TT #26: Thirteen steps to a new blog design
As some of you might know I have changed the design of this blog a few weeks back. I am still not quite finished with it, actually (I still want to change the header graphic).
I wish I would have done it like I recommend in this list, but unfortunately I always have to learn things the hard way. I just went ahead and tried everything out online, so there were a few hours when my blog looked different every five minutes, and then probably wasn’t there at all for a while. This was obviously not a good idea. My main advice would be therefore: Think, before you actually start doing anything. That applies to webdesign as much as to every other area in life. Unfortunately I am the first to admit having problems with that myself. The good thing is, though, that I usually actually do learn from my mistakes. So, next time I will be ready.
So, how should I have gone about it in the first place?
1. Ask yourself if you really need a wholly new design, or would maybe the change of your header graphic and/or color scheme be enough?
2. Decide on the general layout you favour: 2 or 3 columns, with or without a big header graphic, sidebar left or right etc. This narrowing down of options will help you with #3.
3. Go and search for your new theme in the many collections of WP themes available on the net (look here - scroll down the page for a whole list of theme collections). This will be made considerably easier by having a clear idea of what you want. When you look through the theme collections don’t forget to pay attention to details like fonts, the little graphics that divide the posts, or the headers of sidebar categories etc. Make sure the theme you choose is as close as possible to the final look you had in mind. It’s easy to change color schemes and header graphics, but if you start changing around every little detail you might as well design your own theme from scratch. But in any case you will probably end up downloading several themes anyway (I found 12 that I wanted to try out).
Now from this point on it might be best if you had WP installed locally on your computer (look here for a tutorial on how to do that) or at least have a testblog where you can tweak the new design before you reveal it to your readers.
4. Upload all the themes you downloaded into the appropriate folder of your test environment and try them all on for size. For this you need some sample posts, which should include photos, lists, quotes and every other style you want to use on your blog. Also comments, so you can customize the comment form. If you already have a blog it’s easiest to copy a few of your older posts into your testblog.
5. Once you decided on a theme you should customize it for your personal needs. Look for the newest versions of all the plugins you used so far, and also get any plugin you think you might have a use for. Install them all and activate them. Add a few new posts and comments and just generally play around with all the options of your blog to see if everything works and if all of the plugins work together (which, sadly, is not always the case).
6. Change the header graphic if you don’t like the original one.
7. Change the color scheme of the theme to your liking. This site can help you with the decision which colors go well together.
8. Customize the sidebar(s): add all the things you had in your old sidebar and wanna keep. It might be an idea to just copy the stuff from your old sidebar.php, but you will probably want to change it around a bit anyway. This is, by the way, a good time to think about decluttering your sidebar a bit.
9. Once everything is added back in and all the plugins are working, take some time to testdrive the site in different browsers and with different screen resolutions. If you don’t want to install a whole lot of different browsers on your computer, you might wanna try this site, which shows you what your site would look like in different browsers.
10. If you’re satisfied with everything, upload the modified new theme to your real blog.
11. Next, upload and activate all your new plugins.
12. Testdrive this as well - if you find any bugs you can always switch back to your old theme while you repair the glitches.
13. Once everything is back up and running again, lean back, take a deep breath and enjoy the new look of your site. 
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun!
October 11th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
Yeah, I should have read this a long while ago… maybe en uturo would have been helpful. I would have signed up for a class in coding too. That way I could just do what ever I wanted instead of being stuck with the same thing lots of other people have !!! lol oh well, we live and learn! yours looks great! thanks for the tips. I’ll use them now.
October 11th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
you have some really great tips here!
my 13 is up on Working at Home Mom
October 11th, 2007 at 5:53 pm
Wow. I was lost after the first few. I’m not so computer literate.
Happy TT!
October 11th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
I’m glad you shared your hard-earned experience with us! I know I’ve already peeked at a few links and they’re great. Happy TT!
October 11th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
#14. Bribe Samulli to do it for me!!!!!
Happy TT, babe! Sorry about the flatmate, but it’s a good motivator to get out and mix!
October 11th, 2007 at 6:29 pm
Great advice! I’m such a creature of habit, though–I’ve never made more than minor changes in mine. My hair’s been the same for years, too. LOL
October 11th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
Great list (wish I’d had it a few months ago). Welcome back to TT.
October 11th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
Fantastic!!! I lost my blog designer, and was thinking of giving up fondofsnape cause of the problems I’ve been having, but this gives me ideas. I can do it!
October 11th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
I’m always redecorating over at my place. Love to change it up!
Helpful list!
My TT’s up as well!
October 11th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Great advice, Samulli! I’m a template tweaking fool, too. Blogger is much different than WP, but just as much fun.
I’ve reached the point that I’m designing my own backgrounds and header graphics (both masthead and sidebar titles). I enjoy creating a clean look, but occasionally will go over the top with the java scripting and goofy fonts. My current template’s days are numbered, I can feel the urge for a new look.
I always create my new look in a test site. I toss in some Lorem Ipsum posts for content, a couple of images to test borders and then I’m off an tweaking. I have not found much that relaxes and feeds my creative soul more than creating a new look for my site.
Happy TT!
October 11th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
Thurday Thirteen: Indonesian Desserts, Anyone?…
Happy Dessert Day!
Black Rice Dessert
Coconut Sweet Potato Cake
Indonesian Cupcakes
Spiced Fruit Salad
Multi-layered Butter Cake
Banana Fritters
Crisp Sweet Striped Cookies
Sticky Rice Cake in Brown Sugar Sauce
Sticky Rice Rolls served wit…
October 11th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
Excellent advice!! Altho I’m petrified to do anything to begin with — with my luck, I’d lose absolutely everything!!
Happy TT!
October 11th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
Good advice. Mine is a homebrew blog so no WP themes or plugins to worry about. Happy TT.
October 11th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
I like your theme. It’s calming.
And is that my beloved Serenity I spy in your TT header?
October 12th, 2007 at 2:59 am
This was great information (as always Samulli).
October 12th, 2007 at 5:30 am
This was timely for me as I consider changing my website setup from the customized template to Frontpage. Stopping, exploring ideas, deciding exactly what I want and test-driving it all befor diving in is what I know I should do and what I did before designing the one that’s up. But part of me just wants to jump in with both feet and do it.
I won’t though. I’m heading your advice and the part of me that already knows better.
Thanks for coming by.
~X
October 12th, 2007 at 10:17 am
I’ve got a blogger blog, but many of these tips definitely apply to me too. The best one I think is the test blog. Maybe it’s just because I’m a technodunce, but I never make significant changes in my blog without trying them out on my test blog first. I’m deathly afraid I’ll delete the whole thing by accident otherwise!
October 12th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Great list. When its time to redo my blog again, I will have to try following this. Right now its pink for october.
October 13th, 2007 at 4:33 am
Very interesting, though I can’t see myself changing my blog design. I’m far too scared to tamper with it.
October 13th, 2007 at 11:41 am
Susan:
LOL, that’s a nice idea. What sums are we talking about here?
October 13th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Thanks for all the comments, guys. As usual I only get around to making the TT rounds today, so I’ll stop by all of your blogs later on.
October 13th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
What a great list. I am on the free thing now, trying to decide when I will take the jump to being able to afford/do the real thing. Thanks for stopping by.
November 22nd, 2007 at 11:52 pm
My learning of all this has been higgledy piggledy as well.
But hey, at least we are trying! *grin*
Happy TT.