Early Web Browsers
Web Design

Web Design: Early Web Browsers And Changes

Good Art & Design

For us to appreciate the state of the Internet today, it is essential to have a solid understanding of where web browsers and websites originally came from. For web designers and digital marketing agencies, understanding the history of web pages, and the evolution they have undergone, we can begin to comprehend the drastic changes necessary before we could enjoy the internet for what it is today.

The Browser Wars

During what is commonly referred to as the “Browser Wars” early on, Microsoft and Netscape duked it out to see which would rise as the prevailing browser. For a long time, the victor appeared to be Netscape. However, when Internet Explorer 4 was introduced, popular opinion quickly shifted. As this browser essentially became a regular feature of Windows computers, it inherited all the more authority among the landscape of browsers. Also, because Windows computers were widely sought out at the time, naturally, users were more exposed to Internet Explorer than its competition.

Since most people at the time were beginning to warm up to the idea of personal computers, Internet Explorer was essentially seared into their minds as a search engine. Also, as Microsoft had a much larger budget of disposable income available than its counterpart Netscape, it more efficiently funded its own IE development.

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Web Design
Web Design

Web Design and How it Helps Your Business Succeed

Good Art & Design

The digital age has seen all businesses move their marketing strategies to the online realm in order to garner the most success. Every business needs to have a good online presence if they want to keep a competitive edge in this day and age. Having a good online presence relies on several things being taken into consideration but the most important aspect of it all is the website of your business. Having a basic website is not good enough to count as a strong online presence, your company’s website needs to have good web design in order to be helpful for the success of your business.

Importance of Good Web Design

There are several key elements which contribute to making a good online presence. The web design for your company’s own website makes up a crucial aspect of it all.

If you are wondering exactly how important it is to have a good web design, you should know that the web design can either make or break the success of your online business. The website of a business is the first impression which the customers have of the business. It takes just a few seconds for a visitor to your website make a decision about whether or not they want to engage with your business. Here’s a look at how a good web design can benefit your business.

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Garden-Design-Features
Garden Design

Delightful Garden Design Features That are Easy to Install

Good Art & Design

Even the most ordinary garden can be easily jazzed up by using some kind of garden feature to enhance it. If you are on a budget, don’t worry because they don’t all require a landscaping specialist or a builder to install them. Many are simple weekend DIY projects that anyone can attempt successfully with a little preparation.

  • The garden arch – an old fashioned favourite that will remind you of country cottages and never fails to add charm wherever it is placed. Most arches seem to be used over a gate, but don’t be limited by that. Your arch can go over a pathway, at the back door, or even become a feature in the middle of the garden with a bird bath under it. Choose a solid one, not the el-cheapo that will rust out or rot in a few years. Grow your favourite climber over it – roses are popular – but make sure you choose one that won’t grow out of control or be too heavy for the arch. An arch can be a simple metal structure or you could have a larger, wider timber one that is strong enough for a grape vine or another heavy climber.
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Interior Design
Interior Design

5 Tips For Successful Interior Design

Good Art & Design

Whether you are choosing the interior design your entire home or just one or two rooms, there are several ways you can make the whole process, and most importantly the final result, successful. Here they are for you in no particular order.

#1 Think Comfort Before Looks

Renovation Network tell us that one of the biggest mistakes people make is they fall in love with a style or look of an item such as a chair. They then buy it, and when it arrives realise it is not fit for purpose because it is too uncomfortable to sit on for any length of time. Always ensure that when you are selecting chairs, sofas, stools and beds, you remember that their purpose is to be used, and to be comfortable.

#2 Don’t Rush It

There are countless interior design projects that have fallen by the wayside because the person ran out of money before they could complete it. The main reason for this is that they rushed out and bought everything at once, including the more expensive and luxurious items. Be patient by purchasing the items which are essential first, and then as your budget allows, buy the luxuries one by one.

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Web Design Beginners
Web Design

Web Design For Beginners

Good Art & Design

Web design has never been the easiest career path to embark on for those who are interested. However, that does not mean it cannot be done. Through hard work and diligence, as well as perhaps an ideal mentorship (online or in person), becoming a web designer is achievable. Beginning in 2014, the projected web designer career growth was estimated to be 24%.

In 2017, this statistic has certainly proved to be true, and the field is still steadily growing. In terms of getting on the path to becoming a web designer, most people have no idea where to begin. This is completely fine! It is normal to feel overwhelmed in the beginning. However, by taking it one step at a time, you will soon be looking back on these days as though you had nothing to be afraid of.

