Smashing Magazine
50 Beautiful Blog Designs
There are things one can do a number of times without worrying about becoming boring. For instance, collecting and showcasing excellent blog designs. In this post we do it already the fifth time. Why? Web design lives in blogs; new developments appear there, that’s where the music plays. And that’s where you need to look for in order to keep up with current trends and developments.
In the showcase below we present 50 beautiful blog designs that literally stand out — either through their layout or through their design or through their attention to little details. Below you’ll find a variety of designs: clean designs, grunge, retro, graphics-heavy designs etc. Most designs presented below risk unusual approaches in the choice of design and content presentation. That’s what makes them different. Hopefully you will find some creative ideas which you can develop further in your further projects.
We strongly encourage designers to break out the common layout conventions, experiment with new approaches and risk crazy ideas. Show what you are capable of!
You may want to take a look at the following related posts:
- Excellent Blog Designs: Part 1
- Excellent Blog Designs: Part 2
- Excellent Blog Designs: Part 3
- Excellent Blog Designs: Part 4
[Offtopic: by the way, did you know that we are publishing a Smashing eBook Series? The brand new eBook #3 is Mastering Photoshop For Web Design, written by our Photoshop-expert Thomas Giannattasio.]
Beautiful Blog Designs
Standards for Life by Natalie Jost
Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyeard Book
Matthew Buchanan
Clean structure and good use of icons and typography. The icons at the left side of the posts stand for the category the article belongs to.
Clean Designs
LittleEngine
LittleEngine provides an interesting integration of the blog into its overall design. Clean and very elegant solution which employs only few colors, but uses them effectively. The navigation is provided by the calendar in the sidebar.
Grunge, Handwriting and Collage
Retro, Vintage, Experimental
Related Posts
You may want to take a look at the following related posts:
The Co-Founder of Smashing Magazine. Former writer, web designer, freelancer and webworker. Author of several books. Runs the business.
- 107 Comments
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October 23rd, 2008 3:47 pmi like korbinian folk.
- 3October 23rd, 2008 3:48 pm
some nice looking sites gathered.
- 4October 23rd, 2008 4:03 pm
Yep, “glossy style” is dead. Very cool blogs ^_^
- 5October 23rd, 2008 4:21 pm
Great selection, thanks for sharing!
- 6October 23rd, 2008 4:27 pm
Very nice selection, i hope my blog will be in one of your list a day ;))
Thanks for sharing
- 7October 23rd, 2008 4:32 pm
Thank you so so much for featuring dreamling.ca!! You guys are so lovely! :D
- 8October 23rd, 2008 4:56 pm
Ooohhh my god! I am dying now, blushed! I send my students to read you guys all the time!! Now what wil I say! What an honor!!
- 9October 23rd, 2008 5:00 pm
Wow. Nice to have Matblogg in the list! :)
I follow SmashingMagazine everyday. So it’s was a nice suprise to find my blog in the list.Cheers!
- 10October 23rd, 2008 5:06 pm
Wow. Thanks a lot. Is an honor to be spotlighted in Smashing Magazine!
- 11October 23rd, 2008 5:32 pm
love it soooo much. really inspiring.
- 12October 23rd, 2008 5:38 pm
Amazing design blogs! I really like the first one though!
- 13October 23rd, 2008 6:08 pm
Wow, it’s amazing!!!!
- 14October 23rd, 2008 6:31 pm
muy bueno
- 15October 23rd, 2008 6:37 pm
Typo in the link Designworklpan.com!
- 16October 23rd, 2008 6:42 pm
Thank you so much guys for featuring l’effet crea, lot of hard work was put in that design!
- 17October 23rd, 2008 6:50 pm
Geez, I didn’t make it again? hm … OK, I guess I can see why.
- 18October 23rd, 2008 6:53 pm
Awesome list!
Thank you SOO much for featuring my site — That INDIE Dude.
PLEASE check out my latest venture if you have a chance. It’s called We Design Change, and it is a meeting place / launching pad for designers and artists who want to use their creativity to make the world a better place. Sign up and tell your friends! :)
Thanks again for the mention!
- 19October 23rd, 2008 7:14 pm
The Neil Gaiman and Jason Santa Maria blogs are extremely impressive. Anything put out by Vidget is also top-notch… awesome work!
- 20October 23rd, 2008 8:03 pm
Dang, Natalie Jost’s website returns 403 forbidden for me. I always love her designs.
- 21October 23rd, 2008 8:12 pm
Loodo is awesome!!
- 22October 23rd, 2008 9:52 pm
very nice collection
you could try one day something else, like showcase of not-english blogs ;) - 23October 23rd, 2008 10:32 pm
WOW :-) Very Nice Designs
- 24October 23rd, 2008 10:43 pm
Really nice :)
- 25October 23rd, 2008 10:44 pm
too good designs…
every thing is inspiration … thanks - 26October 23rd, 2008 11:10 pm
Thanks again, some of this design are really awesome !
