It does come down to personal preference when designing but keep the obvious in mind and whatever you come up with should be more than ok:
page loading- fast is good not everyone has blitzkrieg connections.
navigation – clear and concise.
color sense – (black pages DO look cool BUT are very had for anyone with any sight impairment to read). If in doubt stick to subtle tones and corporate cleanliness.
content – a bannerfarm does not cut it these days. Try and establish great original content and you will be 9/10ths of the way there.
Knock something up and post it for review. There are a LOT of people here that will be more than happy to offer constructive criticism and a few tips.