As a website designer, many prospective clients ask if there is a cheap way to get a professional design for their website. Not only is there a cheap way, there is a free way. But just like Goodwill clothes shopping, be prepared to do a lot of searching if you have something particular in mind.
Three websites that I know of are OpenWebDesign.org, OSWD.org, and FreeCssTemplates.org Many of the designs are made by professional designers. They post free designs as a way to generate interest in their paid services. You are free to download the designs and modify them as you please, as long as you leave the “Designed by” link at the bottom of the page. This is one of my favorite designs, and this is a free design we downloaded and modified for a client to work with our website editing tool.
As I wrote in my WordPress Themes post, there are also many of places to find free themes for your WordPress blog. And if you find a design you like on the free design sites I mentioned above, they can be easily modified to work with a WordPress blog.
Get searching!