- 27October 23rd, 2008 11:33 pm
Great :)
Please guys next time, could you put anchors on each design ? :P - 28October 23rd, 2008 11:43 pm
Very nice list! Though a lot of these designs are top notch, I do feel my blog would fit in one of these lists too!
- 29October 24th, 2008 12:49 am
Wow, your best feature SM! :)
Hope I’ll see mine one day… Just kidding. :pJoffrey,
Geek and Hype - 30October 24th, 2008 1:28 am
great list guys, as usual ;)
I was hoping to see my blog listed eheh! - 31October 24th, 2008 2:27 am
Thank you very much for featuring my site, and even putting it on the front page. What an honor! Too bad my site has gone down because of all the traffic, I really really need to change my hosting.
Thanks!
- 32October 24th, 2008 2:45 am
Very nice designs.
Thank you.
- 33October 24th, 2008 3:01 am
I love jasonsantamaria.com :) The typography and layout is awesome! Hyper Island is also great!
- 34October 24th, 2008 3:31 am
Great list. I am going to bookmark this page and reference to it later.
- 35October 24th, 2008 3:48 am
So amazing!
- 36October 24th, 2008 4:02 am
very impressive, I like it :)
- 37October 24th, 2008 4:06 am
Very impressive designs.
I like Loodo and Meagan Fisher specially. - 38October 24th, 2008 4:14 am
Impressive indeed. One of my favorites is Ten Thousand Things, personally I’m a big fan of dark schemes.
- 39October 24th, 2008 4:16 am
Great designs..Realy
- 40October 24th, 2008 4:18 am
Nice collection there! Some great designs and good inspiration :)
- 41October 24th, 2008 4:56 am
Some nice designs, but many seem (to me) a bit busy and quite trendy. But hey, if that’s what you’re into…
- 42October 24th, 2008 5:11 am
This is awesome list! It always great to get new inspiration from others. I constantly make tweeks to my theme based on both feedback and ideas used in other designs. I’m thankful that I am always getting comments on great design for our site.
- 43October 24th, 2008 5:12 am
Damn, didn’t make it into that list – again :-)
- 44October 24th, 2008 5:43 am
check hollowell.se :D
i like it coll idea with the letter - 45October 24th, 2008 6:10 am
Wow , what a surprise ! ! ! Thank you for listing my blog :-) !!! Stephanie
- 46October 24th, 2008 6:42 am
Nice designs. But I must point your attention towards http://www.nalden.net. It is a completely flashbuilt site but it’s functions are amazing.
- 47October 24th, 2008 6:57 am
Thanks for featuring leffetcrea, that’s so nice :-D
- 48October 24th, 2008 7:17 am
Bar none, the best design here is AmyMahon.com
(And, she’s my cousin :) )
- 49October 24th, 2008 7:33 am
I’m sorry, but you clearly left one out, http://www.qualityxhtml.com/blog/
- 50October 24th, 2008 7:52 am
Amazing blog designs in one line with simple and usual ones.
- 51October 24th, 2008 7:56 am
Nice List. I really like your categories. Stay tuned . . .
- 52October 24th, 2008 8:01 am
really amazing
- 53October 24th, 2008 8:37 am
Thanks, Smashing, for featuring tff4.com — I’m not sure it deserves to be in the kind of company as many of these other incredibly creative blog designs, but the love is appreciated nonetheless.
- 54October 24th, 2008 9:04 am
That drawing of that indie dude, I want to punch it in the face.
- 55October 24th, 2008 10:18 am
Tagged for future inspirations! :D
- 56October 24th, 2008 10:19 am
nice post. these are great examples of good website design. :0]
- 57October 24th, 2008 10:32 am
Nice compilation. sezio.org is another great blog design focusing on the musical and visual art scenes in California.
- 58October 24th, 2008 11:36 am
whoa! loving the potato an ispoil! :)
- 59October 24th, 2008 11:37 am
And once again I am smashed! I don’t know how do you find such a great combination of designs, thanks a lot for that big piece of inspiration! :D
I love SM! - 60October 24th, 2008 3:34 pm
my name is korbinian Polk
- 61October 24th, 2008 9:05 pm
Really impressed with the many blog designs — thanks. Like Thomas Finley’s very much!
- 62October 24th, 2008 10:24 pm
wow! It’s superb. Really very impressive and unique blog designs.
- 63October 24th, 2008 11:05 pm
oh my fod!! what a design?!!!!! thanks for sharing..
- 64October 25th, 2008 1:05 am
Nice list as usual…
- 65October 25th, 2008 1:08 am
Too many gushers in these comments, but I agree with the people who said that *some* of these designs are inspirational. Most of them, IMO, are twee, unimaginative and utterly predictable – which I guess is inspiring in a different way. Thanks for presenting a list of design clichés to avoid. I like Ali Felski’s blog, though.
- 66October 25th, 2008 8:23 am
Hey !
nice list !
