In recent years, web design has come a long way, developing at the intersection of innovative technologies and creative ideas. Therefore, it should not be surprising that web design trends are updated every year. At the same time, there are approaches that do not lose their popularity with the emergence of new trends. Ease of navigation, security of the resource and fast loading of content will always be at the peak of popularity, because fashion comes and goes, but the basics will remain forever.
In order for your site to always win against the competition, it is important to be aware of fashion trends. Let’s figure out which web design trends are in demand in 2021. What is the difference between a trendy site created in 2020 or earlier from a resource developed in 2021?
Web design in 2021 is a huge number of opportunities that must be used competently to achieve real success. If you compare the commercial sites of popular brands, you can see that their design is similar to popular social networks. Indeed, it is difficult to find a person who does not use such well-known social networks as Facebook or Instagram. It is in such an environment that the user will feel as comfortable as possible and will be able to find his way around quickly.
Despite the development of innovations in web design, minimalism continues to be in demand in 2021. This style is not based on a visual principle, but on strict graphic design techniques. Here you will see clear and correct forms, simple fonts, restrained colors and a lot of free space. The style of minimalism attracts attention with its simplicity and functionality at the same time.
A clear example of minimalist design can be considered the page of the agency Hugo Inc. for the promotion of business projects in Brooklyn. Please note that not only monochrome colors are used in the style of minimalism. In 2021, brightness is gaining popularity with the use of colorful shades in tandem with simple fonts and a modest set of additional details.
The trend became popular not only due to its concise design. The simplicity and convenience for the user, the functionality of the interfaces, in which there is nothing superfluous, immediately attract well-deserved attention. It is true that the more complex the interface is, the more time it takes the user to understand it. That is why minimalism never goes out of fashion.
Of course, the final choice is yours. But several trends of 2021 should not be used when working out the basics of web design:
Let’s discuss in more detail which web design trends should be used when creating sites in 2021 in order to attract the attention of customers and achieve high conversion.
Collage became one of the TOP web design techniques in 2021. Thanks to the efforts of designers, mixed equipment quickly began to be in demand among popular brands, including City Circus, Chobani, Urban Outfitters.
A collage is a combination of images, photos, graphic elements, text, animation, which are used to create a bright aesthetic picture that attracts attention. In 2021, you can see not just collage, but also animated images, decorative letters, artistic textures, for example, watercolor or oil strokes, gouache.
Collage is a fashion trend that definitely deserves attention in 2021. Collages perfectly emphasize minimalist UX design, allowing you to go beyond the standards and stand out from the competition. This is a great option that will make your brand bright, creative and recognizable.
This is a style of contradictions that emerged in 2019 and gradually seeped into all areas of web design. Rudeness and intransigence were contrasted with “good” design. Here you can see distortion, asymmetry, experimental elements, layering and even “ugly” details, which not everyone will like. But if you are looking for an original option to stand out against the general background, anti-design is exactly what you need to attract attention.
Many professionals have recently been very enthusiastic about the world of anti-design. But when developing a picture that catches the eye, you should not forget about balance. If you have decided to design your resource in the style of anti-design, along with brightness, you should pay attention to simplicity, functionality and user-friendliness. As practice has shown, mixed images and fonts work perfectly with a well-thought-out UX design.
This trend came from 2020. The basis here is natural motives and imitation of the surrounding world. Until recently, the trend was popular in product design and graphic design, and in 2021 it smoothly moved into web design.
Organic design is devoted to the themes of environmental protection. Here you will see natural earth tones, natural outlines and raw textures, just like in the pages of Jra Floral Agency.
The main vocation of neutral shades is to copy the palette of the environment to create a feeling of naturalness. Beige shades, white, pink, blue and green colors, which perfectly complement natural palettes, are in the greatest demand. If desired, natural shades can be combined with brighter colors to create a contrast.
Illustrations became the real hit of web design in 2021. A huge number of popular brands have recognized this trend and are already actively using it. For example, the AHM insurance company and the Gucci brand.
Interesting illustrations are great for drawing attention to the site with their originality. Correctly drawn pictures position the user to the brand, creating a pleasant feeling of comfort. In 2021, illustrators began to depict unusual people “odd bodies”. At the same time, the main task of designers is to create a variety of characters so that each person can recognize something different.
The key principle of web design always remains functionality and usefulness for the user. No matter how creatively the designers approach the design of the site, if the structure seems inconvenient to the user, the efforts will not bring the desired result. Fast page loading, a mobile-friendly interface, and inclusiveness created a need for a design that would suit everyone.
The functional and convenient design, which the user can easily understand, enables effective interaction with the client. This makes it possible to increase conversion and reach the audience, which contributes to the active promotion of the site.
What makes the site more functional:
Compared to static images, users are becoming more and more attracted to video-based designs. Motion design is a simple way to make even a simple page interesting. Therefore, this approach quickly became popular in web design. Many well-known brands have begun to add such interactive elements as quizzes, polls, and games to their sites.
For example, the Estee Lauder brand offers an interesting interactive arcade game on its website. In this futuristic quest, players can earn “youth points”. By the way, this is how the brand advertises its Advanced Night Repair anti-aging cream.
Interactivity is an important element that attracts attention. At the same time, a balance should be observed so that interesting interactive details do not distract the user from the main task for which he visits the site.
Modern web design often uses geometric shapes, for example, classic polygons, rhombuses, triangles. In 2021, the list of popular elements included three-dimensional objects, floating shapes, grid lines.
To create a futuristic effect, the geometric design successfully combines surreal animation with real effects. This style is ideal for showcasing new products that rotate in the reels as if in mid-air. Add additional dimensions and layers, borders, grid lines, combining them with discreet geometric elements.
The dark color scheme is the newest trend of 2021, which is gaining popularity every day.
For a long time, it was believed that only a white background is optimal for creating free space on websites or applications. But such well-known brands as Apple or Clock Strikes Twelve proved the opposite. Using a dark color allows you to make the site stylish and elegant. Also, other elements, such as pastel and neon, which have not lost their popularity since 2020, stand out favorably on a dark background.
According to research, the dark mode consumes less battery than the light mode. Also, a dark color has a minimal negative impact on vision, so it is better suited for perception.
Today, more and more products are appearing, the design of which is developed using dark colors, in particular blue. The dark color is elegant and pleasing to the eye. On a dark background, the contrast is more noticeable, which makes the design elements clearly visible. And so that visitors can customize the site to their own needs, you can install a dark mode switch, as many popular companies do. More and more brands are joining the fashion trend every day. Even if the resource was originally created in a light design, designers add an option to choose a dark background.
While developing the design of the site in 2021, taking into account all the fashion trends, do not forget a few more important points:
The year 2021 promises to be very interesting in the field of web design. Some of the trends were known earlier, but became in great demand only in 2021. Other ideas turned out to be a real revelation for web designers and are rapidly gaining popularity.
Creating a convenient and fashionable website design is not an easy, but quite feasible task. Staying on trend, do not forget about functionality and convenience for users. It is not necessary to use all web design trends 2021 at the same time. It is enough to choose a few elements that successfully emphasize the image of your brand. It is this approach that will make it possible to achieve real success in the world of information technologies.
