Web Design Advice

[classiccandle]

Ladies of CraftServer, I need your help.

I'm in the process of building a new website and as it progresses I would like to invite you to share your ideas with me. I'm a guy and since candles, melts, lotions, soaps, etc., are purchased primarily by women I'm pretty sure the site will be visited by more women than men so I need your input, please.

The first question, or rather questions, has to do with color. When you visit a website you may not notice the color scheme (background color/image, link color(s), header color/image, footer color/image, etc.) the designer has used but if it's one you don't like you most certainly will notice. The easy question would be, what colors or combination of colors do you NOT like to see on a website but I'd rather ask what colors or combinations of colors do you LIKE to see? Are bright, vivid colors pleasing, or are earth tones more inviting? Is a solid color, a gradient, or an image favored for a background? Are there specific colors or combinations that you prefer?

I'm sure I will probably get varying degrees of answers but overall I think a general consensus can result from your input.

If you'd like you can include links to websites that have colors or design elements that you like.

Thank you and I look forward to your advice!

[SliverOfWax]

Burgundy and Ivory.

Every time.

Maybe a little light pink scattered around, but not much.

BRIGHT colors aren't pleasing to me.

And NO flash, no moving targets, no music, no gawd-awful stuff that distracts and makes most people crazy.

The Keep It Simple Stupid rule applies to websites. But not sophmoric, cartoonish, or childish.

A website is no different than a storefront. Think upscale, elegant, classy.

No white, no black with white lettering. A dark color with an ivory background will get me every time. Brown and ivory would also be very stylish.

[SliverOfWax]

Oh...and something I'm adamant about. Pictures. Your product needs a dark background. White is ugly and cheap. And ordinary.

Not to promote my own product, and I don't even have a website anymore, but I think candles or any product in glass needs dark behind it to make it sparkle. An couple of examples of my images. Take it or leave it.....