Resolved This is how I see the layout ;)

[Lukmat]

Without this huge header
-forum categories takes entire screen
-minimalistic menu in top, on the left of "Forums" can build in minimalistic logo
-pm, notification can be moved into user panel below the avatar

Content takes the main area in 95%

 

[Zwielicht]

We have a designer working on the new logo. The one up right now is a logo we quickly generated with Dall-E as we were setting up the site. Same goes for the Favicon.

There’s a lot of unused space there with threads. Usually, I don’t mind this kind of thing, but I feel like we could add something else there to threads. One user already suggested a count next to the reaction icons, but that’s something we’re still looking into.

A DM widget does sounds interesting for logged in users. I’ll see what we have.

I appreciate you sharing these ideas, @Lukmat.

Edit: there's no DM widget. Although, there was one add-on I was looking over last week that added this chat room widget. I was going to put up a poll about it to see what everyone else thought of it, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

 

[Dopious]

Without the logo and header area, there is no place for advertisement the day the forum needs to monetize and I suppose that day will eventually come as it needs revenue streams on top of paid memberships.

 

[Zwielicht]

Without the logo and header area, there is no place for advertisement the day the forum needs to monetize and I suppose that day will eventually come as it needs revenue streams.

I don’t want to put banner ads up, actually. I know this cuts out a common revenue stream, but it’s just a preference of mine not to do this, especially on this forum.

There are other options we’re looking into for revenue streams, though.

Edit: Sorry, I should probably say this more clearly: we won't be putting banner ads up. I'm trying to do something different with this site, and I feel like banner ads go against the philosophy I'm preaching here.

 

[Zwielicht]

Okay, so there's no DM widget.

Although, your suggestion did remind me that there was one add-on I was looking over last week that adds this messaging widget that seemed like it functioned like an improved messaging system (it sort of seemed like a chat room). I was going to put up a poll about it to see what everyone else thought of it, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

Once the designer has finished the new logo, the header space should be a lot smaller after that since the current temp logo is a little off.

I'll try to adjust that now because I completely agree with you that it makes the header kind of off-puttingly large height-wise. It won't help the empty space in-between, though.

I'll update this again once the changes have been applied.

 

[Lukmat]

Okay, so there's no DM widget.

Although, your suggestion did remind me that there was one add-on I was looking over last week that adds this messaging widget that seemed like it functioned like an improved messaging system (it sort of seemed like a chat room). I was going to put up a poll about it to see what everyone else thought of it, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

Once the designer has finished the new logo, the header space should be a lot smaller after that since the current temp logo is a little off.

I'll try to adjust that now because I completely agree with you that it makes the header kind of off-puttingly large height-wise. It won't help the empty space in-between, though.

I'll update this again once the changes have been applied.

much better xD

 

[Zwielicht]

Okay, the logo isn't as large now, which shrunk the header space quite a bit. You know, so the header is no longer 1/7 of the area above the fold. Thanks again for pointing this out, @Lukmat.

I'll mark this as resolved for now since the other logo was already being worked on. I'll also look into starting that poll for the add-on at some point since it seems like the closest thing to what you suggested.

These suggestion threads remain open, so if you notice any issues with any of the changes made, just let us know here.