2014 Web Design Trends

As web design bends, twists, changes and adapts a look back at the design trends that were strongly favored will help guide the way for web design this year. There are of course early adopters and people late to the game. Last year many strong websites came out that utilized new techniques to perfection. Below are 10 trends that helped define web design in 2014. 1. Flat Design Flat design is a minimalistic and emphasizes usability. Featuring bright colors it is typically clean showcasing two-dimensional images. Icons are simple and easy to understand and color is used to distinguish information. This design has been heavily favored by apps and is very functional in its simplicity.Videos in Place of Text 2. Videos have become less expensive and easier to produce. They are able to express complicated information when words just won’t cut it. Using videos has pros and cons involved. The amount of data used can put off mobile users and loading can increase your bounce rate. Sometimes videos are the best match for the content and help set the mood.

1. 3.     Responsive Design

1. WordPress has new competition to contend with. Responsive design has become paramount for websites to provide the best user experience across different browsers. New contenders like Squarespace offer the same simplicity but have started to address the issue of limited mobile design head on.

1. 4.     Websites Simplify and Focus on Content

1. Starting with color many websites have gone for simpler color schemes and or using very little color. Dropping the sidebar to focus more on content. Stripping away as many banners and distracting items help put the spotlight on the content.

1. 5.     Simplified Content

1. Social media has increasingly become more truncated with twitter and Instagram leading the way. Websites have followed suit and are making content easier to digest and access. Typically in smaller amounts and or without distraction.

1. 6.     Long Scrolling Websites

1. This type of web design translates over to mobile very well. In the past these types of websites tried to cram in too much content. Newer websites have clean and well organized content that users can lose themselves in while scrolling.

1. 7.     Parallax Websites

1. Parallax is the effect when the foreground content scrolls faster than a background image. This gives a slight 3-dimensional effect. It has dominated a lot of newer web design themes and it looks like it will remain strong in 2015.

1. 8.     Infographics

1. Infographics are great ways to present data; they are also very sharable across social media. The time invested in creating a unique and shareable infographic can translate into greater awareness for your website.

1. 9.     Typography Focus

1. Typography has come a long way since standard web fonts dominated the Internet. They are being featured in websites helping to set the mood and create the unique style needed for differentiating one website from another. 2014 brought us a huge amount of beautifully designed fonts and font usage. These days Helvetica and Times New Roman won’t cut it.

10. Large Hero Areas

1. These work the same way as sliders. They are introduction areas for your website. Characteristically have very little text and an emphasis on imagery.

QUESTION: What trends will 2015 bring to web design?