A nostalgic look back at the happenings of the web design world in 2006. All in a nice top 3 format for you to dip in and out of.

I invite you to add your own by commenting below.

Top 3 Inspiration Sources

With all of the CSS showcases out there, it was hard to choose. But here goes:

• Most Inspired
  The name says it all. Just when I was losing track of the number of galleries out there, I got them all rolled into one.
• Web Creme
  Pure visual delight. It’s the new ScreenSpire for me.
• Internet ‘96
  Nostalgia encapsulated. A great laugh. Ten years ago we designed like this? Surely not.

And you thought I’d plug TrendWatch!

Top 3 Graphic Design Trends

It wouldn’t be fadtastic without graphic design trends.

• Trendy Patterns
  They live on. Albeit now with some gradients and fades.
• Wet Floor
  Phenomenally popular in 2006. Is it because Apple used it in Nano ads and iTunes7? Is it because it’s easy to do?
• Grunge
  Grunge isn’t new. But it’s expanding. Bands used (and still use) it as the staple design trend. But this year saw an explosion in portfolios and personal blogs using grunge. Next, a corporation using it? Examples on a postcard.

Top 3 Web Design Tools of the Trade

Without these, developing would be a lot harder.

• Web Developer Toolbar
  The best tool for any designer/developer in my opinion. Not strictly from 2006 but the updates this year make this a clear winner. CSS/Accessibility/Browser Size Testing - it’s all in there.
• FireBug
  Another asset to any front-end developer or programmer.
• TextMate
  Love simple software? Like clean code? Don’t care for Dreamweaver? TextMate may be the answer. (Mac)

Top 3 Free Icon Sets

Love their designs or hate their popularity, free icon sets are here to stay.

• Mini Pixel Icons
  Over 320 icons for use on blogs, websites and applications.
• Brand Spanking New
  So tiny and so many! These lean towards use in blog design. Greyscale.
• FamFamFam
  Probably the most popular free icon set I’ve ever seen.

Top 3 Trendy Blogs

They chat about trends too. And they do well. Not that we’re bitter…

; )

• Devlounge
  Another multi-author blog.
• Design Meltdown
  Nicely categorised.
• Web Design From Scratch
  A bit more general but still some golden articles on what’s hot.

Top 3 Moments from fadtastic

• 9rules Acceptance
  Such. An. Honour. Thank you.
  
• Redesign
  Launching the look we have today. Almost half a year later, it still pleases me. That can’t be right!
• Getting Dugg
  The above sent way too much traffic over here. Thanks, Andrew!

Whew! This has logged 2006 in my eyes. Let me know your thoughts and additions. Feel free to add categories of your own as I’ve left some stones unturned for sure.Top 3 Designers? Top 3 Redesigns?

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The posts 9rules Acceptance, Welcome 9rules readers!, Ten Design Resources for October, Five Design Resources for August 9th, 2006, Busy Week, are related to this post.

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