$150 Homepage Design for Financial Site (Logo and Header already designed)

Hi, I’m Looking for a homepage design for OilPrice.com. The current design can be found here: http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/6581/oilpricescreen.jpg

The website is: OilPrice.Com
Prize: $150 paid to the winner via Paypal
Contest End Date: Thursday 4th June 23:00 PM GMT
Target Audience: Finance professionals and people interested in investing – so the site must look very professional (I have given guidance and sites I’d like copied/used for inspiration.)

I have run 10 other contests here in the past so there should hopefully be no doubts about payment. I’d just like to state that there will be a winner of this competition on DP – the competition will not be cancelled for ANY reason and a winner will be announced and PAID - even if I don’t get what I’m after.
Previous competitions can be found at:
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=1266801
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=1259152
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=1186943
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=1029452

The site is a finance site focusing on commodities and finance information. I will have a lot of articles on the homepage – about 20. If you take a look at www.Marketoracle.co.uk and www.Domaining.com – you’ll see their layouts for articles. This is not what I’m looking for but it helps to give an idea.
Please take a look at the link: http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/6581/oilpricescreen.jpg I would like to keep the Logo and header – but the feel is completely wrong. The red colour is simply awful.
What I will need the site to have is the 5 charts – in the same position or possibly somewhere else. The prices to the right will extend down as I will have 5 boxes with different prices of stocks, indexes and commodities.
As I mentioned above there will be articles, which I’d like to be listed with the title and maybe a line of the article. I’d also like a small box with favourite articles and a few spaces for adverts.
So I will need the following designed:
1) Header
2) Horizontal Menu
3) Place to display charts of Oil and other stuff.
4) Left sidebar (Not too wide)
5) Content area in middle part.
6) Right sidebar (around 300 pixels wide)
7) Footer.

I will need this in PSD format. [Photoshop Document]

As for general feel of the homepage, there are quite a few sites i like and possible mergers of them would be good:

Hardassetsinvestor.com – Great layout – I think something similar could definitely work. The only thing is it looks a bit scrappy – I’d need a cleaner design.
Pointcarbon.com – really nice layout and clean feeling – only problem is it looks a bit busy.
Breakingviews.com – great layout of data and a similar size to mine, so something along these lines could work?
Smartmoney.com – looks great and think something similar to this could work well, but due to what I have it would need to differ slightly. I really like the colours and feel.
Rigzone.com – looks good and has some nice pictures (I’m undecided about pictures as I already have the charts. What are your thoughts?)
Housepricecrash.co.uk – good layout of information.
Businessgreen.com – looks good – good layout of information – but it’s different size to mine.
Worldofrenewables.com – very engaging, but possibly bit too busy – still it is quite nice.
Commoditynewscenter.com – nice and clean layout.
Equitiesmagazine.com – has a nice clean professional layout.

So the favourite 5 are:
hardassetsinvestor.com, pointcarbon.com, Smartmoney.com, Breakingviews.com, Equitiesmagazine
If you could sort of merge all designs I think that could have a winning combination.

At this stage I’m open to all ideas.
Detailed feedback will be given for all entries and the thread will be updated with tips and ideas on a regular basis.
Please post entries on this thread and not via PM!

Thankyou, I look forward to seeing your designs.

 

I just might enter

 

i'd be joining...thanks for the invite... thank you

 

Wait me,

Will come with a great entry..

 

I will enter ^_^

 

Hi!

Here is our entry for this contest. It is just a mock up, a raw material so to speak, so it will be edited according to your suggestions. The colour scheme is not exactly what you wanted, but we will change as you will say. Also would like to see what is the header you already have for the site so we could use it as a fixed point in the design.

We tried to keep everything as clean and as professional as possible with all the elements you have in the design. And the ad sizes used are standard ad sizes.



Awaiting your feedback and advices to fill in the blanks.

 

thnks for the invitation
i'll be posting one soon as possible

 

here's my one..feedback highly appreciated
just tell me if u dont like it or if u need any changes..

 

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the entries so far. Here’s some feedback:

Stardesigns99 – Thanks for the entry – I think it’s pretty interesting, but it’s not what I’m looking for. The Home, About, FAQ, etc is in the wrong place and I’m afraid it won’t work.

RaduTRIFAN – I like it – A nice professional layout and it feels professional. I’ll probably have more feedback shortly – but I’m impressed so far. Is it possible to extend the screen a little further and have one more group of charts on the right, and then underneath the full Banner Ad have some article titles set out in a similar way as on somaining.com in the space? Also is it possible to separate the various sections as on Smartmoney.com?

Inj3ct – Thanks for the entry – sadly it’s not the sort of thing I’m after. The navigation bar at the top doesn’t look right and the feel isn’t what I’m after. Still I do like how you’ve spaced the charts.

Thanks again I’m looking forward to seeing more great entries.

 

Please allow 2 days to send you a good design.

 

Thank you for your feedback

Here is our design version:



If there is something else to chage, don't esitate and we will try do to our best.

Thanks

RT Design Studio

 

Hi, here is my work

 

My entry

 

Okay guys here’s some more feedback.

RaduTRIFAN – I like what you have done – the layout is great and it’s the sort of thing I’m after. It does feel a bit sharp though and I’m not too sure how you can smooth things – maybe round the corners and try out some different colours.

X8smile – I like what you have done with the charts – they look clean and clear – but there should be 5. I’m afraid I’m not too keen on the rest of the design though as the colour is wrong and it’s not the sort of layout I’m after.

Bizzard – I like what you have done – it’s clean and fresh. I didn’t think I would like red – but it actually looks quite nice. Still I would like you to try different colours if possible. Could you also make the navigation on the left a little more exciting – break it up a little with boxes, etc… Also before the top stories could you please insert a rectangle for ads?

Thanks guys – there are some very nice looking designs – not much longer to go so please get your designs in.

 

Here is a part of my template. I want to make sure you like it so I continue working on it.

http://aquate.us/u/oilpric.png

 

Thank you for feedback. Working on it

 

Thanks for your feedback.

We made two clean and fresh variants, hope this time is smoother:



Here we made minor changes, we reduced the color saturation of grey.



Here with changed the dark-grey to lighter one and used a blue light color for background of all boxes.

Regarding the round corners we thing that square corners is more suitable with this kind of site. But if you insist we could make this changes for you.

Feedback appreciated.

Thanks,

RT Design Studio.

 

Here is my entry. I hope you like it.



Hope to get feedback soon.

Kind Regards, Sadia.

 

Okay Guys – here’s some more feedback.

Bizzard – I like your new design and it’s currently in the top 3.

RaduTRIFAN – Thanks for the new designs. I like them both but I think the bottom one has the edge over the top one. Not too keen on the chart colours though – but I do like the grey colour. Is it possible to see the charts with a white background? And then have a space before you get to Quotes and charts – as it all looks like it’s one thing. Also on the right hand side where there is log in and Real time stock quotes – I’m not too keen on the background checks – I’d like to see it on a normal background – otherwise very nice and in the top 3. I think the charts on the right take up too much room as well – can you make them a little more narrow?

Shadylady – What you have done with the charts is Perfect – that is just what I’m looking for. Clean professional and nicely separated. Could you please narrow the charts on the right hand side? Is it possible to split the navigation menu on the side up a bit? Also at the bottom to add some longer articles like on domaining?
You are also in the top 3 – you and RaduTRIFAN have edged into the lead.

Thanks guys – there will be a winner chosen today. I am extending the competition by an additional 2 hours.