Omg web-design (again)

Tweaked_Bat_

Hey guys/gals.

So I'm working on a site.

I had some what I thought were pretty cool designs, but the person I'm doing this for has requested a change in colours, to something a little more "lively" (or something along those lines).

So anyway, she sent me a sample of the colours she is wanting me to incorporate into the design. Below are the colours (they don't ALL have to be used, and I'm allowed to deviate a little in terms of hue/saturation/tone etc). Included is also a sample of the patterns and shapes she would like to see.


(click for larger)

Anyway, these are just PS layouts at the moment, but I will be updating to inlcude the xhtml/css later on. For now just bombard me with why it looks good or bad, and any tips you may have to improve upon the design. Cheers


this is the one based around the yellows/greens (click for larger)



and the one based around blues/purples/pinks (click for larger)

(P.S: there are some things I need to smooth out, such as the logo/graphics [mainly the little jaggies around them], and I still need to do something with the navigation.)

EDIT: fixed some stuff mentioned below

Axim

while extremely cutesy the second colour scheme is nicer, mainly because i get a produce vibe from the first one due to the greens, orange and yellow. it reminds me of harvesting corn more than a flower shop. it's a fine minimalist layout, i'm not crazy about logo but i'm sure that's what you had to work with.

the background colour is fine but the hues you added in there, the yellow and blue don't really jive, i'd need to see it in a full browser to get a real feel but maybe experiment with just using lightened tones based off that same purple to see if it looks more compatible. but that's being anal, not a bad job so far

Tweaked_Bat_

Ah yes, I see what you mean with the colours in the BG. I was meant to flatten those down into one colour (or variation of one colour), but forgot for some reason, thanks for reminding me.

Yeah, the first one kinda gives off that feeling, I know what you mean. Possibly if I changed the banner image to something different it would help change that?

As for the logo, yes, I more or less have to stick with that. I had some layouts based around the colours of the logo, but it wasn't too pleasing. Plus, it wasn't "colourful" enough >_<

Munacra

I like the first one because the text is easier to read. Probably due to more contrast? The text in the second one just doesn't stand out as much.

Tweaked_Bat_

Ok thanks for bringing that up, I'll fiddle around with colours there. Are there any other problems anyone sees that relate to the readability/clarity of the site?

Rye

The compositions in both are very fragmented. That is, none of the elements are interacting or breaking the frames. They are all contained in cells like poor puppies. If you client has already approved the layout, then don't bother addressing it.

The borders are bugging me. Maybe it's the rasterization, but they seem to be really thick. Try 1px borders. Also, give them a better color. They are either an anti aliased-black or a brown. They ought to be more colorful.

The simplest solution would be to resubmit the drafts with a "brightness contrast" adjustment from photoshop. Most of the time, when a client wants more "lively", they want more saturation. Plus, it'll improve their drab logo. Leave the bg as it is though.. that's one thing you don't want to intensify.