My Homepage Redesign

[Boz]

Greetings All:

Just wanted to show off my new homepage (www.bozonline.com) and get some feedback. The site is “responsive” using Dave Gamache’s Skeleton Framework, and inspired by the GS Skeleton theme developed by Luca Musolesi.

I ended up downloading the stock Skeleton framework and using the CSS from it as a base, but Luca’s work serve as a great lesson on where to start. I have tested it on my HTC Android phone, iPhone 4, iPod Touch 4th Gen, and my Asus TF101 Tablet, as well as various computers.

The site validates as HTML 5 and CSS3, although I do get some “warnings”, I will work on eradicating them as soon as I can.

Based on comments I have seen from Connie and Mvlcek, I did test the site with the Javascript off and it seems to degrade well (at least in Ff).

I designed the site to be used with modern browsers IE8+, the latest Firefox, Chrome, Opera, and Safari. I started out wanting to make it compatible with IE6 and up, however, in the end, that prove beyond my development skills (Grrr – sticky footers, when will we standardize that!)

I know it’s a bit light on the content but that will come. You should have seen what I’ve had up for the last five years :-).

Plugins:
Client Files
External Commenting
Google map
HitCount
I18N Base
I18N Search
Cumbe_news & comments
p01-contact
Auto-open Page Options
Simple Backups
SimpleTumblr
Updater

Theme:
Custom based on Skeleton Framework

Thanks for having a look

Boz

[yojoe]

Your website definitely needs custom fonts, and a bit playing with typography - f.e. navigation menu, and page headers. Too much greyness ! So much free spaces deserve more colours.

[Boz]

@yojoe,

Thanks for the input.

The white space was definitely purposeful, as was the use of grey. I am using the Lato font family, via @fontface CSS (www.latofonts.com) as my custom font, but am admittedly, not a designer.

I have looked at your site, and you seem to have the eye , any suggestions on how I could better use this my chosen font? I like it and plan to stick with it, although you are right in that I should be using it better.

Also, if I hear you correctly, you think I should use color for the menu and headers to give emphasis to the grey paragraph text.

How about the paragraph text size,. sometimes I look at it and think its too small, any thoughts?

Thanks again,

Boz

[yojoe]

@yojoe,

Thanks for the input.

The white space was definitely purposeful, as was the use of grey. I am using the Lato font family, via @fontface CSS (www.latofonts.com) as my custom font, but am admittedly, not a designer.
I have looked at your site, and you seem to have the eye , any suggestions on how I could better use this my chosen font? I like it and plan to stick with it, although you are right in that I should be using it better.

Note that lato fontface isn't cleartype and text with font-size > 14px looks edgy.
I'd use it only to display page content.
Try with a boldened font for menu and header elements. Maybe a light serif font family would look appealing.
Also headers should be more readable, and while you use 2 colors in your "logotype" you could use first colour for menu (as for now only hovered links are coloured) , and second one for header.

Also, if I hear you correctly, you think I should use color for the menu and headers to give emphasis to the grey paragraph text.

How about the paragraph text size,. sometimes I look at it and think its too small, any thoughts?

oh well, I answered before I read you next question
But a bit smaller font-size would be a good choice. It depends on the font you choose.
If you stay with Lato font, play with text-shadow css property, to make the text smoother.

Afterall if you feel that you're satisfied with your work, there's nothing more to change or add

[Timbow]

@yojoe,

....... but am admittedly, not a designer.....

You are a designer, a good one and a much better designer than many who would call themselves pro.

T

[Boz]

T,

Thank you for the kind words.

[Angryboy]

To be honest (contrary to yojoe; however I could easily be wrong), the only thing I'd say would be to darken the background just a tiny bit so that it is a very light grey. That's simply because the contrast is too stark right now between the background and the content, given your occasional use of vibrant colours in the theme (e.g. the logo). I like miminalist designs so I have no problem with large amounts of free space, so long as the space that is being used is used effectively. Other than that I think it looks pretty damn professional and appealing. *thumbs up*

If you want to see a place that provides some good custom web fonts (though I'm assuming your site is non-profit in posting this...) - http://www.fontsquirrel.com/ is good. It even provides you with the CSS needed to implement it easily onto your site in all the formats required to be fully cross-platform (including IE and mobiles), negating a huge pain in the pieces when it comes to integrating custom fonts.