My interest in web design is generally based on usability and accessibility, due to the fact I'm not the most artistic person in the world. I can appreciate attractive designs, but there are far better people than me in the world at creating them.
But something has struck me that I think could be a good rule for web architecture and design, based on my own experience of website redesigns, and trying to cram an awful lot of information onto a homepage in the fear that if it doesn't appear, no-one will ever see it or find it. So here it is:
If you're forcing homepage contents on your users keep it simple. If you want it to be cluttered, let your users pick how they organise it - or what it on it.
This is backed up by a few examples. For instance, Google is the oft-quoted archetypal example of a very simple homepage. And one that could make more money for the company if it was covered in banner ads - but that would wreck the essence of it's success.
Meanwhile users can be overwhelmed bu busy homepages - but when was the last time you saw an empty Facebook or Myspace profile, or an empty Netvibes page? Users are happy to have a cluttered page, as long as they've been able to create and organise the clutter - just the same as people are happy to work at a cluttered desk if they've worked out the clutter themselves.