Website design trends change and evolve every year. So, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when your business is looking to keep up with them.
You may be surprised to read that keeping up-to-date isn’t as complicated as it looks at first glance.
Website trends can actually be very predictable. Most design trends occur due to priorities of web design, user experience and preferences, and how the web changes and develops.
Because of this, it’s quite simple to predict most changes and to implement even the smallest details to keep your website trendy.
All websites will follow the fundamental principles of good web design, but as we move further into 2021, we’ve already seen certain design trends taking center stage in the design world.
So we’re diving into the trends that you should be considering during 2021 while ensuring that your website remains optimized and tailored to your users.
Design Trends
The design of a website is the first thing that your users will see. Whether they’re on mobile or desktop, ensuring that your website stands out from the rest is the key to keeping a user on the site.
But how are people looking to do this in 2021?
Dark Designs
With the increase in popularity of dark mode on practically every application you can think of, it’s not a surprised that users are now flocking to websites that match this expectation.
Websites with white space have dominated website design for years, but this is definitely changing for 2021.
Let’s face it, a dark design can help propel your website into modernity – it’s sleek and allows other design elements and colors to pop.
The implementation of dark mode for your website can work not only for aesthetics but also for accessibility – for a lot of people dark mode is simply easier to use. It reduces eye strain, especially in low-light conditions and can even be less demanding on battery power. So, it’s a win-win.
It’s true that this functionality isn’t present in a lot of website design at the moment, but this is because dark mode can be especially tricky to pull off. At the end of the day, though, it’s an emerging trend and it’s always a good idea to be one of the first in line.
Asymmetrical layouts
Symmetry isn’t quite dead within website design, but it’s definitely got competition when it comes to modern design preferences.
Grid layout is still a popular approach to website design because it allows for structure and focus, drawing users to the key elements of the site. However, this approach has limited creativity in website design and it’s time that this changed.
Asymmetrical design is the perfect opportunity to explore your creative side and can be especially empowering for companies or brands that do focus more on creativity as a product.
You can draw the eye to important parts of the website in a more organic way, as well as providing a different kind of flow to the layout.
But, it’s important to remember that even an asymmetrical design still needs balance. No aspect of the design should look heavier than another and it should serve a purpose.
Scrolling transformations
Scrolling transformations are tricky to get right, but when you nail it, they can provide a great deal of benefit to your website.
When users scroll through your site, they’re interacting with the page – it’s more than simple navigation. Whether they’re scrolling with the mouse or their finger, it’s a conscious activity that a user is directly involved in.
Now, if this activity provides some sort of unexpected feedback, such as transitions to new graphics and colors or a whole shift in the layout, then the user will become more engaged. It provides the illusion that they are involved in these transformations. And they are, to a degree.
In 2021, web browsing is feeling more and more like an experience, rather than a chore. So, web designers are making each scroll feel like a journey that takes you to a new page or sometimes even an entirely new website.
Scrolling can provide the user with power, so lean into that.
Website Imagery
Imagery can hold the power to draw a user into your website and keep them wanting more. They can make or break a great website design.
This is no different in 2021. In fact, we’ve already seen new trends emerge that focus more on creativity than realistic photography.
Illustration
Websites have been gradually moving away from stock images or professional photography and into a medium that provides a little more creativity than either of these methods. And that’s illustration.
Creativity can really shine through in illustration and it can also help convey ideas that may be a bit more difficult to show through photography.
Sketches, graphics and line art have all emerged as the go-to option for new website design for this very reason.
The best part of this inclusion is that it can be so versatile. Whether you’re looking for illustration to be the focal point of your site, or you’re looking to implement it alongside other elements of web design. And we’ve even seen a mix of realistic photography and illustration that can be just as effective.
Illustration provides a unique way to express your brand.
3D Elements
3D design elements have been used cautiously for years and due to technical evolution, they’re definitely on the rise.
VR and AR technologies are gaining momentum, so it’s no surprise that 3D elements are becoming more and more popular in website design. They can add so much more to your website offering, as well as demonstrating your technological prowess.
But, there’s a caveat. In order to use 3D design elements successfully, your website will need to be incredibly well-optimized and fast-loading. If it’s not, then it’s unlikely your site will be able to support 3D content. It can negatively affect the entire response time of your site.
But, when you pull it off – the results can be magical.
