Trends in web design shifted throughout 2017. Dont expect 2018 to be any different, and like surfing treacherous swells, the ever-changing trends in web design can present developers with an arduous journey. But fret not, were going to discuss the hottest web design tips and tricks to keep you riding the big wave thought the year.
Goodbye Flat Design
Flat web design has come and gone. Thats not to say that there isnt a time and place for minimalistic design, but the trends are shifting away again. Beautiful and functional websites are adorning the Internet with appealing gradients, varying depths, and fantastic shadowing. That doesnt mean that flat design shouldnt be in your toolbox, it just shouldnt be the only tool in there.
Dont be a Square
Dont put your toolbox away just yet because it is time to smooth out the edges and round some corners. Sharp corners and harsh angles are being replaced by circles, rounded corners, and softer lines. Web designers are tearing down the symmetry and angles of 2017, and constructing in its place grand architecture of organic shapes and asymmetrical grids and broken grid layouts. Dont only focus on form fields and buttons because they arent the only ones getting makeovers, many other elements are softening.
Keep it Moving
Use of video in website design continued to grow last year, as it will in 2018. Although some developers shy away from video in the ecommerce segment viewing it as a distraction it is still a great way to convey large amounts of information to the viewer in a short period of time. Be sure to keep video (or hero images) backgrounds in your repertoire because they can convey feelings of trust, stability, and other emotions.
Subtle animations are a sly way to add depth and curb appeal to a website. They are also beacons for visitors, so use them wisely and dont overuse them.
Scrolling through Trends
Parallax scrolling is starting to lose its luster with some developers, but that doesnt mean you have to abandon all of your scrolling tricks. A growing number of websites are finding creative ways to take scrolling effects to the next level, like revealing static or dynamic backgrounds, video, or even advertisements.
To Stick or to Float
Sticky navigation is still in, but some developers have taken it further with floating navigation. Floating the navigation just below the top edge of the viewable area gives the element a more global feel. It also adds an element of depth to the page and helps un-static a page.
Think sticky elements are just for navigation? Sticky elements at the bottom of the page, used for ads, calls to action, and similar elements are a great way to keep information visible without bombarding the visitor.
Make it Font-tastic
As technology has improved over the last few years, the prominence of visual typography has risen. Although serif fonts may not dominate the web now, they will soon.
Along with serif fonts, we will hear and see more about variable fonts. In a nutshell, variable fonts allow designers to use fewer fonts because the font file itself will contain all the iterations weight, width, etc. of the font being used, so theres no need to call the variations within the CSS.
Be Brutal if You Need to
Ready to take everything you know and throw it all out the window? Welcome to Brutalism. Weve been seeing more Brutalism, asymmetry, and freeform design over the last few years, and the trend is still gaining traction. Not typically seen in the ecommerce space, Brutalism, and the freeform design it has inspired, are being used more as a way to direct the viewer. Shaking off the static design of mainstream and using bold, offset design elements is no longer only for the edgy advertising agencies trying to push the envelope.
Go Ahead, Say it
The web is a very visual place; text, images, animation, and video combine to overwhelm us (at times) visually. But theres a new kid in town: voice and language searching. With the explosion of Intelligent Personal Assistants like Alexa, Echo, and Cortana, websites will soon be integrating voice and natural language searching. While it may not need to be atop your priority list, dont forget about it and get left behind the curve.
Ride the Wave
These sizzling trends are not exclusive to 2018. Some have been around for a few years and have been steadily increasing in popularity, while some are newer, rising stars. Regardless of whether the trend is rising or falling, keeping yourself abreast of these shifting trends (as well as furthering your knowledge in each) will allow you create a more diverse array of designs that appeal to more people and more clients!
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