Web Design Trends

• Animation

Animation online is really coming of age. Designers and developers have found new and innovative ways to create animations which are quick to load, mobile responsive and don’t require any plug-ins. We think good animation is a great way to tell a story and is far more engaging and memorable than static content. We predict much more widespread adoption of animation throughout an entire website.

• The power of video

The 2020s is going to see a continued boom in the use of video in websites. Full screen home page videos create impactful and engaging experiences. Users are preferring to sit back and press play on a video rather than read volumes of text. This is especially true on mobile devices.

• Phenomenal photography

A picture paints a thousand words. And thanks to retina displays quickly becoming standardised in mobiles and computers, we can only look forward to seeing crisper images with higher resolution on websites. With double the pixel density of LCD screens, designers are granted the gift of being able to go further with their eye-catching designs. Watch this space for more full-screen background photos, with websites breaking free from the conventional ‘multi-page’ look.

• Flat, not fat

The ‘flat’ design has recently become the style of choice amongst designers in the know. It has replaced skeuomorphism, where false textures, gradients, and drop-shadows create a chunky 3D effect, with designers instead favouring a more mature, minimalist design. Saturated blocks of bright neon colours, simple icons, and focus upon typography are now applauded.

• Less is more

This ‘flat’ design lends itself to simplicity. Less on the page is far more appealing to the user. It makes the page’s content much easier to digest. Watch out for an elimination of clutter on the page and more blank space, which is only going to become more apparent in the coming year. Minimalism allows a greater focus upon content and copy – which will consequently become more condensed and important, distilling messages right down to their core.