Staying on top of the latest web design trends is a surefire way for web designers to ensure they’re prepared to capture the fleeting attention of the online masses among the vast competition. We’ve all had a lot of time to browse the web over the past two years, and it’s safe to say that this time presented – and continues to present – exciting opportunities and potential for more creativity in the evolution of web design.
Whether it’s the rise of one-page websites, an increased focus on typography, or embracing more neutral and abstract design elements, creating a captivating website comes down to the details.
With this in mind, designers today feel more in their zone and more secure with their designs, even amidst a highly competitive landscape. This creates an atmosphere of freedom, allowing them to test the boundaries of convention.
As society spends more of its time online, our job as web creators is to engage users on an emotional level, carrying human sentiment within an artificial reality. We have stories to tell and conversations to spark while bringing joy to every interaction.
Therefore, we must evolve our techniques in our ever-changing world constantly. Join us as we study the top web design trends set to dominate the world of web creation in 2022.
1. Cartoons / Illustrations
The superior design has already secured its place under the sun among the website trends that will thrive next year. An illustration is one of the most well-known means of depicting a message. In web design, the illustration makes it easy for users to understand what is being shared and ensures that the company’s branding remains consistent. The illustration also entices users to keep scrolling and exploring the page’s content by providing an aesthetic element to a website. The cartoon style has successfully used humour to make content more relevant and appealing to viewers.
Illustration remains a popular and effective form of visual communication, and it can help communicate a brand message. Brands can use illustrations to create unique site designs that are instantly recognizable or use illustrations in social media posts to make their brand more approachable to customers.
2. Motion Design
One of the current UX design trends includes motion. And it is obvious. Motion design, also known as “motion graphics,” is a valuable website design trend that should not be overlooked. As technology evolves and becomes more commonplace, the use of movement in websites will become more mainstream. And it’s no wonder: the movement has the power to appeal to consumers personally, making it valuable for all kinds of businesses!
Even though motion designs do slow down the website, they are a fantastic way to have videos to promote your business. And sometimes, users might need less than 20 seconds to turn into clients.
3. Dark Mode and Low Light UX Web Design Trends
Dark Mode is one of the current UI design trends that is also gaining more and more popularity. If you’re a night owl, you’ll probably know how eye-friendly dark mode design is. All you need is a toggle button and two versions of the same front end.
Some companies are beginning to offer dark-mode versions of their website, and we believe this website design trend will continue to grow in 2022. Dark mode, night shift and other low-light user interface options provide users with a low-contrast site or app that is easier to look at in low-light environments. Our team believes the popularity of dark mode toggle switches on websites could lead to more black-and-white web designs in 2022.
4. Horizontal Scrolling
In contrast to familiar and intuitive vertical navigation, a side scroll layout can lead to surprising interactions between texts and images.
This is especially true for portfolio websites, catalogues, maps, and the like. Discovering projects, exploring cities, and visiting online galleries is far more engaging with sideways navigation. When done right, horizontal scrolling can make a website more appealing, fun, and memorable, as the websites on our list beautifully illustrate.
5. Typography: bigger and bolder
Playing with typography from the get-go is a good exercise for any web designer. No images, no graphics, just type. Sometimes, the bigger and bolder the typography, the better and longer-lasting impression a website can make. But that’s not always the case. At a certain size, words become more of a graphic element than simply copy, making typography the visual focal point of a site. Choosing a font helps set the tone for what the audience expects from the website, so it’s important to strike the right balance between size and scale.
6. Retro
There is no denying that the classic look of early 90s websites has become one of the hottest website trends. It is like the 90s are back in the 2020s! The nostalgic design style was never completely gone, even in today’s modern world. We are lucky that this trend has found its way into web design because it makes your website look modern while providing a dose of a retro feel. After all, design is a bit like fashion and will always follow its patterns.
This approach calls for slowing things down, giving a more analogue feel through typography and imagery, using classic image filters, retro fonts, blurriness, grain, textures, soft lighting, and pastel colour palettes. These are merely a few examples of practices designers use to create relatable experiences.
7. Black & white designs
Another modern classic that will never go out of style is black and white (or dark) designs.
This style is simple and fits across many design elements – from backgrounds, icons, logos, photographs, images, illustrations, and more.
Black and white designs help to showcase your products or services while creating a classy and edgy feel. This style is great for staying on trend but not using bright colours.
Black and white designs don’t work universally for all brands. But this style works well for edgy, classy, formal, or casual brands.
This might be the perfect time to rebrand if you haven’t redesigned your website in the last three to four years. And if you’re working on a new website design, keep some of these trends in mind, but don’t forget the ultimate goal: to create a fun, relaxing, and great user experience for people who visit your website.
Conclusion
The web design trends on the internet never seem to stop. However, certain design cues continue, no matter what. The most important thing for companies on the web is to ensure they’re on top of the best practices in web design, whether it’s web layout, site organization, or responsive design. This makes them more approachable and professional.