Design for a Content Management System based sites is usually called a style, theme or skin. Actually all these names mean the same and there’s no difference between them.

They can be used with particular CMS only. For example, mambo skin can’t be used with PHP Nuke and vice versa.

There are lots of free CMS available on the Web there’s even a free CMS for online shop (osCommerce). The problem is that most of them lack professional design and skins (mainly developed by volunteers) do not look professionally. That’s why if you plan to use Mambo, PHP-Nuke or some other CMS for your site bearing in mind to save on you site’s budget you still need to spend some money to make your site look stylish and different from other sites using the same CMS.

The most popular CMS though attracted attention of big web design vendors (web templates providers mainly) and they started producing templates for CMS.
For example, a couple of years ago Template Monster started with themes for PHP-Nukes. As for now Template Monster have about 150 PHP-Nuke themes with its product database.

Not long ago Template Monster started with osCommerce product line. Currently there are only 16 osCommerce templates available but the company plans to increase production pace nearest time.

Though CMS as a concept is a nice idea there’s no ideal realization of this idea available yet. No matter what is the reason for it. A simple site with no CMS is still the best solution if you do not plan to update your site frequently.
Professionally designed site won’t cost you more than a professionally designed skin for CMS. The price varies from $20 to $100. Template Monster offers wide range of products of this kind (about 8000) with several categories:
- web templates
- flash templates
- flash intro templates
- swish templates

The greatest benefit and the main difference between free templates, skins, etc. (designed by volunteers) and templates from website templates vendors is that with paid templates you are not only sure about your design but get a professional support for the purchased product. That’s why if you take your site serious you’d better avoid using free design with it.