When it comes to themes, like many things, you get what you pay for. Whenever I am starting a project from scratch, I always prefer starting from one of Shopify's premium themes. They are packed with key features and sections that help elevate your store's design and functionality. The upfront investment save a bunch of time and money.
For projects with tighter budgets, there are great FREE themes in the Shopify theme store. The most popular being Dawn. I am a huge fan of these themes because they have a lot of solid sections built in and in they are easy to extend with new custom features.
I put together links to my favorite themes. I have worked with all of these. They all have
Flexible, fashionable, proven design with powerful promotions.
https://themes.shopify.com/themes/impulse/styles/modern
Versatile, fashionable, professional theme with premium features.
https://themes.shopify.com/themes/symmetry/styles/beatnik
https://www.cleancanvas.co.uk/
Designed for premium, high-end brand appeal
https://themes.shopify.com/themes/prestige/styles/allure
All the essentials. A great starting point for any brand.
https://themes.shopify.com/collections/free-themes
My friend Peter from Scaling recommends Shrine. He is an experienced CRO expert. This theme let's you replace expensive Shopify apps saving you money every month + it has a bunch of features that will help you convert more website visitors.