This week on Friday Focus: sites that make use of interesting repeating images as backgrounds.
Designs of the Week
Ignoring the fact that the links open in popup JavaScript windows (not a very sleek way to go these days), this is a really interesting site to look at. I love the combination of pink, black, and beige, with the subtle illumination going on. And of course the integration of the pattern into the portfolio thumbnails and the title of the page. Distinct and memorable.
The pattern usage here is more sparse, but it matches the way cakes and other pastries are decorated. It’s interesting how the designer gave it a bit of wear and tear, instead of keeping it pristine. (But don’t you love the patterns on the cupcake?)
I love how clean, elegant, and understated this site looks. A lot of it has to do with the subtle wallpaper effect supporting the uncluttered foreground.
Not one, but two patterns in use here. The wavy edges and frames on the navigation thumbnails are nice touches too. My only qualms here are the image quality of the logo, and the fact that the navigation is well below the upper half of the page.
Again, ignoring the not-so-refined type used on this site, I think the doggy bone pattern is a not-so-usual execution of the repeating background design element. I also like that the world map is abstract!
Very simple, but a very strong grid and beautiful typography brings this design together. Sometimes that’s all there is to it.
Very subtle, but of course another good idea for a background pattern is a map, when the site calls for it.
I love that even the header navigation and buttons have the background pattern. The overall effect is sleek and modern, but the added attention to detail ups the professionalism of this site even more.
Social Media Weekly
Design – Alternatives to Common Fonts
Avoid the overused typeface plague with these smart alternatives.
Programming – Let’s make the web faster
A collection of tutorials on Google Code to help improve the performance of your website, from HTML and CSS to PHP and MySQL.
