Are you tired of your typical columned and boxed layout? It is time to learn how to break out of the box and do something creative. In this post, I've collected some of the best examples that are designed out of the box. I've also provided some quick CSS tips with demo files on how to break out of the box by creatively using background images and the CSS position property.
Example 1: Huge Inc
What really captured my attention on the Huge site is the header design. Notice how the design elements are extended out of the box.
Example 2: Jason Santa Maria
With the amount of effort and details that Jason input on his site, no doubt it is one of the best designer sites around. Click through the posts, you will find that almost each post is unique and has a different stylesheet. Some visual images are within the grid, some are out of the box.
Example 3: A Brief Message
Similar to Jason Santa Maria's website, each post on ABriefMessage.com features a different image and CSS stylesheet. Unlike the other typical blog sites, the text on the site is perfectly layouted, so it runs around the image (it is like reading a print design).
Example 4: Trent Walton
TrentWalton.com puts the focus on the header, where each post displays a different background image and typesetting.
Example 5: Wonderbra Ultimate Strapless
Although there are some accessibility issues with the Wonderbra site (eg. the font is not scalable), but it is a lovely design. The content and images are nicely put together. At the first glance, I thought it was a Flash site. Then, I checked the source code and found it is done by CSS and a Javascript text replacement, cufon.
Example 6: Fox
Fox - Fringe web site broke the boring boxed layout by using spectacular background images that blend from top to bottom. Also, the slant cuts in between the boxes make it look more interesting. Don't forget to check the other Fox TV show sites.
Example 7: Mezzoblue
Mezzoblue made the image extend off the grid. This can be easily achieved by using the margin-left property with negative value.
Quick CSS Tutorials
Using CSS Absolute Position (view demo)
The following tutorial imitate the result as seen on the Huge website using the position property. Use position:absolute to place each element. Then set higher z-index for the logo, nav, and content area (so they are placed above the image box).
Using background image (view demo)
In this example, the logo and the text are embed in the background image. To make the logo text clickable, first specify the H1 to absolute position, then use text-indent to hide the text in the H1 a.
For the Click Here button, use absolute position to place it in exact location. Specify a background image to it and use text-indent to hide the text. On the hover, change the background position to bottom.
Using margin-left (view demo)
This one is extremely simple. Just specify the image with negative margin-left and float:left.
I bet you must be really busy this days nick, WDW got a very few updates for the past few months. :(
Goodluck!
Some really nice examples. Definitely gonna use it during my brainstorm sessions :) Thanks
Nice and informative just great keep it up
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Now, f only I could put my comment out of this box! =)
On my company’s new website we made a lot of use of this same type of style – plenty of “outside of the box” design elements and a lot of implied borders without actually having a visible border. Check out all of the various interesting positioning on this overview page for example: http://www.graphicallyspeaking.ca/web-design-development/ I still love the “tin can phone” graphic at the lower left. ;)
brilliant stuff, it definetely helps to break out of the box. thank you for compiling all this information, explaining it and sharing.
Those tricks are quite clever! It answers many questions I always had about those kind of overlaping elements, thanks!
Really great, thanks so much for sharing this information!
Great post!
Exactly what I was searchig for 5 Minutes ago :)
Thanks!
Best wishes
Wow, remarkably high quality content as always. Also, since this is the first time that I’ve used the comment box, I want to remark that it is freaking cool as well. Web designers everywhere thank you :)
The wonders you can do with a few negative margins!
really nice post, thanks :)
Great examples! I’ll definitely consider some of the ideas in the post.
added to my favorites. will definitely review again for inspiration. thanks!
Great , CSS: Design Out Of The Box
Great article. CSS saved webdesign
Cyrus
Visit http://www.psdtoxhtmlcoder.com
Some brilliant designs here – thanks for the post.
Great tutorial… a great lesson indeed to be learned.
-Ali (yumz.net)
Great tutorial and some great examples, thank you! (www.squiders.com)
Great , CSS: Design Out Of The Box
Great article. CSS saved web design
Cyrus
Visit http://www.psdtoxhtmlcoder.com