Why I Love TemplateMonster.com

Template Monster Logo Many people have heard of Template Monster, and if you have not then shame on you! It is a great site to check out if you are looking for high quality website templates, but it’s an even better site to check out for design inspiration. I have read online on different forums where many web designers mention they use Template Monster for design inspiration, and I can’t say that I haven’t once or twice.

There are many things about Template Monster’s templates that just make them so inspirational. It seems like all of the designers who work there are outstanding at what they do, and get a good idea of what each website needs for “staples”, so to speak. So for example, most of their business templates will have important links at the top navigation, such as company info. and contact, have lesser important links in the footer, and have a large stock-image somewhere at the top of the page.

Template Monster #20319

When designing templates of my own for my own project, or just when I am messing around for fun, I will sometimes run dry of inspiration and head over to TemplateMonster.com to check out what’s new. It is always such a great place to find new and fresh designs, no matter what category you need (they have over 80 categories!).

Another thing I especially like is how simple it is to really view the templates and get a good idea of how you then want to mold your site. I don’t mean to directly copy the template, but just getting an idea of how you want your site to look is always easier if you have a great design to start with and get ideas from. That is where some CSS galleries end up falling behind, is where you are looking for a specific design (let’s say, a great design for a veterinarian’s office) and they just don’t have anything like that. Template Monster, though I haven’t actually checked, I would almost guarentee has some vet. templates in there that you could get ideas from.

So that is why I love Template Monster, their undying nourishment of fresh website designs. They do have a very bright future ahead of them if they keep up at the rate they’re going, and I’d love to see what happens to them in the coming years. I actually got an interview with the company’s founder recently, which I was very excited about (if you really care, you can read it here).

But that’s all I have for now on Template Monster. Do you use Template Monster for inspiration, or if not do you use anything?

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8 Responses to “Why I Love TemplateMonster.com”

Last paragraph; change Their to They’re and Companies to company’s.

Go learn some English basics.

- A non-american self taught English lover.

Anonymus on July 22nd, 2008 at 7:19 pm

Great post. Kinda brave to write. I think a designer’s gut reaction to a template is to hate it because it’s taking away a potential job from them. It’s even more intimidating because sometimes these designs are better than a lot of designers can produce.

But it takes skill to implement a template. Once you download these things you either have to write content to fit the template or modify it to make it look half as good as it does on TM.

Brad C on July 22nd, 2008 at 7:51 pm

TM is a great inspiration source, I think designers shouldn’t get intimidated by templates from TM, instead learn from them.

The things you can learn from this templates are the proper use of color schemes and the use of white space.

Did you see the PaperVison flash template ?

Arad on July 23rd, 2008 at 8:08 am

Hey, I haven’t been using TM but I am sure to now. It looks like a good source of design inspiration. Just need to watch out that I don’t get caught up in making a replica accidentally! (Once I saw a template I liked, a few days later I made an replica and I didn’t even realise til I saw the original again >.< damn you subliminal memory!)

and…to the “A non-american self taught English lover”

Their is fine, Companies is wrong, but give him a break ;)

Cheers,
Matt.

Matt on July 23rd, 2008 at 8:49 am

Shame on you Jake, if you are still looking for inspiration at templatemonster. It’s dying out.

Teddy on July 23rd, 2008 at 10:35 am

Yes TM is great!
I love finding 5 or 6 great designs and mix and matching + adding new elements you might think up your self and creating one amazing template.

My Joomla Inspiration post came from TM

John MacMenamin on July 23rd, 2008 at 10:50 am

I don’t necessarily used TM for every web design I have, I only use it if I’m really stuck in a rut and don’t know where to start.

And I agree w/ John, it’s a great idea to combine elements from multiple designs you see. It helps keep your design original, but by using many different parts combined.

Jake on July 23rd, 2008 at 5:19 pm

I am extremely disappointed in Template Monster. After going through a very difficult design exercise with a client, I found a rip off of our design (which the client paid a lot of money for) on TemplateMonster. They not only stole our design, they also stole our proprietary images and client copy, including personal images of the founder.

http://www.templatemonster.com/swish-templates/8469.html?PHPSESSID=fefsppk63lm00vidn4mdsbs6b7

The photos on the site are of Larry Jones, founder of Feed The Children, and all design elements are stolen from a proprietary design.

We are in the process of initiating legal action against TM. Don’t continue to support these thieves!

Professional Designer Ripped Off by TM on July 24th, 2008 at 1:27 pm

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