A minimalistic admin theme for a WP 3 install

Question

Is there a minimalistic admin theme that works with WP 3?

Adminimize looks nice, but isn't compatible with 3.x.

Answer 1

Here are 2 simple solutions:

1. Try WordPress White Label Branding

2. Take a look at the WordPress UIElement Class, and the WordPress Admin Class files. I use them both, and allow you to see how tho hook into the WordPress Core.

Answer 2

Admin themes are not that widespread and rarely talked about... I use a mix of plugins for styling the admin.

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Adminimize

This one is surely one of a kind to reduce the admin to... its minimum (!).
^{Really, only a German could have pulled that out. And Herr Bültge work is simply Franktastic ;)}

In Your Own Options, it is possible to target specific elements that the plugin doesn't include, like so:

^{click to enlarge ⤴}

After updating, your custom option will appear in the list of options.

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In-house Theming

Recently, I came across two cool pieces of work from the Wizard of WPSE, Herr Thomas Scholz.

• T5 Clean Admin

  This plugin is an attempt to create non-distracting admin interface. No gradients, no box-shadow and no rounded corners.

• Admin Bar In System Colors

  Takes away all the fancy stuff and enables a readable interface.

Customize the CSS to give your own flavor.

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Speed up the admin menu

This snippet is not about UI, but UX. And rocks:
How to disable hoverIntent in Wordpress 3.3 admin

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Style the admin menu

This couple of plugins will do an uplift in the menu:

• Ozh' Admin Drop Down Menu

  All admin links available in a neat horizontal drop down menu. Saves lots of screen real estate!

• Admin Menus Fixed

  Ozh' Admin Drop Down Menu + WordPress Toolbar + Standard Admin Menu Fixed to the Top of the Admin Screens. Less Scrolling!

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Finally, my own plugin, Many Tips Together, deals with lots of manipulations of the Admin area. I'm about to release Version 2, with a much, much, cleaner code and many new features (for example, I'm including @toscho's themes and the HoverIntent code).

Answer 3

I know there are some out there but since wordpress 3.0 is fairly new i do not think people have been wanting themes as much for the back-end. If you are decent at css you can try and make your own based off of either Adminimize or the current backend. You pretty much just want to get rid of most of the images, scripts right?