I built a dark luxury HTML template here's what I learned

FalDev — Tue, 05 May 2026 10:50:36 +0000

I just finished building ARTERE a premium agency
portfolio HTML template with a dark luxury aesthetic.

Here's what I learned from the process.

Why pure HTML + CSS instead of React or Next.js

Most templates today are built with heavy frameworks.
The problem? Buyers need to install Node.js, run npm install,
configure build tools just to edit a template.

With pure HTML + CSS:

Open the file → works instantly
No terminal needed
Any developer can customize in minutes
Clients can edit it without technical knowledge

Sometimes the simplest solution is the right one.

The design philosophy

I had one rule: typography is the design.

Instead of filling space with illustrations, gradients,
and decorative elements I let the typography and
whitespace do the work.

The result feels premium without feeling busy.

Color palette: Near-black + Pure white + Gold accent.
Maximum 2 colors used throughout nothing more.

The font combination that changed everything

Three fonts working together:

Cormorant Garamond — editorial, elegant headings
Syne — modern geometric UI labels
DM Sans — clean readable body text

This trio creates contrast between old-world elegance
and modern minimalism. That contrast is what makes it
feel premium.

What made each section work

Hero: The headline is 10vw so large it almost
bleeds off the screen. Typography as the visual.

Portfolio: All images use CSS filter to desaturate
and darken making colorful photos cohesive with
the dark theme. One line of CSS solved everything.

Stats: GSAP-free counter animation using
IntersectionObserver counts up when section
enters viewport.

Process: Each card has a giant background number
(240px, 4% opacity) that becomes slightly visible
on hover. Subtle but effective depth.

The result

9 fully designed sections. Single HTML file.
No build process. Mobile responsive.

Live demo

I'm selling it at launch price ($10) while I gather
the first reviews.

If you check out the demo, I'd love honest feedback
in the comments what would you change?

I Built a Production-Ready AI Dashboard Template with Next.js 16

FalDev — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 17:35:56 +0000

I've been working on a production-ready AI dashboard template
built with Next.js 16 and TypeScript. Here's what I built and why.

Why I Built This

Most dashboard templates are either too bloated or too basic.
I wanted something clean, fast, and ready for real SaaS products
— so I built Nexus AI.

Live Demo

👉 https://nexus-ai-landing-lilac.vercel.app

What's Included

Pages:

Landing Page (Hero, Features, Pricing, FAQ)
Dashboard (5 tabs, charts, stats)
Login & Register (with validation)
Blog (List + Detail)
Documentation (with sidebar)

Features:

Next.js 16 + TypeScript
Dark/Light mode
Framer Motion animations
Fully responsive
CSS variables design system

Tech Stack

Next.js 16 + TypeScript
Tailwind CSS
Framer Motion
next-themes
Lucide React

Perfect For

SaaS startups
AI tools & platforms
Internal dashboards
MVP development

Get It

Full source code available for only $6 with MIT License.

👉 Get Nexus AI Template

Would love feedback from the dev community!

Forem: FalDev