I like the overall treatment to this site design. It feels a bit like Microsoft esthetic (but better executed) which is just fine and looks great here.
Understanding Mental Models for Better Web Design Practices
How can understanding mental models transform your web design process? These cognitive blueprints shape perceptions and decisions, leading to intuitive, user-centered designs.
You can tell how great they are by all the ribbons from other sites they tacked onto the side.
Those drive me crazy too man.