> So the absolute extreme minimalist website is one that doesn't exist.
This is a fundamental misunderstanding of what minimalistic design means.
If you've identified that you need a website, minimalism would be paring that down to the core essentials and ensuring it has everything it needs, but nothing more, to suit its purpose.
That subtle background gradient is lovely. I like how it adds a frame to the text without distracting from it. It evokes the right vibe, I think.
That's a design element that serves the functionality well and doesn't feel superfluous at all. But the image on the colophon page I'm less excited about. It gets in the way and feels unnecessary.
This is a fundamental misunderstanding of what minimalistic design means.
If you've identified that you need a website, minimalism would be paring that down to the core essentials and ensuring it has everything it needs, but nothing more, to suit its purpose.