25 Beautifully Dark Websites - Part II | Vandelay Website Design

25 Beautifully Dark Websites - Part II

In the right situation, a dark website background can create a stunning look. As a follow up to the original collection from several months ago, here are another 25 dark websites for your design inspiration.

For more design inspiration, see:

Infinite Imagination

Kyle Haskins

WISER

Mike Walker Creative

Goodbytes

1 Minus 1

Les Arts O Soleil

Ecstatic Media

Artworking

The Things We Make

Sessions

Komodomedia

If you liked this collection, also see:

Originally Published June 9th, 2008

60 Responses

25 Beautifully Dark Website Designs | Vandelay Website Design | June 9th, 2008 at 8:32 pm

[…] 25 Beautifully Dark Websites - Part II […]
Matt | June 9th, 2008 at 10:05 pm

I love these lists. They give me a fair amount of inspiration when it comes to design and layout. Keep ‘em coming.
Vandelay Design | June 9th, 2008 at 10:11 pm

Thanks Matt,
I’m glad they’re a source of inspiration for you.
Adam | June 9th, 2008 at 10:12 pm

This is a great list of website designs. I myself prefer ligher designs (as you can tell by my website), but all of these sites look really good.
Vandelay Design | June 9th, 2008 at 10:23 pm

Adam,
I generally prefer lighter design myself, but I love dark designs that are done really well (for the right sites, it’s not a good fit for every website).
adelle | June 9th, 2008 at 10:30 pm

these are some great choices - and the best part is - I have never seen any of them! Great job.
Vandelay Design | June 9th, 2008 at 10:31 pm

Thanks Adelle. I tried to find some that haven’t been overexposed yet.
LaurenMarie - Creative Curio | June 10th, 2008 at 1:05 am

Wow, I haven’t seen a lot of these before! Does it take you long to find sites for collections like this? Ooo, and I like the way Mario C. presents his screenshots! Not seen that used before either.
Sacha | June 10th, 2008 at 3:48 am

Nice list ! The Goodbytes site (http://www.goodbytes.be/) reminds me a lot of this PSDTUTS tutorial: http://psdtuts.com/interface-tutorials/create-a-sleek-high-end-web-design-from-scratch/

By the way, do you use a special tool for the screenshots, or do you grab all of them manually and resize them in photoshop ?
James Abney-Hastings | June 10th, 2008 at 3:52 am

This is a great list! Good work finding underexposed ones, there are some old favorites I’ve seen a few times but most are new to me. I agree that a dark look isn’t suitable for all sites but used in the right place and done well like these ones the results can be spectacular.
Fabio | June 10th, 2008 at 4:20 am

really nice! great list
WishMyLove | June 10th, 2008 at 4:42 am

I would like to thanks…
Great list I like your blog!

Cheers,
Szabolcs
Ricardo | June 10th, 2008 at 5:45 am

Great list. I didn’t know some of them.
real estate | June 10th, 2008 at 8:15 am

Those are really cool dark web site and the template is nice, I did go some of the site and got many thing.
Tuomas | June 10th, 2008 at 8:28 am

One of the great additions would be http://www.i-marco.nl/weblog/
by Marco van Hylckama Vlieg.
Fubiz | June 10th, 2008 at 8:56 am

Amazing selection!
Graham Strong | June 10th, 2008 at 9:21 am

I think what is great about dark websites is that they are so much harder to pull off. Most people prefer lighter colour schemes, I think. One good reason is that it is easier to read dark type on a white background than vice versa.

But when a dark site is done right, the effects can be stunning as you have shown here.

~Graham
Bob | June 10th, 2008 at 9:47 am

I see PSDTuts has left its mark on a few of these……
(Goodbytes and James B)
Eric | June 10th, 2008 at 9:53 am

I really like that first one - Infinite Imagination. All of these are pretty inspiring. In fact, time to get back to work instead of going around reading blogs!

- Eric
WEB STREET - 暗めで美しいウェブサイト50個 | June 10th, 2008 at 10:32 am

[…] via : 25 Beautifully Dark Website Designs | Vandelay Website Design via : 25 Beautifully Dark Websites - Part II | Vandelay Website Design AddClipsUrl = […]
JD | June 10th, 2008 at 11:24 am

Wonderful collection!
HighFivez.com: Your Guide Through The Blogosphere. Find Blogs and Blog Posts. | June 10th, 2008 at 11:58 am

[…] 25 Beautifully Dark Websites - Part II […]
Roshan Shah | June 10th, 2008 at 11:59 am

You may also add http://www.la2day.com in your list.
sir jorge | June 10th, 2008 at 12:55 pm

those are really good, great even.
Jason | June 10th, 2008 at 2:01 pm

I am working on one. Please give some feedback. I don’t know which direction I should take it. http://synergydesigns.synergydesigns.org Thanks, J
25 jolis sites avec le design sombre | Kimly | June 10th, 2008 at 6:01 pm

[…] Lien : Design sombre […]
25 hermosos diseños con tonalidades oscuras | frogx.three | June 11th, 2008 at 12:23 am

[…] vandelay design nos han listado 25 diseños con tonalidades oscuras muy bien logrados y muy […]
BURAK ÖNAL | June 11th, 2008 at 9:11 am

those are really good, great even.
25 diseños web obscuros | roc21 | June 11th, 2008 at 9:22 am

[…] la lista completa | [vandelaydesign.com] […]
Vehicle Shipping | June 11th, 2008 at 3:24 pm

great collection of websites!
James B | June 11th, 2008 at 3:40 pm

Wow, honoured to have made it into one of these collections, thanks very much!