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Animation and Multimedia
Web Design

Does Animation and Multimedia Serve a Purpose in Web Design?

Good Art & Design

In days gone by, SEO experts use to warn against using animation such as flash, simply because Google crawlers couldn’t read the flash files and thus couldn’t read your website. So rankings on flash based websites suffered severely.

While there is something to say for a simplistic website or a flat-designed website, there is also something to say about highly animated and multimedia-filled websites. After talking to a client, if they want all of the bells and whistles, you have to provide. Use your skills to create sound files and animations, add video footage, and place pictures to enhance any website. Make sure you are judicious about what you choose to do and always be aware of who you can include in these forms of multimedia.

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Ways to Use Fonts
Web Design

New, Exciting Ways to Use Fonts

Good Art & Design

If you are looking for ways to expand your web design skills or portfolio, there are a few different things that you can do. The most accessible option that you have is something that every person with a computer has access to: fonts. With 3D printing and technological advancements, the amount of things that we can create with fonts has multiplied innumerably.

What can you do with fonts? The possibilities are endless and you can make some truly fantastic art. These are only the basics: you can build from here and create something that is uniquely your own.

City Skylines
Word clouds are pretty old school by now, even those that have been transformed into shapes. However, using font to highlight the city where you live, your company works, or where you want to be is a fantastic way to build up a client base.

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Sam Sorgiovanni
Commercial Design

Commercial Building Design Options

Good Art & Design

Many commercial applications can be found for limestone blocks. These strong and durable blocks can be used for stairways, walls and paths outside a commercial or public building, enhancing the area so that customers are drawn to it. Stone cladding can also be used for the walls of such buildings, making them both beautiful and functional. A stone wall is not likely to wear out or crumble away, even in bad weather.

While weathering does occur with rock, it is most likely to be in the fine details, such as if a name was carved into the rock, or at the very corners of the building the edges may wear from sharp/ to rounded over many years.

Construction Ventures Guide advise that many commercial or public buildings are large structures, making them perfectly suitable for an internal feature wall of limestone. This can really improve the looks of the place and become a feature that people go to see, as well as to do whatever it is the building is for.  Libraries, art galleries, museums and many other public buildings are ideal for the installation of a limestone feature wall.

Many such buildings can be made almost completely with stone. Outside, stone can be used as a footpath, driveway, staircase and for walls dividing areas or going up each side of the staircase. It can be used for retaining walls for terracing and garden walls in the landscaping, enhancing the look of the garden or grounds of the building.

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Flat Design
Web Design

Flat Design: A Crash Course

Good Art & Design

For the last decade or so, internet business consultants have accelerated by showing off their designers skills and doing things that have been totally unique and somewhat crazy. We’ve shown off our animation skills, our flash capabilities, and our abilities to think outside of the box. Everything we did was somewhat artificial and cartoony instead of natural and realistic.

That’s all changed.

The trend now is something more classic and simplistic. While there are still flourishes of web design elements and creativity, flat design has become what most companies ask for from designers.

What exactly is flat design?
A digital agency will tell you that flat design is a more minimalist approach that focuses on the user experience. There are many clean lines and crisp edges to these designs, with bright colors and a lot of open space.

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Interior Design

What’s in Your Bathroom?

Good Art & Design

The trend today is for superyachts to have everything possible for the guests’ enjoyment including pools, a Jacuzzi, a fully equipped gym, beautiful glass shower screens and even a sauna. This is often found on yachts designed by Sam Sorgiovanni, who is known for innovative and creative design in the world of luxury yachts. However, up-market homes are a bit like luxury yachts and you can easily install a sauna in your own home.

It can be part of a bathroom if there is enough room, or it can be separate. You can even have a room built in the garden especially for a sauna. However, don’t forget to look into council regulations because a building in the garden may need council approval. Adding a sauna to your home will not because it is part of the home; not separate.

So what are the benefits of a sauna? First, let’s be sure we are on the same page.  Some saunas have dry heat while others have moist heat. Dry heat saunas can sometimes be both if there is provision to splash water over the heater. Naturally enough, it has to be a special type of heater so you don’t get electrocuted.

Generally speaking, a moist heat sauna is made from tiles, while a dry heat sauna is made from timber. The room for the sauna can be of any size you like, depending on how many people will be using it at one time. It should contain bench seating for the people who use it to sit or lie on. The benches should be covered with a towel for hygienic reasons, but it will also make the bench a bit more comfortable.

