Custom web designs, whether you are in Las Vegas, Las Angeles, New York or anywhere else in the country, fall within several categories: and is the basis for the look and feel of the web design . The following categories will define the objectives of your custom web design :

CORPORATEDesigning for the conservative, corporate market means the site must be professional, clean looking, well organized and descriptive. Designers produce a unique approach to their corporate projects while integrating in the company image. The design approach will be different from small business to large corporations. The fonts are usually smaller, classic, and conservative.

Synonymous with: conventional, moderate, staid, conservative, traditional, classic, clean.

Questions Who is your audience? Are they conservative? What's the key message you want to communicate? What is your company's mission and what are its marketing strategies? What can you do to spice up the design without overstepping boundaries?

ELEGANTIn today's society, elegance in design often seeks to convey wealth or refined beauty. Serif fonts are popular, and some commonly used colors include royal shades of ruby, emerald and sapphire. Your target audience is likely in the middle class – or aspires to be part of it. This graceful design evokes a sense of perfection that almost everyone desires.

Synonymous with: beautiful, classic delicate, fancy, graceful, majestic, refined, stylish.

Questions Does your audience tend to be upper-middle class? Will the message work well with a design that's dignified? What is the age of your audience? (different colors speak to different age groups)

INNOVATIVEInnovative usually means that your design has a look that's never been done before. Innovative design is revolutionary in it typographic treatments, unusual color usage and/or special production techniques. Many times – but not always – innovation costs, so be prepared to pay extra.

Synonymous with: avant-garde, contemporary, cutting-edge, modern, inventive, new, revolutionary.

Questions Does your business set trends? How do you want to convey this in your design? Does your audience tend to be attracted to cutting-edge products and services? Can you afford (financially and professionally) to try new things?

POWERFULPowerful design comes in two classes: gut-punching, knockout design, or quietly authoritative design. The message is the most important element. If you're not a wizard with words, hire a great copywriter and don't embellish. A well-designed piece with strong copy will be enough to send the message.

Synonymous with: impressive, persuasive, authoritative, compelling convincing, dynamic.

Questions In one sentence or just a few words, what's your message? What's the mood you want to set with this message? What action do you want your audience to take? How should the design call them to action?

RETROThe retro style captures the essence of a past time or place, but gives it a new spin. When creating a retro look, reminisce with the audience about a past that brings back fond memories, then add your own twist. Tip: Go to the library and do your homework. Misunderstanding the era can lead to an ineffective – and possibly offensive – design.

Synonymous with: past, nostalgic, reminiscent, retrospective, old, dated.

Questions On what era do you want to focus? What new perspective? What new perspective can you bring to the design? How old is your target audience? Define and characterize them as clearly as possible. Why do you want to be associated with qualities from the past? Are you celebrating classics or touching on a history that your audience strongly identifies with?

YOUTHFULYouthful design isn't necessarily targeted toward children, but suggests a child's carefree view of life by using bright colors and fun, playful typography. The goal of this design is to take the audience back to an age of innocence, a time when stress was a quickly melting ice cream cone. Tip: Bring crayons and paper to the first client meeting so that the client – and the designer – can revert to childhood. Synonymous with: active, adolescent, childlike, vigorous, young, awkward, innocent.

Questions Do you want the audience to feel like your design is fun-loving and whimsical? Get out some old family photo albums. Which pictures make you smile? Why? What time period in the life are you trying to evoke? What are your favorite memories from that time in your own life?

UNUSUALUnusual design often has an element of the bizarre that makes it memorable. Usually the first of its kind, this style will either hit it big and be embraced for its rareness (it might even be mimicked or copied) – or it will be rejected for being too strange. Either way, this style grabs attention.

Synonymous with: abnormal, atypical, bizarre, memorable, rare, uncommon, artistic, flashy, messy, obscure.

Questions How unusual can you afford to be? How much creative license does the designer have? Review some “firsts” that made it big, and others that bombed. (Try Genius Moves by Steven Heller for a historical collection of innovative designs that set trends.)