However… i know a beautiful blog design… it is called Journal Graphic
journalgraphic.com
I think it must integrate this list.
Bye
- 67October 25th, 2008 10:02 am
why are the most celebrated blogs always super graphic heavy?
Some of those I don’t even know where to start.
- 68October 25th, 2008 10:11 am
Very good. Congratulations.
Saude e paz! Peace! - 69October 25th, 2008 12:43 pm
*sigh* Commented on wrong post before, argh.
This steampunk design makes me drool: http://sekimori.com
- 70October 25th, 2008 5:58 pm
I found the CSS/XHTML-only “speaking block” navigation of High Resolution an inspiration for a design I’m doing. Thanks!
- 71October 25th, 2008 7:49 pm
this is my favorite – simplegreenclean.com
but on this list i really like the nonesuch layout - 72October 26th, 2008 3:59 am
i enjoye design
- 73October 26th, 2008 2:36 pm
i also luv http://www.cooloutfit.at
just a little fashion blog – written in german, so i can´t really read it – but the layout just nails it! perfect for a fashion blog! - 74October 26th, 2008 2:56 pm
@ Mr.Diggles #74
I agree with you on this point and I have asked myself the same question. BUT, I don´t think that the focus in this case is on Usability, instead the focus is basically as they write “designs that literally stand out”.
I think that a lot of these blog designs are beautiful and outstanding but the usability on some of these blogs is not so good. For instance, if you disable images in your web browser, suddenly you are handicapped because the main navigation disappears, (Main navigation = HUGE Image) .
Anyway, Keep up the Good Work SM!!
- 75October 26th, 2008 7:20 pm
I like “viget.com/extend” & “Marchand de Trucs”!
- 76October 26th, 2008 9:03 pm
Impressive long list
-Adam
- 77October 26th, 2008 11:51 pm
wooow great design… may I get one of these theme?
- 78October 29th, 2008 11:03 am
I like the fact that this list includes elements of all design styles. I think we’re in a bit of a car crash when it comes to popular and inspiring blog design, taking bits and pieces from one another to form a finished product. Personally, I welcome our new Frankenstein design overlords.
- 79October 30th, 2008 3:09 am
Really the blog designs are beautiful and excellent and it helps the designers for designing new templates and new websites also.
Really excellent work!
- 80November 3rd, 2008 2:23 am
A really lovely list! I think Ali Felski is my personal favourite :o)
- 81November 4th, 2008 3:05 am
Wow Really it’s nice design
- 82November 7th, 2008 1:23 am
cool website
- 83November 11th, 2008 3:04 pm
Beautiful designs, but the busyness of many of the blogs simply takes my eye and interest away from the content.
For me, when it comes to a blog, form should always follow function. Less is more. Blah blah blah.
- 84November 30th, 2008 3:07 am
Good selection ! :D
- 85December 7th, 2008 9:26 am
I’m honored to find one of my site designs (www.lynnterpretation.com) on your list. Thank you so much for recognizing my work. I’ve long been a big fan of smashing!
- 86December 17th, 2008 2:49 pm
very interesting..nice
- 87January 4th, 2009 10:37 am
Most of these made me cringe — several extremely busy layouts in this herd
- 88January 5th, 2009 9:32 pm
That really artistic blog design, thanks for share, its very useful for me
- 89February 4th, 2009 12:35 am
It’s really inspire me. Thx guys.
- 90February 6th, 2009 6:28 pm
It’s “粋” in Japanese.
It means smart. - 91February 25th, 2009 1:59 pm
it’s amazing jobs!
- 92March 1st, 2009 11:01 am
thanks very good
- 93March 15th, 2009 12:13 am
“Macalicious” is amazing blog design.
- 94March 15th, 2009 11:20 am
Good selection :)
- 95
- 96April 20th, 2009 8:27 pm
great list, thx
- 97May 10th, 2009 6:55 am
I think Gisele Jaquenod’s blog is just great :D
- 98
- 99June 4th, 2009 8:08 pm
very creative people, lots of inspiration!!
- 100June 9th, 2009 3:27 am
cool! Very inspiring design
- 101August 22nd, 2009 2:29 pm
All of these are amazing! Great list.
- 102September 8th, 2009 3:43 am
I liked the macalicious design, it was awesome.
btw, guyz have a look over this site theme, its also wonderful ;- .http://www.techhacker.org/ - 103October 1st, 2009 9:46 am
awesome blog…
- 104October 22nd, 2009 3:43 am
Manners matter a lot to me. ,
- 105October 23rd, 2009 2:43 am
I’m looking for all these wonderful safari based applications to go native for the iphone. ,
- 106February 22nd, 2010 1:55 am
Hello,
It is really nice selection. I would like to suggest you one: krispykrush.com/
Let me kniow what you think :)
- 107June 26th, 2010 6:03 am
Great collection of designs, especially the first one – Ackno. Many thanks for sharing them.
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Nice list!! thx!! amazing designs!