15 replies
I am really stressed and it is hard finding a free wordpress theme. I am looking for something that is NON Blog looking. That is more website looking with left side tabs.

Are there any WP uses out there that can point me in the right direction?!
#themes #wordpress
  • Profile picture of the author Owen Smith
    There are a good few themes here. Right Sidebar WP Templates | Best Wordpress Themes

    Although if you search through Google a little more you will find tons of them.
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  • Profile picture of the author Crew Chief
    Originally Posted by BPIcash View Post

    I am really stressed and it is hard finding a free wordpress theme. I am looking for something that is NON Blog looking. That is more website looking with left side tabs.

    Are there any WP uses out there that can point me in the right direction?!
    Free WP Themes are really a last resort and shouldn't be used unless absolutely necessary.

    There are plenty of other options that are much better such as the http://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-...iors-only.html, Elegant Themes, and a host of others.

    The thing with Free WP Themes is you get no support, most of theme require that you keep unwanted backlinks on your site and there is a host of other issues. See: Should You Use a Free WP Theme, Premium WP Theme Or a Unique WordPress Theme? | Get Blog Help

    Giles, the Crew Chief
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    • Profile picture of the author hometutor
      I'm still trying to find a martial arts wp theme. Searched google

      How does one go about making a wp theme if one cannot find what one needs?

      Rick
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      • Profile picture of the author Istvan Horvath
        Originally Posted by hometutor View Post

        How does one go about making a wp theme if one cannot find what one needs?
        I would find a GPL/open source theme that is the closest in structure, overall layout to what you want... and then just edit the CSS, add your images - and there goes your own theme.

        If you have a basic understanding of a simple HTML file - imagine that the main (homepage) file of your site has been "sliced" in pieces:
        header.php
        index.php - sidebar.php
        footer.php
        + style.css

        Actually, you can have a theme that is only 2 files:
        index.php
        style.css
        although it gives you less flexibility in customizing, tweaking

        HTH
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        • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
          Originally Posted by Istvan Horvath View Post

          I would find a GPL/open source theme that is the closest in structure, overall layout to what you want... and then just edit the CSS, add your images - and there goes your own theme.<snip>
          Absolutely! GPL/open source -- double open source all the way. Add royalty free images...It's starting to look like triple open source. Oh my gawd!

          (Have I been watching too much YouTube?)
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      • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
        Originally Posted by hometutor View Post

        I'm still trying to find a martial arts wp theme. Searched google

        How does one go about making a wp theme if one cannot find what one needs?

        Rick
        Simple, pick a theme you like. Go to a freelance site and post a message, "I want this wp theme to be customized for a martial arts site with unique header and graphics."
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        Project HERE.

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        • Profile picture of the author Crew Chief
          Originally Posted by hometutor View Post

          I'm still trying to find a martial arts wp theme. Searched google

          How does one go about making a wp theme if one cannot find what one needs?

          Rick
          You've just been given some great options.

          Originally Posted by Istvan Horvath View Post

          I would find a GPL/open source theme that is the closest in structure, overall layout to what you want... and then just edit the CSS, add your images - and there goes your own theme.

          If you have a basic understanding of a simple HTML file - imagine that the main (homepage) file of your site has been "sliced" in pieces:
          header.php
          index.php - sidebar.php
          footer.php
          + style.css

          Actually, you can have a theme that is only 2 files:
          index.php
          style.css
          although it gives you less flexibility in customizing, tweaking

          HTH
          This option presupposes that you are somewhat CSS savvy and have the required graphics skill sets to complete these tasks.

          If you are not CSS savvy, you have to ask yourself, "Am I willing to learn?"

          Originally Posted by thunderbird View Post

          Simple, pick a theme you like. Go to a freelance site and post a message, "I want this wp theme to be customized for a martial arts site with unique header and graphics."
          That's a great option and to add to that, you can go to the WF for hire section and find someone to customize a WP Theme for you.

          A customizable theme such as the Abundance Theme will work because all you're doing is adding a header, possibly a custom footer and maybe but rarely a custom background.

          IMHO, I would go with the http://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-...iors-only.html by Diane and just add your header graphics from http://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-...s-banners.html

          Your site will look like a spent a thousand bucks on it!

          Giles, the Crew Chief
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    • Profile picture of the author Karen Blundell
      Originally Posted by Crew Chief View Post

      Free WP Themes are really a last resort and shouldn't be used unless absolutely necessary.

      There are plenty of other options that are much better such as the http://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-...iors-only.html, Elegant Themes, and a host of others.

      The thing with Free WP Themes is you get no support, most of theme require that you keep unwanted backlinks on your site and there is a host of other issues. See: Should You Use a Free WP Theme, Premium WP Theme Or a Unique WordPress Theme? | Get Blog Help

      Giles, the Crew Chief
      Giles, that is not exactly true. The free themes that you can download from WordPress › Free WordPress Themes are very good because in order to get a theme aproved there you need to adhere to certain specs.
      There is only one backlink allowed to the designer and nobody forces you to keep it on there . I don't go around checking who keeps the links to mine, but many people voluntarily keep them on, which is a bonus.

