Simple, elegant, not crowded and full of flashing colors. *ugh* I really, REALLY hate visiting a website that looks like someone vomited flashy clip art on it. It's okay to have white/empty space on a website. It's okay to use simple, blocked designs, or well-aligned geometric shapes. It's really okay to pick colors that aren't completely opposite each other on the color wheel. It's also okay not to line everything up on the same line, but respect the principals of design symmetry/asymmetry and the fact that English speakers read left to right.
Don't make the background red/pink and the text black or white, and watch the how 'busy' the design is. If you absolutely, positively must have a picture in the background, reduce its contrast and make the font larger, preferably atop a box of its own.
Pick a color scheme with less than four different basic colors and use shades within that color scheme. The rainbow--it should be a minimal part of the design, not a rule for color inclusion.
Pay attention to where the eye is directed during layout choices--don't jerk people's eyes all over the page (like the website someone had a link to earlier).
I could go on, but I think I'm starting to foam at the mouth. Want an example of good design? Here you go. There's even a rainbow. Look at all the nice white space, the alignment and symmetry, the size of font and readability of the page. There's a lot on it, but it's not vomited all over the place. It has clear zones.
* pant, pant * I HAVE FEELINGS ON THIS ISSUE.
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RAADS-R: 181
Eye Expression Test: 19
Alexithymic: Please explain conclusions if asked
The feels are shipped in by train once a week--Friday, I'm in love.