Although having looked through, 1minus1 is absolutely stunning. Can’t fault it, top marks from me to them! Nice collection of websites mate, again thanks very much

James
Vandelay Design | June 11th, 2008 at 6:13 pm

James,
You’re welcome. Thanks for taking a moment to stop by and comment.
Enlaces rápidos XXVI | Infected-FX | June 11th, 2008 at 10:37 pm

[…] Diseños oscurosVandelay nos sorprende nuevamente con una muy buena lista de “dark sites” con excelente diseño. […]
Tristan | June 12th, 2008 at 2:55 am

This is an great looking dark webpage also: http://www.der-vigilant.de
Jimeee | June 12th, 2008 at 6:34 am

Good list, thanks. Smashing Mag also have something similar.

I’ll use this chance to give my own dark website a shameless plug:

http://www.azeemalim.co.uk

—
web design company | June 12th, 2008 at 8:37 am

Nice website designs that are dark
links for 2008-06-12 « 個人的な雑記 | June 12th, 2008 at 6:34 pm

[…] 25 Beautifully Dark Websites - Part II | Vandelay Website Design (tags: webdesign inspiration Design CSS Gallery colors) […]
Jeremy | June 12th, 2008 at 10:05 pm

Great collection of sites, these are always inspirational to me as I tend to prefer a bit of a darker design. It is nice to see a few I haven’t run across in the CSS galleries yet.
Alojaweb | June 13th, 2008 at 12:58 am

nice collection, thanks for the contribution.
Leigh Taylor | June 13th, 2008 at 7:00 pm

Wow thanks for putting me up there! Didn’t expect to get so much flattery for my temp portfolio!

@LaurenMarie
As i am writing this, mine has only been up just over 3 weeks so either Vandelay has a good eye or special scouting powers!!!
Vandelay Design | June 13th, 2008 at 8:43 pm

Leigh,
You’re welcome, and thanks for taking a moment to visit and comment. I’d like to think I have special scouting powers, but I’m just human.
London Escorts | June 14th, 2008 at 5:39 am

I am really surprised to see these dark websites. Most of the dark website’s main problem is some deep color don’t match with each other. But in these sites the did match.
facebook | June 14th, 2008 at 5:45 am

I think the webmasters hired some fine arts specialist for color combination. They are very choosy i guess. And also they are very good designer.
Surf Raporu 17 Haziran 2008 | Taylan Aktepe | June 17th, 2008 at 2:32 pm

[…] Koyu renklerle tasarlanmış sitelere merakınız varsa mutlaka gözatın… […]
25 sitios oscuros y lindos | Isopixel | June 18th, 2008 at 3:28 pm

[…] Breves Buena recopilación de sitios oscuros y atractivos. Serie I y serie II# […]
design nottingham | June 19th, 2008 at 6:49 am

White text on black backgrounds are always going to be harder on the eyes than the opposite but these sites work really well because they use almost white text which really seems to make a difference!
Xtence | June 19th, 2008 at 5:26 pm

very nice list, i look forward to see more of this
these are the hardest designs to make because of the white text, but it’s allways a challenge !!!!
GoodBytes | June 21st, 2008 at 8:33 am

Nice to see we are on the list too! I love the James B header ! All other designs are great as well.
25 Beautifully Dark Websites - Part II | Rookie Millionaire | June 21st, 2008 at 2:32 pm

[…] 25 Beautifully Dark Websites - Part II In the right situation, a dark website background can create a stunning look. As a follow up to the original collection from several months ago, here are another 25 dark websites for your design inspiration. Infinite Imagination […]
Dark Design | June 23rd, 2008 at 3:41 am

Check this one from my friend’s studio: http://www.happydesign.ru/portfolio/index.php?cat_id=1&page=5
Why are designers never 100% satisfied? | David Airey :: Graphic and Logo Designer | June 30th, 2008 at 7:04 pm

[…] that I favour simplicity and white space in design. Dark backgrounds, such as those featured on Vandelay and Smashing Magazine, aren’t my thing. A few of my favourite blog authors use dark web […]
Why are designers never 100% satisfied? | Dalton Trent's Blog | July 8th, 2008 at 9:50 am

[…] that I favour simplicity and white space in design. Dark backgrounds, such as those featured on Vandelay and Smashing Magazine, aren’t my thing. A few of my favourite blog authors use dark web […]
Ricardo | July 21st, 2008 at 9:38 am

it is dark and beautiful
it’s my site.
please say me a word about it.
Two Mad Geeks » 25 Beautifully Dark Websites | July 31st, 2008 at 5:24 am

[…] Link: Vandelay Website Design […]
nick | September 16th, 2008 at 3:42 pm

two more for consideration…

http://www.justmythoughts.com

and

http://www.nickhand.net
nick | September 16th, 2008 at 3:43 pm

hmmm the http://www.justmythoughts.com link was wrong, here it is:

http://www.justmythoughts.com
baroquedub » Blog Archive » Web design inspiration | November 11th, 2008 at 1:48 pm

[…] Beautifully Dark Websites Part II […]
SJL Web Design | December 23rd, 2008 at 12:53 pm

Nice collection Vandelay Design! some really nice dark designs. If you get a chance we would be honored if you could take a look at our site, maybe you could consider adding it to part 3, if you ever get round to making it.
25 Beautifully Dark Websites - Part 3 | Vandelay Website Design | December 29th, 2008 at 9:10 pm

[…] In the past, I’ve published two collections of great dark designs (see part one and part two), and here is part […]
Web Page Design For You » Blog Archive » 25 Beautifully Dark Websites - Part 3 | December 29th, 2008 at 10:12 pm

[…] In the past, I’ve published two collections of great dark designs (see part one and part two), and here is part […]

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25 Beautifully Dark Websites - Part II

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