October 17, 2007
I’ve been asked to review this WordPress theme named The Hunter, designed by Zinruss Studios. The theme is free and available for download. Zinruss Studios has created quite a few free WordPress themes, which you can find in a forum thread at TalkFreelance. Among them, The Glory Of Action is my favorite since it has the most innovative layout.
Features
Many bloggers want to put AdSense advertisements on their blog to earn a few dollars. It can, however, be hard for an inexperienced internet money maker to find the right ad placement. Not to mention the right color combination, which has a large impact on how many clicks you eventually get.
The Hunter is AdSense ready, which means you only need to paste your publisher ID and you’re ready to go. Placement and formatting has been done for you. The placement is non-intrusive and doesn’t compromise the content. As for color placement, the creator chose to go with the main color of the theme and seemingly transparent borders — both excellent choices.
Aside from a very subtle AdSense integration, the theme also has valid XHTML and CSS. This means that the design is less likely to differ between different web browsers. It’s compatible with most versions of WordPress above 2.2.
Design
Now let’s talk about the actual design of the theme. The main color of the theme, which is used on links and the frame, is a strong orange. The header, even though it has many details, is very subtly colored and fits well together with the rest of the theme. They did a good job with the details, as they’re pretty clean and don’t take the readers attention.
I also like how the diagonal stripes in the background prevents it from looking too plain. It’s nice too see that the very same stripes also appears slightly in the header. Another great detail about this theme is how only two edges of the main content window are rounded. It really enhances the sophistication.
Typography
It’s very hard to pass judgment on the typography of a WordPress theme since different niches and even individual blogs call for different text formatting. However, I can tell you that I like how they made the text a bit smaller than what we normally see. It gives the theme a sharper look that again enhances its sophistication. It fits well with the borders and lines that divide and structure the content.
The tagline has a nice placement and so does the title. But since I pay much attention to details, I’d like the title to be moved slightly to the right and a few pixels upward. That would really give them a harmonic placement.
Conclusion
I like this theme. I like the lines, borders and the contrast between subtle and strong colors. However, it looks like the header could be very hard to customize. I’d say that it could have been made somewhat further simplified and the layout is rather traditional but for being free, this is a very nice theme.
Rating: 3.5/5
Note: This is an extremely demanding site so don’t mistake the rating for being low.
Category: Technology
October 10, 2007
A great design has personality. Take a look at this simple and beautifully designed business card. They could have skipped the embossing, but the card wouldn’t have been the same. Such a small detail can do so much to the overall feel. Very nice.
The brown color gives me a fall feeling that matches the plain and tired trees. Text is kept to a minimum, showing only essential contact information. Just like I want it.
This excellent business card belongs to Australian designer Laura Camilleri. You can visit her website at www.elkha.com.au.
Category: Business
October 3, 2007
Let’s take a brake from those sharp edges for a while and look at this innovative device hub. Never seen anything like it? That makes two of us. This is the result of creative thinking and minds that dare to be different.
The design is both round and clean, and the white color suits it very well. Making some of the tentacles metallic was a smart move that made the whole device look less plastic. As for usability, you’ll have cables hanging from the device which may sometimes not be optimal. But as a device for temporary connectivity of digital cameras and such devices, this is a neat and very different solution.
This Medusa Hub is available at ThinkGeek for the price of $79.99.
Category: Technology
September 28, 2007
Here is another attractive sofa. It features the sharp edges that are so popular on this blog. The walnut goes very well with the black, creating a contrast that is comfortable to lay your eyes on. The sophisticated shapes makes one appreciate the total absence of fancy details.
This sofa is from the Hover Collection which features a variety of furniture, such as a daybed and a coffee table. All of which has the same look as this one. It has the sophisticated simplicity I look for.
Category: Furniture
September 27, 2007
Sharp edges look nice but lines don’t have to be straight. Sometimes a circle is the right shape to go with. Just look at this round but still very sleek coffee table. The polished white lacquered top makes it look very clean, and the stainless steal base doesn’t take away from it’s simplicity.
This Arena Coffee Table is made in Italy. It’s available at Spacify, in variable sizes, starting at the price of $1928.
Category: Furniture
September 26, 2007
I love it when technology and beauty blends together, creating visually appealing devices that makes life easier for us. There’s something pure about technology. Perhaps it is the simplicity of the digital world that appeals to me, as it consists only of the numbers one and zero.
This external hard drive from Western Digital is a thing of beauty. It fits perfectly on a desk besides a Mac computer. The curves are smooth but not overwhelming, and it has a few discrete details that doesn’t take away from it’s overall sophisticated look.
Depending on desired capacity, this My Book Studio Edition will cost you from $199.99 to $399.99.
Category: Technology
September 25, 2007
Take a look at this beautiful queen size bed. The sharp edges goes well with the black color, making it look very sleek. The bright details on the edges makes this lean bed look sophisticated, rather than merely plain. It is a bed with personality; so simple, yet so intelligent.
It clearly has a persona that belongs here, in the archives of our blog. Available at BoConcept, the price is $1499 for the bed itself and $699 for the nightstand. The value of their beauty, and the complexity, yet simplicity, of their design far outweighs the price.
Category: Furniture
September 24, 2007
Today I went looking for designer kitchens. I have to say, while there are quite a lot of them, many look too sterile and boring for my taste. It’s possible that this impression is partly based on the fact that there are no people in the photos. But still, a kitchen should not be a room dedicated merely to cooking. A kitchen should also be considered a place of socializing and relaxing; a place for debates and discussions over a drink or an expresso.
This Metropolis kitchen from Berloni personifies my vision very well. The view offers natural light that makes the whole kitchen come to life. It’s roomy, but also designed for social life. The brown wood, the chairs and the look of the floor further enhances the feeling of the room being alive, rather than boring.
Category: Interior
September 23, 2007
I found this beautiful sofa at Design Within Reach. It’s low, with virtually no space under it, and has a blocky design that looks very clean. The included cushions are subtle and matches the sofa perfectly. I love it.
This Havana Sofa was designed by Alberto Lievore, Manel Molina and Jeanette Altherr. It’s available in two colors; light oatmeal and a darker brown. The price at DWR is $3,300.
Category: Furniture
September 22, 2007
This is one of the better looking printers out there. It’s surprising to see that most printers today do not look as good as they could. The cost of hiring a design team, or the time taken by manufacturers to properly design the device themselves, would add substantial value to the end result. Of course, many products are designed to be affordable rather than beautiful. Still, putting a few hours of thought into the visual design doesn’t seem like too much to ask for. And many designers would probably even be glad to give their feedback.
The monochrome laser printer Samsung HL-1630 looks great. It has an elegant black high gloss finish and Sapphire LEDs. It sports a minimized amount of discrete and simple buttons. The black color makes it look good almost anywhere. This printer with a black Apple MacBook by it’s side would be a blissful sight.
Category: Technology
