I am a new user of DNN and excited about what it might offer us. Of particular note is the flexibility to add content to pages easily. I had also hoped that the marketplace (SnowCapped, etc) would provide access to a wide range of creative talent. However, I am noticing that there's a certain "predictability" to the skins produced by vendors.
I am not a designer so may find this difficult to describe well (and I admit this is somewhat subjective) but virtually everything I have seen has a "blocky" or tabular characteristic. The "creativity" seems to often be limited to a choice of colors. We want a lot more than that. I am almost getting to the point where I can tell that a web page is a DNN skin. That can't be good.
Here's an example of a site that has a much richer layout:
http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/. To my mind that is radically different than anything I've seen available as a skin. Unless someone can pleasantly surprise me, I'd very much doubt that is a DNN skin.
With my limited knowledge of DNN skins, I don't see any particular element of that page that would create a problem for a DNN skin. There is a traditional header (logo, search, ad, etc), a navigation bar and then some well-defined areas (which could be containers in panes in DNN) and a footer. Logically, I believe it's "skin friendly".
When I look around at companies offering DNN skins I don't see anything remotely as well laid out and functional as this. I don't expect an off-the-shelf to be quite so rich. But I had hoped that amongst the various portfolio's I've seen I would see some examples of custom work designers have produced for their customers showing a richer, more aesthetically pleasing experience. The skins I have seen to date (not just those available to purchase but the "showcase" ones) are pretty dull with their layout being predictable and lacking in creativity.
Can anyone point me a skinning vendor that does what might be considered high end skinning work. As a simplification, I don't want to know it's a DNN skin. We are willing to pay a decent buck if we can find the right designer - but we haven't found anyone close yet.
Thanks.
Mark