Now how should I do this?
In creating this blog I wanted to inspire the layout by some of my favorite websites currently out. This search for my favorite layout led me to see how unique sites are to their purpose.
This is the mixandmash.com layout by Zen Den designers, an award winning firm based locally here in San Francisco, that in my opinion, creates some of the cleanest and visually inviting layouts out in the cybersphere right now. This particular layout is probably the most professional and popular home page layout out there currently. It emphasizes striking photography in the center which draws the visitor in, and then moves them to the text beneath. What I love about the mixandmash design though, is how the photograph thats emphasized corresponds with the playful colors on the screen, and definitely lets the customer know that they are getting fresh vegetables for their baby by their use of color.
The Outerlands website is my favorite web layout... ever (oh and also one of my favorite restaurants). Through all my searching, I have yet to find a layout/design that combines elegance, minimalism and rusticism in the way that Outerlands does. Its crucial that a restaurant's website is clean, simple to navigate, humble, and inviting.. because well, thats the way a good restaurant is ran physically as well.
In comparison, the Michelin Star restaurant State Bird Provisions' website is hard to read, hard to navigate, and also cluttered. The design for the restaurant neither reflects the restaurant's reputation or style. Click here to see thier site.
Last but not least, the layout for A Story and a Picture blog is beautifully designed for the concept. This blog is a collaboration between a writer and a photographer, who take visually stunning photographs and then write short stories or excerpts for each one. The layout is great because you immediately want to click on one of the stunning photographs, and then are brought to the image expanded with a revealed narrative for each piece. This is the most successful blog design in my opinion.