Matt Thomas last night announced on Twitter that WordPress.com would be live testing a new design.
We’re running a live redesign on http://wordpress.com this week, if you’re into that sort of thing. I think it’s gonna be pretty swanky.
Upon checking it out, I gotta say that it’s strikingly different than the design it replaces. It’s visual, has more images, and still manages to keep that clean look that is a staple for Automattic.
There are a few minor issues I have with the design. The first is that I think the right sidebar looks a bit clunky with images on the right and the top one on the left. Also, the spacing between the text and images varies and makes it look weird. The other concern I found was with the text color #888888. I think it’s too light and should be bumped up a shade or two darker. While the Sign Up Now button looks great with the orange gradient, the solid orange sign up now link does not mesh well with the background color. It seems too bright.
What do you think of this design?
I’m liking the new design …
You’re not losing screen real estate with the login now moved to the bar at the top of the screen; and I find the “blocks” of blogs more enticing to click on than the former text style of links.
I’m looking at it in a standard 4:3, 1024×768 monitor so that may be affecting the sidebar layout, which I find to be a little “off” but after logging into the site it “fits” better. It might be the layout, or the choice of fonts sizes … or it could just be me ;)
The random block in the footer area is a nice touch to promote their own sites/apps as in the case of WordPress.tv and the WordPress iPhone app, its not obtrusive and fits the design well.
Thanks for the heads up Jeff. I am digging the new design, looks like they are using a grid. I was also excited to see a screenshot of Vigilance underneath the “Gorgeous Themes” header in the sidebar.
WordPress.com Redesign…
Jeff has brought to my attention that folks at Automattic are testing a redesign of the WordPress.com front page.
Those arriving at WordPress.com front page are either from other blogs hosted on WordPress.com or search engines, and most of them are int…
I like it. Wonder if the login/search bar up the top will be made available as a plugin for WordPress.org users.
@Martin – The bar at the top looks strikingly like the one in WPMU … it may be one and the same?
@Edward Caissie – The one that was included in WPMU for a while was a slight modification of my plugin which is based on the old WordPress.com admin bar look (completely original code though).
I like the re-design, still needs a bit of tidying up though – e.g when you input your username and password, the prompts of username and password do not disappear, they’re overtyped. http://twitpic.com/dohyk
Is the redesign anything to do with my dashboard http://twitpic.com/doido and blog http://twitpic.com/doigk having no styling?
Guess I’m the only one who prefers the prior site. It seemed to have better use of white space and I don’t like most of the navigation being located at bottom of page. That seems to depart from typical UI expectations.
By the way, they have redesign the sidebar but mostly just to tell people to tell them what they should put in that sidebar.
http://surveys.polldaddy.com/s/09CCC3C75BD4144B/
What do you guys think?
@Viper007Bond – Your Admin Bar plugin was usually one of the first I would use with my WPMU installations