Seeking inspiration

[cleo]

So I have a blog. (I'm taking a break from writing right now, so this is not a pimping post.) Anyway, I have a blog, and a haiku blog, and a book journal, and domain names for a couple of other blog-type sites. They all look different. I want to completely redesign all of them in a way that brings them all together but also maintains the sites' individual identities.

I have no idea where to start.

Have you seen any blogs or other sites that effectively bring a number of fully-developed sites under one "roof," so to speak?

 

[iGav]

That's abit of branding question...

You could consider using a consistent colour scheme across each site, as well as a single typeface (Think Helvetica and it's different weights) to help maintain a visual consistency.

I'm thinking of examples, but nothing has sprung to mind, I know Deepend (a New Media Co. from the '90's to '00's) had many spin-off sister companies under it's umbrella... such as an advertising co, strategic co, and an online branding co, that maintained a relatively consistent brand to it's parent company, but they folded a few years ago.

I shall have a think for some examples though.

 

[Rower_CPU]

Spiraling off of iGav's suggestions, variations of a color scheme would work, too - pastels, oversaturated colors, etc. Or a single, distinctive typeface for the logotype - same size, style, etc.

Also, you could try variations on a basic logo - your pinwheel from dalqe, for instance. Or you could use a logo style across sites, something like simple and abstract like the pinwheel or something concrete and photorealistic like the dice on the haiku page.

For me, branding is mainly about consistency. As long as people can easily identify the brand and understand what it relates to, they'll understand the connection.

 

[tomatobush]

A group of sites that I think does a great job of what your describing is the DevStart.com Network.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

I'd think of it more like puzzle pieces that all make a nice picture. Using the logo approach, have the combined images create something bigger.

Using a similar font and style are fine, but that's too easy. Try and take a step back from it all and look at how they all are related and then go and redesign them.

Will you have links from one site to the others? That alone will help bring it all together and have continuity.

D