      Also, many times the support people need with WordPress has nothing whatsoever to do with the actual theme, but more so to do with them not knowing how to use WordPress, so free theme designers should not be required to give free WordPress help. They already give enough, don't you think?
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      • Profile picture of the author Crew Chief
        Originally Posted by Karen Blundell View Post

        Giles, that is not exactly true.
        Actually, Karen and this is from my own experience and from the experiences from my IM Team, I/we haven't found any FREE WP Theme that fits what we were looking to do and accomplish. And I can tell you that we've tested well over a couple of hundred of them. Hence, my statement about using them as a last resort. Admittedly, there could be some nice Free WP Themes out there somewhere; I just stopped looking for them long ago.

        Originally Posted by Karen Blundell View Post

        The free themes that you can download from WordPress › Free WordPress Themes are very good because in order to get a theme aproved there you need to adhere to certain specs. There is only one backlink allowed to the designer and nobody forces you to keep it on there.
        I would tend to agree with that statement for the most part and would add; the average person searches for Free WP Themes using Google and virtually all of the folks out in front of the SERPs drop BLs that are hard coded into the theme.

        When users go to alter those footers, they are met with the warning similar to this, "If you change the links in this footer, this theme will deactivate" ...and many of those designers drop at least three BLs. So yes they are being forced to keep the BLs.

        Additionally, IMHO, the themes offered on the WordPress seem to always be missing something. Maybe it's just me but they always seem to be rather bland no matter how they look. And as far as navigation, there was always something missing that a widget or plugin couldn't fix/correct.

        Originally Posted by Karen Blundell View Post

        Also, many times the support people need with WordPress has nothing whatsoever to do with the actual theme, but more so to do with them not knowing how to use WordPress, so free theme designers should not be required to give free WordPress help. They already give enough, don't you think?
        Here's the conundrum! A person has downloaded a Free WP Theme and it's not looking like or doing what they desired or envisioned. Granted, they got the theme for free and should have no expectation of support so what usually happens next? They spend hours and days trying to sort out the issue using the WordPress forum that lives by the mantra, "Coding is Poetry."

        And any noob who has no idea what CSS stands for, let alone what coding is - will tell you that dealing with the WordPress forum to get answers is almost like walking through a gauntlet.

        Someone else's experience may be different, but like I said, my experience with Free WP Themes has been dismal at best.

        We have no such issues with the paid themes.

        Giles, the Crew Chief
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        • Profile picture of the author Istvan Horvath
          Originally Posted by Crew Chief View Post

          We have no such issues with the paid themes.
          According to my former clients... there are issues. Otherwise they wouldn't ask me to help them modify their paid themes
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          • Profile picture of the author Crew Chief
            Originally Posted by Istvan Horvath View Post

            According to my former clients... there are issues. Otherwise they wouldn't ask me to help them modify their paid themes
            Istvan, in terms of the the free versus the paid, there is actually no debate because there are so many variables.

            Some individuals swear by the Free WP Themes and I say more power to them!

            In terms of the paid themes, when we purchase them, we know exactly what we are getting and have never had an issue.

            That said, you've stated that you have clients that have issues.

            That simply means that there are no absolutes when it comes to WordPress Themes, whether paid or free.

            Certain themes that work for some people may not work for others.

            BUT, since you are a Coding Guru, you've got a decided advantage over the average Joe who thinks that CSS stands for Crime Scene Statistics.

            Giles, the Crew Chief
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            • Profile picture of the author Sean A McAlister
              Here are a couple that you may want to check out.
              It's hard to find what your looking for in the free department
              with these style themes.

              I like (and use)ProBlog - A Flexible Wordpress Theme - WordPress - ThemeForest

              ..in fact it's pretty much all I use...(just kidding)

              Themeforest has some pretty cool theme's and html templates. It's my go to place!


              You may also want to check out JVPress.com


              Hope this helps

              Sean
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            • Profile picture of the author sanssecret
              As someone who uses both paid and free, I can honestly say I find the free themes much easier to work with. I am by no means a WP geek. In fact, I'm a complete dunce, but paid themes take me ages to set up.

              Of course, they look much better in the end so I guess that's the pay off.
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  • Are there any sites that have simple, but professional-looking headers/footers that you can add to your wp sites?

    I started another thread about this, before I saw this one here.

    Niche-related that are good for CPA/CB sites.........and are in PSD so that I can edit them.


    Thanks,

    Jack
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    Improvise Adapt Overcome
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  • Profile picture of the author addictiod
    Try on Google with "wordpress themes" and you'll find links related to themes.
    Or you can try at the official website script.
    They have a lot of nice themes.
    Also, you can hire someone to make a theme that fits your requirements(i think it's much easier)
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