A popular design site has recently redesigned, but I can’t help but feel it’s rather naff.
Why?
Well, just look at that page and consider how balanced it is visually.
All the colours and dark tones are on the right, while all the good stuff (the main content) is on the left, and very much hard to read because of the overshadowing right side.
I actually can’t read this site and feel comfortable. Simple as that, really.
Take a look. It actually gives me the creeps, and it isn’t the first site sporting this sort of ill-considered look. Just goes to show what happens when you copy a look you don’t understand, I suppose.
The site does look nice and balanced. I agree with you about the overpowering effect of the right half of the screen. Unless a post has a strong or colourful graphic to start it off a reader’s eyes tend to get pulled to the right. This one shows that great design doesn’t always work.
Perhaps if the left column had a *very* slight background tint. Strangely my eye is immediately drawn to left-hand edge where the text meets the white background. Not my cup of tea.