed largely on one side and other information is listed smaller on the other side. I love the way they made the header area and navigation. The header on the left side with the circles of categories looks so good on top of the black navigation bar. I also really like the way that they have images to display the articles underneath the navigation bar, it makes the site look very interesting. I love the layout of this site and the creativity of the elements.

Blendtec

Blendtec is a company that sells blenders and blender accessories. I love the color scheme of this site, The red, gray and white all are used throughout the site to make every detail come together and look like a unified design. I also love the way that the gray area containing the image at the top goes across the page and curves at the bottom, that looks really nice. I like how all the information is spread out and it is nice and big and easy to read. Everything about this site is unified, and organized.

Popular Science

This site is called Popular Science, it has information about gadgets, cars, technology, and diy science projects and facts. I aspect i like best about the design of this site is that they made the navigation very large and they made the little drop down arrows next to each category so you can find exactly what you are looking for with just one click from the home page instead of having to click through many pages to find what you are looking for. I like the way they have an article that is the largest section of the page next to the popular articles on the side bar on the right side, all the information looks very organized on this page.

Desire to Inspire

This site is called desire to inspire, it is a blog about interior design and diy projects. I like the way the heaeder looks, that it is all the way to the left and it has that fine line that almost points towards the navigation and leads your eye around the page. I like that the header has a slight texture and looks almost like a ripped page, it is a nice balance to the rest of the page which is very plainly laid out. I like that they chose to use large images, that really makes the site look full but not too crowded.

Brilliant Earth

Brilliant Earth is a site dedicated to the ethical production of fine jewelry. They specialize in selling engagement and wedding rings. First off, I like the way they have a giant image going accross the screen as the first thing you see, it really draws the viewers eyes into the page and tells you exactly what the page is and what they are selling. I think the color choices well represent the ideals of the company and overall the layout of the page looks very nice. It's simple, everything is spread out well and the information is all easy to find.

Rate Your Burn

This site is called rate your burn, it is a blog about fitness, weight loss, and eating healthy. I love the way they repeated the green colors from the logo into the page here and there to make the page really look like a unified design. I like the way that the icon links for facebook, twitter, etc. are made with the same green and put on the left side, that looks good. I also like the diamond shape they use to label the page link you are looking at, that looks good as well. Overall the details really make everything come together to make a unified design for this site.

BodyBuildingPro.com

This site is called BodyBuildingPro.com, it is all about body building information, news, pictures, and anything else related to the subject. I'll start off saying that I like the way that they laid the site out in the placement of the information, but I don't like the way that the text is so small and there is no real variety in the way the information is presented. I don't like the way the table looks, I think they could have done a better job by instead of making it outline the whole area, just separated the information using a space or a single line in between.

ListVerse

This is a site called ListVerse, it's a site dedicated to lists, interesting facts and news. I love the blue red and grey combination, it looks really nice. I also like the way they laid out the page so that the article is the biggest, and the navigation above it shows what category you are in, and it looks very easy to navigate through articles and find what you are looking for or just scroll through. Overall it looks really good and I love the way they laid out the navigation bar as a part a joining of the header and the body area.

Origins

This is a site called Origins. Its a site about makeup, skincare and beauty. I really like the pink gradient in the body area, as well as the way they used tabs to separate information and overall everything looks clean and simple. All the information is easy to find and it is very clear. I like the color choices they used and I like the navigation of the site.

Design Happy

This is a detour from the HomeGoods site called "design happy". It has a lot of images of interior design and decor to inspire people to buy products from HomeGoods basically. I love the icons going across the screen below the header, it looks unique and interesting and is a nice balance to the simple black header of the site. However I would have preferred to see a navigation bar or easier form of navigation instead of having a hover over drop down menu right below the header, it takes a second longer to find and its not necessary. overall though I like the design of the site in general.

Wonderfulinfo.com

This is a website called wonderfulinfo.com, it's pretty much a site with a lot of random facts and useful information. First off, the layout is a very simple design. I don't like how the ads really take away from the actual content, and it really looks like they didn't do much design on the overall site. its very plain and there is a lot of empty space, it doesn't look good. it would look a lot better if they laid out the table differently, made the naviagtion larger and made the header look less tacky.

