In case you were wondering... this website answers the question: should I use tables for layout?
I just wanted to share the link; I found it quite amusing.
Now that you have a definitive answer that you should not use tables for layout, here are some CSS resources to help you establish your new layout:
If you are in need of a background pattern for your website, PatternCooler is likely to have what you want. There are thousands of backgrounds available for download and are freely available for your use: "All artworks on this site can be used freely on blogs, MySpace profiles, Twitter, mobile phone wallpapers, and non-commercial web projects" (PatternCooler).
The website offers the ability to customize the patterns and backgrounds to your liking using the Seamless Pattern Color Editor (example). This editor, as shown below, allows you to pick a pattern and change the colors using a color picker or hex codes.
Along with the available patterns for editing, there are over 20,000 prebuilt patterns available for download from the User-Colored Seamless Pattern Background Library. Technically you can edit these as well, but they probably have a pattern you like in this collection. Once you have decided on a pattern, you have the option to download and/or view the pattern.
You can get a glimpse of what the backgrounds that are offered will look like simply by viewing the front page. The front page uses one of their patterns as the background and changes with each refresh of the page. Along with the automatic loading of their patterns, you can change the background to whatever pattern you want to see. The view option allows you to see it on as the background on the current page or on a blank page.
Be sure to check out all of the patterns they have to offer. Chances are you will find one, probably multiple, that you like. If you like the service offered, consider donating to help out.
The Free HTML Form Template Gallery offers 75+ HTML form templates to fit a wide array of needs. They have form templates for registration, mailing lists, surveys, order forms, and much more. These templates can be downloaded as a zip file or customized to fit a more specific need you may have (requires a free account). The zip files come complete with all CSS, HTML, images, and JavaScript needed to get the forms functioning.
The Free CSS Form Template Gallery offers 50+ CSS form themes freely available for you to use on your site. All forms can be downloaded as a zip file they way they are or customized to your liking (requires a free account). The zip files come complete with all CSS, HTML, images, and JavaScript needed to get the forms functioning.
All HTML templates and CSS themes are available under the Creative Commons Attribution license, which means you have the right to copy, distribute, and adapt them as long as you attribute the original work to Wufoo.com. There is a readme file included in each zip file that includes the license terms and conditions.
ColorMixers.com helps you pick a color scheme/palette from a single color. There are many of these websites out there now, but this is one of the first sites (available since 2003) to offer color mixing. The website is easy to use and understand, thanks to it's clean and intuitive design and interface. There are a ton of features but enough to get the job done. I've listed the major features below.
There are also a few downloads available that you can host on your own site. One version uses PHP & MySQL, which allows for the export functions, while the other includes no PHP which allows you to run in on any webserver. The second download is basically all JavaScript.
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