Free CSS templates featuring minimalist yet elegant style
“Perfection (in design) is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but rather when there is nothing more to take away.” -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
I am tired of seeing flashy and loud color schemes used in Web 2.0 and vintage/retro designs. I guess the world needs more minimalism.
In recent years, the “less is better” concept has become a major new trend in design. We see this trend in product design, architecture, interior design and of course, web design. One of the major brands that made a very successful marketing strategy using a minimalistic design approach is Apple. However, minimalism or simplicity is actually hard to pull off as an artist. For one, minimalism is not equal to plainness. It is actually the contrary. So how do you distinguish simple from plain?
Here, let’s look at some of the free CSS templates that use minimalistic approach. By the way, you can download these templates for free but just make sure you read and understand the terms of use first before using any of them.
FREE CSS TEMPLATES 01 – New York Magazine
Source: Open Source Templates
Terms of Use: Free to use under Creative Commons 3.0 licence
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FREE CSS TEMPLATES 02 – Eco Business
Source: Open Source Templates
Terms of Use: Free to use under Creative Commons 3.0 licence
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FREE CSS TEMPLATES 03 – ORGANIC BEAUTY
Source: CSS Creme
Terms of Use: Free to use under Creative Commons 2.5 license. (This means that you are free to use and modify this template for any purpose, but you must include the provided links back to the author’s website).
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FREE CSS TEMPLATES 04 – iPhone Store
Source: CSS Creme
Terms of Use: Free to use under Creative Commons 2.5 license. (This means that you are free to use and modify this template for any purpose, but you must include the provided links back to the author’s website).
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FREE CSS TEMPLATES 05 – Book Store
Source: CSS Creme
Terms of Use: Free to use under Creative Commons 2.5 license. (This means that you are free to use and modify this template for any purpose, but you must include the provided links back to the author’s website).
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FREE CSS TEMPLATES 06 – Internet Services
Source: Open Source Web Templates
Terms of Use: Free to use under Creative Commons 2.5 license. (This means that you are free to use and modify this template for any purpose, but you must include the provided links back to the author’s website).
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FREE CSS TEMPLATES 07 – Darkened
Source: Open Source Web Templates
Terms of Use: Free to use under Creative Commons 2.5 license. (This means that you are free to use and modify this template for any purpose, but you must include the provided links back to the author’s website).
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FREE CSS TEMPLATES 08 – Winterplain
Source: Arcsin Web Templates
Description: A Simple and soft styled, two-column template with a touch of cold which was built using tableless XHTML and CSS. This theme is available as Wordpress or Blogger templates.
Terms of Use: Free to use under Creative Commons 2.5 license. (This means that you are free to use and modify this template for any purpose, but you must include the provided links back to the author’s website).
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FREE CSS TEMPLATES 09 – Emplode
Source: Arcsin Web Templates
Description: A clean and simple two-column template built using tableless XHTML and CSS that you could use for your Wordpress or Blogger site.
Terms of Use: Free to use under Creative Commons 2.5 license. (This means that you are free to use and modify this template for any purpose, but you must include the provided links back to the author’s website).
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FREE CSS TEMPLATES 10 – Shades of Gray
Source: Arcsin Web Templates
Description: A Monochrome, lightweight and totally liquid in three layouts. This template was built using tableless XHTML and CSS and tyou can use it as either Wordpress theme or Joomla template.
Terms of Use: Free to use under Creative Commons 2.5 license. (This means that you are free to use and modify this template for any purpose, but you must include the provided links back to the author’s website).
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FREE CSS TEMPLATES 11 – Cash
Source: Open Source Web Design
Description: This is a two-column website template with CSS and XHTML 1.0 Transnational Validation
Terms of Use: You can use the designs for free in a number of ways, however there are some restrictions. Visit the source’s website for details.
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FREE CSS TEMPLATES 12 – Red Tie
Source: Open Source Web Design
Description: Another two-column website template with CSS and XHTML 1.0 Transnational Validation from OSWD that you can use to achieve a clean and minimalist look for your site.
Terms of Use: You can use the designs for free in a number of ways, however there are some restrictions. Visit the source’s website for details.
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FREE CSS TEMPLATES 13 – Light Template
Source: CSS Templates
Description: A table-free two column design that comes with public domain photos, provided by Wikimedia Commons and PDPhoto.org.
Terms of Use: Terms of Use: Free to use under Creative Commons 2.5 license. (This means that you are free to use and modify this template for any purpose, but you must include the provided links back to the author’s website).
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FREE CSS TEMPLATES 14 – Personified
Source: Free CSS Templates.Org
Description: A table-free two column design that comes with public domain photos, provided by Wikimedia Commons and PDPhoto.org.
Terms of Use: Terms of Use: Free to use under Creative Commons 2.5 license. (This means that you are free to use and modify this template for any purpose, but you must include the provided links back to the author’s website).
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FREE CSS TEMPLATES 15 – Event Planner
Source: Free CSS Templates.Com
Description: A magazine style web layout that you can use for a website intended for events such as birthday parties, reunions, etc.
Terms of Use: Terms of Use: Free to use under Creative Commons 2.5 license. (This means that you are free to use and modify this template for any purpose, but you must include the provided links back to the author’s website).
Nice website! And with the templates, I like the on with Internet Services. I’m also a minimalist.
Minimalist design is more than just simplicity… it is Zen. Why clutter your life with more crap than you need? Why clutter your web design with more crap than your visitors need. Give them the essentials in an easy to navigate and “easy on the eyes” way. Clutter is easy. Minimalism takes skill.
Great Templates! It was such great inspiration, that I completely scrapped my original plan and started over again! I do believe the result will be a much better product.
Just when you thought great things cannot be free.
Great Web Templates!
Great Templates! It was such great inspiration, that I completely scrapped my original plan and started over again! I do believe the result will be a much better product.
great templates such an inspiration
being a minimalist is as hard as being maximalist!
@lhoylhoy -
Indeed, it’s hard being an extremist
thanks very usefull information !
fantastic blog post. Have a amazing month!
Grande!!!
Very useful for my college web app project.
Now i understand the power of open source….
thanks!
Great articles & Nice a site?.
Is the a limit on how long your comments can be? Timed out about 5 times when trying to post a 8 line long comment.
bookmarked, thank you =)