Showcase site for beautiful AND functional webdesign?

October 8, 2012 12:42 AM

I am looking for websites showcasing beautiful webdesign that is not too 'out there'. If I Google for 'great / beautiful webdesign' I mostly get examples of sites that are indeed very beautiful to look at but would never be accepted by the sort of clients I work for (mostly small business owners that need their website to communicate the info on their products very clearly - i.e. they are not artists or brands that are just out to project a cool image). So I guess I am looking for examples of excellent webdesign for relatively boring sites.
posted by dinkyday to computers & internet (12 answers total)

This post on the blue about Microsoft's new design links to some good "standard" designs.
posted by bwonder2 at 1:10 AM on October 8, 2012 [1 favorite]

Panic.com
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:38 AM on October 8, 2012

I happen to think you are looking at one.
posted by roboton666 at 2:29 AM on October 8, 2012 [3 favorites]

Minus the boring part, of course!
posted by roboton666 at 2:30 AM on October 8, 2012 [1 favorite]

Mediaqueri.es is technically "about" "responsive" design but there are some really good looking informational/business pages displayed.
posted by bleep at 4:10 AM on October 8, 2012 [1 favorite]

How plain are we talking? Communication Art's web picks showcases a lot of real world design. Searching "web templates" is a good way to find nice, inoffensive, generic layouts but some of the sites can be shady so watch out.
posted by jumelle at 5:18 AM on October 8, 2012

Let's Get Flat.
posted by JJ86 at 5:39 AM on October 8, 2012

I happen to think our website is fantastic (not designed by me) and we're in financial services, so it's fairly boring stuff. Our clients and peers are all shocked/thrilled etc by the site, which was part of the point - designing something that reflected who we are rather than the industry that we're in. (I'm not trying to self-promote here, I really love the website.) Here's the link: Front Shore.
posted by HopStopDon'tShop at 6:13 AM on October 8, 2012

Cool Home Pages
SiteInspire
StyleBoost
posted by Dansaman at 8:25 AM on October 8, 2012

Some really great suggestions so far. I'll add a few more: these tend to be a little heavier in process, analysis, and design philosophy:

• Uninvited Redesigns is a showcase site for just that; handy from the perspective of comparing what a site is like now to the proposed changes.
• A proposed Microsoft redesign.
• Wikipedia Redefined
• The Inside Story Of The New Microsoft.com

I hope this helps!
posted by Bora Horza Gobuchul at 10:37 AM on October 8, 2012

Some of the wordpress themes are actually quite lovely and well designed. There's a reason they are popular.
posted by barnone at 11:06 AM on October 8, 2012

I suggest changing your search query from "great / beautiful webdesign" to "minimalist webdesign".

Minimalist sites are the best kind for communicating information inasmuchas all of the design is focused on emphasizing the site's content - not its style. Minimal design gives an impression of quiet competence and good taste. This doesn't mean it has to look boring - far from it (see, e.g. Minimal Sites).

As an added bonus, the sites will be beautiful anyway, because minimalism is beautiful.
posted by halfguard at 11:20 AM on October 8, 2012