Some people will have you believe that theft in design is ok, because all ideas come from somewhere else. How can that be the case? Where do original designs come from? Sure, some designs can evolve from studying natural form, but the best designers and artists out there just have a creative mindset that allows them to think outside of the box and do something no one else has ever tried before.
I have no problem with people looking at other designs or my own designs, taking elements but then adapting them as their own. The last part of that sentence is the most important. Time and time again I see designers simply lifting elements of another web design and slamming it on to their own. This is not inspiration. This is theft. This is not design.
Good designers know how to adapt things to transform it in to their own style. Bad designers will take other people’s creations and slap it in to their own project.
If you’re stumped for ideas, by all means, seek inspiration from many sources. But ultimately, never steal. Make it your own. Always.