Web Design Essentials KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid. This should be taped to every web designers monitor. We didn't have too many choices with HTML 1.1.
Today there is a wealth of tools available to the webdesigner.
But just because they are available doesn't mean they need to be used. We tend to forget that the Internet is still basically a media form that is based on information transfer. And in this age of soundbites, this means that people want to get their information fast. While all the latest graphics are very cool to see, they slow down page downloads. And this means that the slower a page loads the less likely a visitor will stay at your site.