SITE REVIEW: Boy Im rusty.

Ok so the time has come to revamp our site, and I havebt written a lick of real code in almost 2 yrs. Sure I made a couple of little web apps, but it was based on the existing site and that brings me to my problem. When you guys are redesigning a site, do you typically start from scratch or do you just try to work with what you got? My site is totally php/mysql and most of the sites that I have done 'lately' have all been pretty standard -- nav down left side content on the right, with variations on the layout of particualar pages. We wanna completely redo the nav, colors, add some multimedia etc etc. Im just at a wall, cant think of anything creative. And when I do get to messin around with the layout, I totally jack the whole thing up. a little help and suggestions would be great. http://www.golfandgamesmemphis.com

Thanks in advance

Your site looks good to me. I really wouldn't change anything. The only thing I don't like is asking for peoples names over the internet to participate in your contest. An email address should be sufficient until a winner is declared.

In a case like that I usually have a look at the back-end and see if I can re-use the classes etc, otherwise I'll rather just start over ...

The style sheet is also one of the issues I am having. And the problem is this. I have let the style sheet get way outta hand. I have tons of classes and ids that are from old layout/solorschemes. And the way I have the site now is a little wonky. So Im thinking of totally redoing it but Im not sure where to start. Like I said I havent done anything 'real' in a couple of years now, due to my 'real job' work load.

And thanks so far

I would start from scratch, let some fresh ideas flow through my brain. First google up the general topic of your site and go through some similarly themed sites - as many as you can stomach, really - to see if anything sparks a fresh idea..... browse through a few website templates even - or even better, browse through some generally well-designed sites........... I always go look through something like Web Designer Wall's latest design trends list before I start designing anything............. Not to take an idea per se - just to steep my brain in pretty, colorful stuff................

I do the same.

Well i have been looking at other sites for family entertainment centers, which is what we are. And I like some of it but most of the sites are just .... well blech. But I didnt know about the site you mentioned, I will def check it out. What we might do right now is some basic sprucing up. Change the colors, add new pics and content. Then this summer actually do a full redesign. It really depends on the time I have. Thanks for the input so far. I love you guys (not in the weird creepy way either), I tell anyone that asks me about web design to come here for help

Here's what I usually do when I start from scratch. (My designs aren't flawed at the steps I take... it's flawed at the imagination )

1) Choose a color scheme.
2) Define which parts of the site would be what color.
EX:
* Links: #123456
* Visited Links: #123456
* Background: #123456
* Text #123456 ... and so on ...
3) Decide on a layout. (Not the visual, but which part of the page would be the header, the navigation, the body, etc. etc.)
4) Create a basic color design based on your layout
5) Fix the sizes, re-evaluate the design/layout/colors.
6) Find things wrong with it.
7) Fix the things that are wrong.
And visuals
9) Add content

That's basically it.

there are quite a few sites that rate websites out there. My suggestion would be to go to a few of those and just browse around for inspiration. Don't copy them of course but color combinations and layout styles are good things to look at for ideas to apply to your own style of site.

I accept to roje0913 words and that will surely help you and bring some self interests in doing it.