Dissection
There’s something to be said for talking about elements of a page’s design—the grid, the baselines, microformats, what have you—but I think that truly inspiring design just stops those discussions cold. That punch to the gut, that sense of awe you feel when you’re looking at something you just love, you’re awed by, and frankly wish you’d done yourself. I realize we can’t spend all day kneeling slack-jawed in front of stained glass windows, but I don’t think we should invest too much time putting them under a microscope, either.