I agree this is a must. It really really irritates me how narrow the page is. Especially now a days with everyone having wide screen monitors.

I wish we were able to adjust the background images and colors directly from the template. Allow for it to be more drag/drop/ user friendly. Some pages you have different templates and might want a different background. Or you may want to have your events page look one way and forms another. Right now all changes apply to everything.

I agree I really need the ability to widen my site. It drives me nuts that it is so narrow.

Thanks for sharing, Alex. This is something we keep in mind but not yet focusing on due to a number of internal reasons.

A few observations we've had. Many customers come to us with an existing WordPress website wanting to integrate Wild Apricot into their site. They recognize the limitations of the WA design capabilities out of the box. It's quite interesting too because WordPress plugins and themes have a ton of capability and it is very likely that Wild Apricot like functionality can be assembled with lots of benefits.

Yet, they don't want to do that or invest in the exploration and testing required. There are just a lot of gaps and unknowns.

The Wild Apricot current theme functionality is actually quite mature. With theme overrides there appears to be almost a limitless set of capabilities, but there is one thing that really scares me:

Theme overrides override an existing theme. Once that theme is updated the override is probably totally separate from the underlying theme.

It would be ideal to build a stock theme built specifically for theme design. Then open a theme library where themes can be put into a marketplace. Some are free. Some are premium. Some start free go to premium. This theme development system in WordPress is one of the primary reasons WordPress has gotten so big -- that and the plugins of course.

I think Wild Apricot is quite close to that but the marketplace and ecosystem has to be developed with some marketing push from WA. I hope you consider this for a future effort. Your partners can help kick start this process.

ps. Custom WA theme designs right now cost $5000+ -- this is totally out of the range for investment for most WA customers unless they don't have an existing site and the current designs are not "worthy."

YES PLEASE! The themes are so outdated. I am dying to change our website but we simply don't have the budget for a custom design. I LOVE wildapricot and I'd be so grateful for updated themes. Especially some with image options that spread across the entire page.

Edie, see new theme refinement:
http://australianalumni.com/

We should not have to pay extra to third-party for "custom themes". You need some current theme layouts/responsive. I will go to a separate are to talk about your events module and provide you again with some suggestions. that needs some attention. Thanks

Sorry here is an example of a new custom theme we designed and developed for our client:
http://sacme.org/

NicasioDesign.com

We'd be glad to help no matter how large or small a task you may need help with [design-wise]

Edie - we have completly custom themes; check some out:
http://nicasiodesign.com/services/wild-apricot/

ever consider custom templates?
http://nicasiodesign.com/services/wild-apricot/

It is always struggle - design vs usability. We are working on it.

What do you think about our latest themes like Terra, Firma, Skyline or Homestead for example?

I don't think all of them. But I do think that it would be great to have some templates that better fit the current trends in web design. Such as large header images that stretch 100%, etc. More geared towards scrolling, etc.
-Amy

All of them?

It's super 90s looking.

within the limits my patience, i cannot figure out how to change the background image on a template. i imagine it should be trivial like template/select/edit/background/fileselect/browse/ choose/OK. apparently it is not. help.

We have new theme coming in September, with mobile panel and ability to hide pictures in gadgets on mobile devices. Check out our presentation.

http://forums.wildapricot.com/forums/308926-designers/suggestions/9396699-presenting-upcoming-responsive-wild-apricot-theme

We are constantly working on improving our theme mobile user experience and sliders are our next target.

We would appreciate if you will provide examples of what you have in mind and we will think on how to implement it.

Need to have more responsive template options with crisp appearance, sliders, high quality imaging.

The new functionality of WA is awesome, but i just can't use any of the templates provided. Unless i get a graphic designer in to modify them for me i'm totally stuffed.

Please, please can you make it easier for the formatting of styles and templates. I have corporate colours i have to use for menues and headers etc and it's so difficult to use them in the new format.

Thanks