Top Web Design Trends 2019.
Website Trends
With a continual flow of evolving trends and technology, there has never been a more exciting time to be a website owner.
Last year was a great year, and much-unchartered design ground was covered. It showed us that designers are not afraid to explore and push the boundaries. We witnessed an array of new experiences that pushed the limits of what we thought was possible on the web:
- Interesting motion design
- Captivating colorful gradients
- Unique illustrations
- And cinemagraphs
One thing is for certain, none of our clients wanted to fit in. Almost all of them wanted their brands to stand out from the crowd.
So how exactly are our dedicated team of designers able to continually create individual pieces of artwork that allows them to push the boundaries?
1. Minimalism
One of the most notable web design trends that have stood the test of time, minimalism is forecasted to be just as popular in 2019. The concept behind minimalism is to reduce the number of elements and content on a web page. Therefore, by doing so your focal points will be more prominent and likely to be more effective.
2. Micro-interaction
Micro-interactions enhance the user experience, provide vital feedback and further illustrate functionality. But above all the aim is to surprise the user and create an event that is inviting and a little bit more human.
This year we expect micro-interactions will be predominant on most newly developed websites. Their most interactive types are expected to be featured the most. Hover and scrolling animations, chimes to name a few are considered to be the most widely used.
3. Even more cinemagraphs
In 2011, photographer Kevin Burg and designer Jamie Beck coined the term cinemagraph to animate their photographs. Ever since then, web designers have been incorporating them into their concept artworks. Most cinemagraphs are created using animated .gif files.
Video content not only diversifies the content on the page but also caters to those that are on the go, who don’t have the time to scan through lots of text. In recent news, we can now confirm that Google has started featuring video content above standard web pages. This has lead websites to prioritize video content in order to make the site more readily available and effective in search engine results pages.
4. Natural shapes
We often see websites that have adopted a systematic grid layout. What we are seeing more and more is an increase in natural shapes and smooth lines. Geometric shapes ie squares, rectangles, and triangles. All of these contain their sharp corners can often hint a degree of stability. However, the use of natural shapes gives off the feeling of accessibility and comfort.
Nature never creates perfectly straight lines. Incorporating imperfect and asymmetrical shapes can add depth to the design allowing for a better contrast between page elements. In addition, adding subtle motion animation and your natural shapes can have a significant effect on the user experience. The goal here is to imitate the real work by making the design feel humanistic through the illusion of subtle movement.
5. Mobile-friendly navigation
With mobile users having officially taken over traditional desktop usage, we are seeing designs becoming more and more “thumb-friendly”. One of the most important studies surrounding this topic is from Josh Clark with his book title “Designing for Touch”. It highlights how mobile phone users make use of their thumbs. This includes the movements we commonly make to interact with our mobile device and how we should be including this in to our design process. As we have been seeing with increasing popularity, navigation has now been tailored to the use of our thumbs, by moving the hamburger icon to the lower corners of the mobile screens.
6. Asymmetric design
When we are designing a website, we often work using a continual feedback loop. This allows us to create something that is truly tailored to our client’s needs. However one of the downsides to this methodology is that we are often asked to add more to our design than we would usually recommend.
In design though, less is almost always more. Coupled with an asymmetric design and it can be very powerful and captivating. This way of designing really does break the mould of the traditional grid-based layout and is a great way to not only portray a contemporary brand but also allow your website to stand out from the crowd.
7. Bold Font
In the world of web design, we have seen it go through many incarnations. The history of incorporating typography, which years ago was technically impossible or at the very least only supported by a few browsers.
The use of bold typefaces is a trend that gives life to text and is quickly overtaking the image as the main design element. The creative use of bold typography has quickly seen it taking center stage, overtaking hero images and videos.
8. Bright and Vibrant Colour Schemes
In recent years, soft tones and monotone palettes have been slowly taken precedence in the design world. However, it seems like this trend is slowly being phased out. This year we are seeing rich, high contrast, and vibrant colours. We are seeing bright neons, metallics, and angular shapes, making our web pages come to life and adding a touch of realism to them.
Pro tip: warmer color palettes such as blue, golden yellow, purple, and greens can help evoke strong emotional bonds.