In the early days of the web, design was completely different. Function took place over style because of the limited resources we all had at the time. Plus, we were working with languages that were barely being developed. HTML, Flash and other programming languages were in a very primitive state. These days, we have a plethora of tools that give us liberty to create whatever kind of site we want. This means that the website you’ve always wanted is really just a few clicks away.
Your first tool for building a website is the most basic of them all. Get a sketchbook. Before worrying too much about coding or colours, sketch out the layout you want for your site. This allows you to start working with a clear vision of what you want, and how it’s going to work. Otherwise, you run the risk of making multiple prototypes that are not quite up to snuff.
The next step should be informing and educating yourself. CSS, HTML5, Javascript; there are many ways to build a website. Check out some tutorials, visit web design blogs and see which tools work better for your ideas for the website.
If you’re not a designer or...