Free Templates
Here are a few templates for general consumption. They are free to download, but please adhere to the wishes of the template designers and credit their workmanship and skill by leaving their names and links attached. They all are made with valid XHTML (strict & transitional) and CSS, and are intended to be light, compact, and easy to modify for your own purposes.
Falling Leaves
“Falling Leaves” was created by one of my favorite developers, Andreas Viklund.
Everything Guitar
If I’m not mistaken, here is one of many excellent designs from the good folks at sNews. Although sNews has always been billed as “lightweight CMS,” I have yet to be successful implementing one. However, that’s not to say you wouldn’t benefit from making one work for you.
Multiflex
This is an extremely well put together template that has many, many features that would make it attractive to anyone needing to publish a good deal of information.
Contented7
I have many variations of the “Contented” family of templates from a talented group of designers I’ve lost track of. Please take care to validate the XHTML/CSS.
Orange Flare
Here is a neat and compact-type of template by David Nelson (no recent link). Something about the layout that spoke to my practical taste in page layout.
Pasteltopia
I’m not sure what drew me to this layout, but it has provided hours of creative speculation and at least two paying projects since I first acquired it. Another Open Source Web Design gem.
Silver Leaf
Here is a very simple and elegant design from a young developer in India. It’s based on an original design by James Koster of Six Shooter Media, who also provide wonderful designs for all to use.
Translucent Fluidity
Lastly, from Firda, aka “Wannabegirl,” a blog enthusiast from Canada. Here, Firda demonstrates the fine art of creating a semi-transparent background image. Thanks Firda!
Enjoy whatever benefit that can and will be derived from the above sampling. I have many, many designs and will from time to time present them here for general use. Please don’t forget to play by the rules of the FSF and Creative Commons: The templates are not to be redistributed commercially nor improperly presented as original designs by anyone other than their creators. They are free and available to anyone and that’s what makes the Web such a wonderful playground of ideas and free stuff.