7 New Fantastic Free WordPress Themes

Whether you’re a web developer who needs a great look and feel for a client’s blog, or just someone ready for a fresh new look for your own site, there are literally hundreds if not thousands of free WordPress themes available out there. Whether they were designed by professionals or talented amateurs, there is a lot of great stuff out there that are as easy on the eyes, as they are on the wallet.

Whether yours is a photoblog, a personal lifestream, or a more business-oriented site, there’s surely a design out there worth checking out for your next blog upgrade. And if you’re already a developer, or if you’re at least open to learning a bit of template editing, you will have the luxury of modifying and tweaking an existing theme to your taste.
So have a look at some of our picks for great themes, to either apply as is or use as a starting point for your own design.

1. Irresistible
For a unique personal blog look and feel, check out the free Irresistible theme from the folks at Woo Themes. It features dedicated spots for photos, videos, and events lifestream, along with a space for your typical blog content. Featuring a nice, clean layout, this theme offers something a bit different from your typical 3-column blog design.


2. Demet
For a more magazine-style theme, check out the free premium Demet theme. This 3-column layout is fixed-width, as well as banner-ready for 125×125 and 468×60 pixel ad units.








3. P2
Inspired by Twitter, the P2 theme was designed for bloggers who like to post short updates. It’s great for a group blogs, as well as for sites that do frequent liveblogging. Dynamic page updates, threaded comment display, live tag suggestion, real-time notifications, and in-line editing for posts and comments, makes P2 a powerhouse for blogs where real-time updates are critical.


4. WPESP Portfolio
WPESP Portfolio is a minimalist theme designed primarily for artists, photographers, designers, and others who need more of a portfolio to showcase their work. It combines the benefits of easy and frequent updates with the layout and user interface conducive to browsing visual works.





5. DarkHive
For an alternative magazine-esque style in two columns, have a look at DarkHive from the folks at MagPress. It sports a featured content slider for upfront promotion of hot stories, auto-generated thumbnails for front page display, an Adsense-ready loop between posts and on individual post pages, 125×125-ready blocks in the sidebar and more.


6. Google Chrome

Here’s an interesting lightweight theme great for a geek-oriented blog or a site that just wants a nice and clean two-column look and feel. Inspired by the browser of the same name, Google Chrome is widget and gravatar ready plus XHTML and CSS validated.


7. Gallery
The showcase-style WordPress theme, Gallery, is built on the Thematic framework and was designed specifically for Smashing Magazine readers. Another great theme for a portfolio or other visual showcase, Gallery is a highly flexible and customizable theme that supports widescreen video embedding with the installation of a free plug-in.

Keep in mind that these featured themes are only the tip of the iceberg! Be sure to let us know about your other favorite themes in the comments!
You too can create a blog account for yourself for free, and write articles just about anything. You can share your ideas, convey your beliefs, express your feelings, or even promote your business, or do whatever else you want.

Hotbox Creations is a web development and design studio which helps individuals and businesses put their ideas online. Hotbox also provides clients with elegant and sensible solutions for branding, print, web and motion. Visit Hotbox Creations’ website at http://www.hotboxcreations.com/ and start your own personal or corporate website today.

By: Hotbox Creations
Sourced from : Mashable.com
authored by: Barb Dybwad

5 Blogger Templates: All New, All Beautiful, All Free

Let’s face it: The default themes that come with a Blogger account aren’t going to win any design awards. They’re plain, fussy, and lack that hint of the snazz you’re probably accustomed to during your daily online reading.

Fortunately for us, the Blogger community is full of great designers and template adapters who have shared a bit of their XML magic. Below, we’re highlighting 5 Blogger templates that are clean, highly adaptable, and would look great for any personal, business, or professionally-minded blog.

All the templates below are free to download and use (with their proper attribution included), and you can see them in action by clicking the “Live Demo” links.

1. Aparatus


Aparatus has a clean, professional look without being too stodgy. The rich red bars and headers make the page pop, and the dashed border gives it a touch of texture, but there’s still plenty of easy-breathing white space. Header bar pages are enabled, and the Twitter ( ) update icon at the top displays your latest tweet. A nice open title space at the top means there’s plenty of room for a logo image, and no worries about crowding the design. Just be sure to grab a swatch of that lovely red if you plan to add your own graphic elements.
Live Demo


2. Notepad

We’ve certainly seen paper and handwriting-themed blog templates before, but this notepad layout is really fresh, with smooth graphic elements and subtle textures. Social media links are built-in right at the top (which we dig, of course), and your pages and search bar sit snugly in the binding of this yellow legal-style pad. The dates of your post hang neatly in the margin, which is a nice touch, and the mellow-yellow of the pad itself is no distraction from your text.
The design does get a little flowery toward the bottom, and there’s no amount of CSS magic that will ever set your text properly on the lined paper (OCD bloggers, beware!), but all in all, this theme is clean enough for serious content, and cute enough for more personal musings.
Live Demo


3. Clean Type

If you’re a modern minimalist, Clean Type may be the look you’re after. You’d get lost in all the empty white space if it wasn’t for the punchy orange accents on links and menu items. The orange is also a refreshing departure from some more common color schemes. The template keeps elements spaced nicely, with left-hand navigation and a nice empty title space where you can pop in your brand or personal logo. Keep it in the orange family and you’ve got one sharp looking header.
Live Demo


4. Twitter

We think you’ll dig this one — a near replica of the Twitter homepage for Blogger. The layout is right on the money, complete with the soft blue clouds wafting in the background. Each blog post resembles a tweet, and the fonts in the side bar line up nicely with the space for profile info. With some well-placed widgets, you might really be able to fool some people — which could be good or bad, depending on your intentions.
Live Demo


5. Tune Up

If blue is your color, look no further than this theme, which serves up some cool hues without over-complicating things. A header stripe brings your home page into the third dimension, and all your widgets and boxes live on smooth aqua gradients. The rest of the space is white, so in-post graphics stow safely away from potential color clashes.
Live Demo

These are just five of all the great new stuff that’s out there. If there’s a sharp looking Blogger template you absolutely love, share it our way in the comments below.
You too can create a blog account for yourself for free, and write articles just about anything. You can share your ideas, convey your beliefs, express your feelings, or even promote your business, or do whatever else you want.

Hotbox Creations is a web development and design studio which helps individuals and businesses put their ideas online. Hotbox also provides clients with elegant and sensible solutions for branding, print, web and motion. Visit Hotbox Creations’ website at http://www.hotbox.ph and start your own personal or corporate website today.

By Hotbox Creations
Sources from: Mashable.com and rackspace.com