Yahoo

 

This is a page everybody is probably farmilliar with, the Yahoo homepage. I do like the left side navigation bar with the icons, I like how they used one word for each and used a nice spacing for that. I like the bar above the aricles that lets you navigate through different subjects. I like the photos with the transparent text box to show featured articles. The website has a layout that works best for the large amount of content they put into their home page. Overall there is a lot to look at, but it does look good and it is nicely laid out.

Design Milk

This is a website called Design Milk. It contains articles and galleries of all sorts of types of design. It has a very simple layout and I like it a lot. I like the black and white look of it because it makes everything very easy to read, very simple, and it draws a lot more attention to the content. I like the navigation bar where it has the double slashes in between each link, that looks really nice. I also like how they made the facebook and other icons black to match their theme. Overall I like how the pictures are huge and they are really made to be the focus especially by the simple design of the site.

Brit+Co

This is a website called Brit+Co. It's a blog about do it yourself projects. I really like the design of everything on this site. I love how the colors from the logo are repeated throughout the design and I like the use of the simple icons on the left side of the page used for navigation. upon hovering over the links they pop out with text to show what each page is. I like that aspect a lot. I like how this page is laid out in that everything is very simple, easy to navigate and pleasent to look at. I like the interesting use of colors as well.

iVillage

This is a website called iVillage, it has tips for all sorts of things from beauty and health to home and food related articles. I think the design of the website is really choppy. I don't like the blank space between the content and the navigation, and if they moved the content up it would look a lot better. I also don't like all the blank space in the body area. I think if they made everything bigger and tightened it up it would look a lot better. Otherwise, I like the direction they were going with the design though.

Cajun Fitness

This is a website for Cajun Fitness, which is a chain of gyms in Louisiana. First off, the choice of red for the background color of this website was a poor one. Its very bright and very distracting from the actual information that the site is about. I wish they had made the main box where the information is a lot bigger, or at least extended it down to fit through the page. Otherwise the design is simple, but still manages to communicate the idea that it is a gym that they are advertising. The header looks good, but I think if they had put the navigation under the header and maybe extended the links with the locations to provide more information about the locations or what the gym offers that is special that would have helped the website overall.

Sock Dreams

This is a website called Sock Dreams. They sell different sorts of socks online. First off, I like the design, I think it looks really cool and I get the whole magical dreams sort of thing they were going for, but at the same time I just don't think it communicates the product their trying to sell. Nobody is going to look at this site and think "socks" right away. But otherwise I like the direction they were going for. Putting the header on the right side of the page was an interesting decision and I think they pulled it off well, the navigation is unique and it works. I do like what they did with the paper and the lace coming out of the side of the wrapper like that, it looks nice. And I also like the "latest news" being in the form of a book, that was a pretty cool idea on their part. Overall this website is nicely designed.

ProFlowers

This is a website for a company called ProFlowers. They basically an online flower delivery company, which is pretty unique. Their website is very professional, clean, and the design makes sense and looks good. I like the way the site is setup in that its the header, navigation, a coupon, and then the giant graphic with the featured product. That is a really nice way of leading the viewers eyes through the information that they want you to see first, and it is all very organized and the spacing looks good. One thing I would change though, is that I would make the type for the navigation bar bigger, because I feel that it's slightly hard to read on a smaller screen especially. otherwise overall this website is well made.

Lings Cars

This website is about Lings Cars, it is basically a website for leasing cars. First of all, this website is horrible. There is way too much going on and its very distracting. It took several minutes for me to figure out what the website was all about and on top of that all the graphics and the colors make the whole thing just look tacky. Not to mention that the graphics don't even make sense for the service are trying to communicate. Another problem with this website is that the colors flash and graphics are blinking and there's so much going on that the load time for this page was longer then most other pages. Which is not good. Not to mention that nobody wants to buy something as expensive as a car from a website that is the opposite of professional. Overall the header and navigation look fine, if they took out all the extra junk and kept things simple and clean it would be a much more effective website. 

Old Navy Website

This is the old navy website, they sell men's, women's and children's clothing, shoes and accessories.
I really like the look of this website mainly because it is very simplistic and looks very easy to navigate and find what your looking for in just a few seconds. I like that they used a light gray for most of the site then they used a touch of blue to draw attention to important things. The navigation bar at the top looks really good too because its spaced out nicely and there aren't too many links listed.