Is it wise getting the design done separate to development/CMS integration?

Hey guys,

I'm looking to get a really attractive website made for a client (have a relatively large budget) but from looking through Elance portfolios, I haven't found anyone's design skills particularly amazing. I know from experience there are some expert developers on there, so I'm wondering if it's worth getting the design and development/CMS integration done separately?

What are people's thoughts? Additionally, anyone recommend anywhere for getting a sexy design done? Specifically a Magento template. Cheers!

You'll find many attractive websites on ThemeForest(dot)net site (there could of course be other sites like TF). Then choose the one that you like, and hire a good web designer to create a similar looking site.

Take the idea from the site, and create a unique-looking psd based on it. Do some additional designs and show them to your client. He will probably chose one of those images, and you may ask your designer to create a site based on the chosen design.

You may hire one of our own (BHW) web designers by opening a thread in the HireAFreelancer section.

Thanks for srb888 - very helpful. I've already knocked up a few wireframes with the client of how it should look. Would purchasing a theme that I like and sending it on to the designer and asking them to make the modifications as per the wireframe be a valid way of doing it?

Cheers

It wouldn't be too ethical. .

I'm not talking about modifying the theme, it's about making a completely new theme from its idea.

You can always recreate a new design from it. With original code and sufficient amount of changes in features, keeping only those that are required by your client, etc. will make your design original. And that would be ideal. If there is any dispute, your original code will save the day.