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Web Design
Web Design

The Latest In Web Design Trends

Good Art & Design

Like most technological fields, web design is changing rapidly. Whether you are an enthusiast, you own a website, or you are a web designer yourself, it can be extremely useful to remain up-to-date on the latest web design trends. Seeing as yesterday’s trends become obsolete quickly, you want to make sure that you are right alongside the pack, if not ahead of the curve.

While mobile responsive trends are the top of everyone’s must-have lists, other trends are also becoming  fashionable and are being resurrected along the way. Staying on top of this, can easily result in added traffic, so it is important to take the time to absorb what is trending.

Animated GIF’s

Currently, one noticeable trend among fashionable websites is GIF’s. These are Videos that are smoothly looped over and over again. They have become especially popular on blogs and message boards alike. Adding a few to your own website would certainly be a trendy decision. Also, since most web pages are overly static, this is an easy way to spice up your site and give an appearance of action. Doing so, gives your visitors the impression that your website is the place to be, and it will certainly hold their attention.

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Contemporary-Kitchen-Design
House Design

Contemporary Kitchen Design

Good Art & Design

If you are one of those people who consider the terms modern and contemporary to be interchangeable you might get into difficulties when it comes to kitchen design according to the kitchen professionals.  While many kitchens have elements of the two merging happily, contemporary kitchens can easily be identified by certain specific elements.

According to homecenternews.com, to confuse you even further, a contemporary kitchen is more modern than a ‘modern’ kitchen because it incorporates all the latest trends. Here is a list of elements you can expect to find in a contemporary kitchen.

  1. A mix of different textures, colours and shapes all blended in together. For instance, you might see turquoise countertops and splashback with warm, wood grain floor and cupboards.
  2. A splashback that is quite different from the surrounding walls in colour and texture.
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Stone-cladding-inside-out
House Design

A Flooring Choice for Inside and Out

Good Art & Design

Most homeowners and builders would agree that the floor is one part of the home that deserves a full budget. If you need to cut back on spending, don’t do it on the floor. The reason for this is that without a floor the home is useless. In addition, some part of the floor is always in use so it needs to be strong. Natural materials such as limestone blocks can be used for the floor, for cladding and for the entertainment area outsidefeature wallStone cladding is also used for feature walls inside the home or outside, depending on the style and design of the home. Having a feature wall can make your home look truly amazing as well as unique. If you’ve never considered using it in this way, take a look at some home designs where it is included and you will see what a difference it makes to the look of the home. It can take the home from ordinary to spectacular.

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Outdoor-Kitchen
Furniture Design

10 Essentials for Your Outdoor Kitchen

Good Art & Design

If you are sick and tired of always being indoors, creating an outdoor kitchen may be just what you and your family need.  That way you can all enjoy time outdoors whenever the weather is balmy and there is no need to head back inside to cook the evening meal.  While a handyman can easily make the deck for the kitchen, you’ll need a qualified electrician to install the lights and connect any electric appliances you need.

Here are some of the essentials you’ll need for an outdoor kitchen.

  1. Storage – this needs to be sealed so that rodents and insects can’t get in. Make sure doors on the cupboards shut tightly. A mobile kitchen island is ideal for an outdoor kitchen as it provides both storage and a bench to work on – and you can move it around as needed.
  2. A spare set of cutlery and crockery so you don’t have to bring it out from inside all the time. It doesn’t have to be expensive; even plastic will do.
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Graphic Design
Graphic Design

What Exactly Does Graphic Design Encompass?

Good Art & Design

Graphic Design encompasses the entire art and craft involved in creating the visual and text based elements of a web page. This can cover graphics, video, words, images, and everything in-between. Graphic Design does not necessarily exclusively entail the creation of graphics online alone. Occasionally, a Graphic Designer can be hired to design even the simplest postage stamp. Designers are often sought out to create alluring and expressive logos, for brands and new companies alike. The contents that Graphic Designers create are done for a variety of purposes. Whether it be to advance a cultural cause, or simply illustrate a commercial aspect of business, Graphic Designers are sought out frequently in the professional world.

Designers In Advertising

Designers have been arranging the creative elements on advertisements and various prints for a long time. In other words, their skills were sought out long before websites were around. As the internet came onto the scene, and personal computers as well as websites became more prevalent, Graphic Designers were sought out for assistance in the online world as well. Publishers of newspapers and magazines, have utilized the skills of Graphic Designers for the layout of their copy for many years.

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Minimal Interior Design
Interior Design

7 Secrets to a Minimal Interior Design

Good Art & Design

Many interior designers such as Sam Sorgiovanni, love the minimalist look and it certainly makes small spaces look larger if you don’t overcrowd them. But even the look of a large room can be spoiled when it contains too much ‘stuff’, being reminiscent of an overcrowded shop. You can’t appreciate the interior design because there is just too much to see.

