Please help me update this old design :)

[Fluffy Convict]

While cleaning an old harddrive, I came across an old website template my former businesspartner never finished but I have always been quite fond of. It was supposed to be for a company making encryption software, so he went with the theme of steel - taken from the Apple OS interface.

 

It must have been somewhere around 2003. Currently, this template is clearly outdated - temporary websites are wider and much more "open" - not anymore confined to a 650px box.

 

However, I would still like to use the concept for my own website, but it is heavily outdated. Do you have some pointers on how I could make this more contemporary without losing the concept of "steel plate"?

 

All help is greatly appreciated.

 

[esgarrouth19]

The texture is fine... but change the colors around. Also add some shadows, round corners, and make the text easier to read. As for the menu tabs, make the corners more rounded (less pixelated). The title of the site is also in need of a color and possibly a font change. Past the general pointers I've stated, it's all up to you. Play around with things and see how you like it. Once you get something that is moving more in the direction you want it (not just the idea as you have it now, but to the point that you think it is 'now'), bring it back here and we can help you out with fine-tuning it

[MrTech]

Depending on your target market....'steel' really only should appeal to a majority of men while women would move on to something more appealing I would guess. Guys like to build dark and or metallic sites but never think of the other half of the equation...lady customers. Nope, not a girl writing this reply either, just something I learned about design a while back.

 

I'd say dump the template and move on to something more contemporary.

[esgarrouth19]

Tell Apple that But anyway, it can go either way. It all depends on the girl, but yes, in general, they tend to lean toward brighter websites... but you can make a steel website appealing to either gender. You just need to tone down the texture a bit and maybe change it to gradients. And everyone loves shadows and curves Well, not everyone.. but many

[serverman]

A lot of grey. It looks to me like some old windows 98 dictionary or something. try adding a little color in the vertical Navigation like make the links have that color blue you used for its background then have grey outline(i am not sure if you are going to understand what i am trying to say so here is an example http://css.maxdesign.com.au/listamatic/vertical09.htm also http://css.maxdesign.com.au/listamatic2/vertical12.htm might work for you just play with the colors).

 

also a classy logo would work good for a layout like this. plain text logo doesn't cut it you're gonna make your visitors leave befor they read info because the layout was boring (sorry but its true if people find what they look at as boring they will not read info.)

 

also might want to put a copyright somewhere.

 

I wouldn't trash what you got you just need to give a little energy.

[DavidCT]

If you like the "steel plate" look fine, but it is a little boring to me, but I guess it depends on the application.  It definately needs a graphical header to give it some appeal.  Otherwise it's clean and useable.