As 2020 drew to a close (and we all breathed a sigh of relief, hoping that 2021 will be kinder to us) we turned our attention, as we do every year, to the months that lay ahead. While we all collectively must have a number of personal hopes for the year 2021, we also hope to see web design trends continuing to evolve in their creativity and ingenuity.
Of course, there are key elements of web design that will never fall of out of fashion and are mainstays that should be included in every new design project, regardless of business type or budget: responsive design, engaging branding, and clear navigation are just three examples.
Envato were on hand to help us get to grips with all the biggest web design trends for 2021, so today we want to talk through some of their predicted trends and perhaps give you some food for thought if your business is planning a site redesign in the next twelve months.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the trends:
Dark Mode
Dark Mode has been an emerging trend for a few years now but 2020 was the year it finally started to steal the limelight, with a number of apps and interfaces we all likely use on a near-daily basis being granted Dark Mode.
Gone are the days where white was considered the default background colour for all online spaces; not only can dark backgrounds be easier on the eye by reducing exposure to blue light (something we all need to consider when we’re spending 8+ hours a day staring at a screen) but they can look stylish and forward-thinking too.
A great example of Dark Mode being used as part of chic, effective web design is Google’s Dev Art site, pictured above.
Collage
This craftier approach to web design has been making itself known in advertising and branding for a few years now and has started to take hold of the world of web design. In stark contrast to the minimalism and sparse design we see in other popular trends this year, Collage is all about busy, overlapping designs that give the feel of mixed media and scrapbooking.
A delightful look at the chaotic, attention-grabbing allure of using Collage styling in web design can be found on the Monty Bojangles website (and the truffles aren’t bad either!).
Organic Design
2020 taught us all the value of spending time in outdoor spaces, of walking and enjoying the simplicity of nature and fresh air. It’s no wonder then that Organic Design has surged in popularity over the past twelve months and has firmly earned its place as a top web design trend for 2021.
Paying homage to nature through botanical graphics, soft colour palettes and natural shapes, expect to see this trend popping up in all types of site design – even for those business you might not typically associate with organic elements, like Kevin Lucuis’ graphic and web design portfolio.
Motion
It’s been a few years since video took over the web and it’s been proven time and time again that it’s hard to beat video in the engagement stakes. Of course, it makes sense that web designers would incorporate this and begin to take notice of opportunities to integrate video into site design, rather than leaving social media to have all the fun.
An excellent example of how motion can be factored into engaging web design can be found with Freddie’s Flowers. A bold video hero on the homepage shows how your flowers are selected, packed, delivered and then displayed in your home: lovely!
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As well as the four key trends we’ve highlighted above, we can also expect to see accessibility and inclusivity continuing to become a firm cornerstone in the world of web design and development, as well as more graphic-related trends like 3D design and illustration.
Which trends from the list above have grabbed your attention? If you’re looking to refresh your website for 2021 and beyond, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team of WordPress experts who can put together a tailored quote for your site design today.
