Community Site Layout Design - Winner Guaranteed

Hi guys,

*EDIT* Want to specify this is just for the design of the front page as explained below and in the brief.

Just finished a 99 Designs contest for a logo for our site and had such a positive experience I want to post a contest for the layout design as well.

Take a look at Acne.org. While I don't want the site to look exactly like Acne.org, that's the feel of site we are looking for.

Take a look at our brief for more details, including a rough sketch, and be sure to follow my comments at the bottom of this page for updates throughout the contest.

Thanks,
Drew

Social Anxiety Support

Hey there,
Please take a look at this *rough* sketch of the layout: http://www.socialanxietysupport.com…Sketch.pdf
The first step I request is that you don't laugh at the sketch.
Moving on, this gives an idea of what I'd like on the front page of the site. Please note that it is rough and only illustrates what elements I want included. IE I do not necessarily want our menu items to be squares. Take creative liberty.
The logo can be grabbed from here in bitmap: http://www.socialanxietysupport.com…-Final.jpg and here in vector: http://www.socialanxietysupport.com…e-Final.ai
Also, I'll include a black/white version as well if you wanted to put the SAS at the bottom of the site in a small size by the copyright or something like that. Black/white bitmap: http://www.socialanxietysupport.com…-Final.jpg and vector: http://www.socialanxietysupport.com…k-Final.ai
More is covered in the wants / don't wants.
Below are some sites I like and why I like them. Please note that I do not want our site to look exactly like these sites, but they should give you an idea
http://www.acne.org/
Really want our site to be in this direction. Like the colors and overall feel of site (although our shades of blue will be different based on our logo). Like use of big square buttons/graphics on homepage. Don't like how narrow the site is. We'd like ours to fit to 1024x768, not 800x600
http://www.revolutionhealth.com/
Very professional site. Ours needs a little more of a community feel, but I like the organization, menu, layout, etc. of this site
http://www.sixapart.com/
Other than the dark header I like the fonts and layout of this site
If you have any questions please let me know in the comments of the contest or by private message.
Thanks,
Drew

- Clean, friendly, welcoming, but professional layout and colors (like Acne.org). Not too fancy, it should still have a community feel to it.
- Use shades of blue from out logo (You can go lighter than the logo, but please don't go too dark, except maybe for links and fonts, so they are clearer on the white background)
- White as main background color, but menus and titles can have different background colors if you think that would look better.
- Like Acne.org, a light shade of gray or a light shade of blue for the area outside of the logo/menu/content.
- Layout that fits within a 1024x768 resolution. Leave a little bit of space on each side so the content of the site isn't right up to the edges at 1024x768.
- I'd like to see a layout that's minimum width will fit into a 1024x768 layout at the least, preferably closer to 800x600, but that may change as I see layouts.
- While I'm looking for a layout that's based on my sketch (again, the link is: http://www.socialanxietysupport.com…Sketch.pdf ), I'd like you to take some creative liberties. You are the designer, I'm not. Add in some of your ideas.
- Even with all of the above said, if you have a great idea that's outside of this, submit it. I won't bite you for not following my rules exactly.

- The wants should cover it. If anything comes up we'll address it in the comments