Here are 7 secrets from mcmcabinets.com.au to a minimal interior design.

  • Balance and proportions are key elements to a minimalistic look. Nothing, especially the furniture, should look too big or too small for the size of the room. Don’t put more on one side of the room than the other or it will look unbalanced and uneven. Furnishings should complement and coordinate together – which doesn’t mean you can’t use accent colours.
  • Consider quality over quantity. Don’t just choose things from a catalogue. What is in a minimalist room will really stand out and become a focal point, so it needs to be at least uncommon, if not unique. If it is just ordinary, the room will look kind of blah.
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Pergola-Design
House Design

Home Pergola Design

Good Art & Design

When it comes to pergolas, Perth residents really enjoy all the benefits that the addition of this simple structure to their property brings. As opposed to Patios, Pergolas have no roof but a few beams that let in the rain and sun. They have no floor, but can stand on pavers or grass or be embedded into concrete. So how can they enhance your lifestyle?

  • You can have a pergola installed on the hot side of the house. With the addition of some climbing plants it will create living shade that makes the home much cooler.
  • It can be installed against a window and there will still be plenty of natural light come into the room.
  • A pergola can have shade cloth added to the roof or walls for added coolness without making a room very much darker.
  • It can be added on the sunny side to reduce the glare, something that people in southern areas of Australia find it difficult to contend with. Living vines are good at reducing glare and they won’t fall down on your roof during a bad storm like trees do.
  • The pergola is a great place to relax, surrounded by all those lovely plants that like a bit of protection from the sun and wind, but not too much.
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Outdoor-Room
House Design

Important Points for Designing an Outdoor Room

Good Art & Design

As well as landscaping their garden according to Lone Pine Landscapes, many people these days have an outdoor room they use for entertaining or just for the family to relax in. It enables them to get outside and enjoy the fresh air, cool evening or even a cool morning coffee before heading off to work. But for an outdoor room to really work well there are certain points that must be remembered.

  • It should be close to the house and preferable close to the back door for convenience. No one wants to wander all the way down to the bottom fence if they are on a time schedule. Having it close will ensure it gets used more often.
  • It needs to have a paved floor. This will save your shoes getting wet or muddy after rain and there will no need to worry about the lawn getting trampled or worn out in high traffic areas. It will also ensure more use can be had from this area. If it is not joined to the house, you’ll need a paved path to link the two for the same reason as above.
  • Shelter is important, especially in the summer. It need not be anything more complicated than a table with an umbrella, a small area of shade cloth or even a bushy tree to cast shade on hot days. You may also need a wall to protect against prevailing wind if your situation is exposed to strong winds. You could also enclose it in a framework that will support a louvered roof that can open and close or a permanent roof, especially if your climate is showery.
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Furniture Design

Furniture Design: What Is Boat Wood Furniture

Good Art & Design

When designing your outdoor haven it’s good to have some idea of the kind of material you want your outdoor furniture to be made from. While there are many different kinds and styles available in the furniture store, not all may be suitable for your location, or for your comfort level. For instance, you may want to use your outdoor space just occasionally due to living in a cold climate. In this case it might be more budget friendly to purchase alfresco furniture that can double as indoor furniture during the colder weather.

If you are into recycling, you may be interested in boat wood furniture. Generally speaking, boat wood is timber recycled and reclaimed from boats, both locally and overseas. You can be sure that such wood is suitable for outdoor use, since it survived many years as a boat. It’s not only a strong and viable option, but offers an interesting conversation with guests while speculating on where exactly it came from and who owned it when it was a boat.

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Ducted-air-conditioning
House Design

Airconditioners And Home Design

Good Art & Design

Once you’ve made the decision to purchase an air conditioner, you’ll need to decide which one is best suited to your needs and budget. It may also depend on your climate. It doesn’t take a lot of research, since there are basically 4 different types of air conditioner. Ducted air conditioning, split systems and window systems.

Ducted air cons

Ducted air conditioning must be the king of all types, because you can have it in every room so you are totally comfortable no matter which room you have to be in. But it costs more than the other options. However, you get more for your dollar with vents in every room. It is likely to cost more to run, since you lose coolness through the ductwork because the ceiling cavity is extremely hot, unless you pay extra for insulated ducting.

Ducted models can be evaporative or refrigerated. The former works only as a cooler, while the latter can become a heater in the winter. This saves on the expense of adding another type of heating.

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