The nice folks over at the web-based form creation and hosting service FormAssembly have created a repository of customized CSS designs for web forms. The designs are free to download, modify and use.

Web forms are used to collect information about visitors, and thus are the essential visible element of polls, feedback and login site functionalities. However, the default look of web forms does not tie in with the rest of a web site's design, especially if that design is more on the original side of things. Fortunately, virtually all visual elements of a web form -- backgrounds, borders, buttons, etc., can be customized using CSS. This is exactly what the Form Assembly is all about -- providing an example of how stylesheets can turn an old-fashioned web form into anything from a sober-looking to a baroque design.

The downloadable CSS files at the Form Garden are well formatted, but in some cases quite complex, featuring many rules, classes, and bug fixes for Internet Explorer 6. Looking at the code from those files can offer valuable insight for people who are new to customizing forms with CSS, not to mention that they can be used in their original form, on any web site. When you feel confident enough, guidelines are provided so that you can submit your own designs for the online showcase.

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