In a world of preoccupied minds, it’s very important to have UX/IU evoke undemanding, immediate and effortless digital design. With this shift that is following consumers, design has to be a at the forefront of it. Thankfully the 2018 web trends fulfill what will capture the user’s attention.
1. Cool Cat Colors
Similar to fashion design, where you feel like nothing can be tossed from your closet for fear the trend will return, web design is now in the same rotation. Coming back to the future in full rotation is the return of colors from the 90’s. Think bold, bright, rich, saturated, “in your face” colors. Anything to grasp attention!
The specific color family you will see a lot more of are deep tones of purple: violet, fuchsia, magenta, dark purple. After all, you should note that Pantone named their 2018 color of the year, ultra-violet! Aware that ultra-violet can be a daunting color to use - this will soon be the norm, especially if styled correctly for a site. Shades of purple and bright, saturated colors will feel more mainstream to consumers because of their growing popularity. The 90’s are back!
2. Gradients
Another trend making a comeback are dual tone gradients. Though this trend made its mark in web design in 2014-2015, it’s more popular today due to beautiful screen displays. Examples of these displays are new mobile phones that have extraordinary color clarity (Apple’s Iphone X), 4k screens, and large screen displays. Gradients look striking on these displays because of the saturated color and their ability to scale to any screen size. Scaling will be another key function in 2018 with the addition of more devices at various sizes and users wanting crisp screen lucidity.
3. Scaling Art
Transitioning from screen to screen, photography will lose in popularity this year. What’s really making a striking mark for hero imagery is unique vectored art. Having artwork that can be uploaded to your site as an SVG will be huge this year because it looks great at any size! If you’re having trouble deciding what art you should be using, 3D flat style cartoons or 2D landscapes are trending. These kinds of images are timeless and have a longer shelf life than lifestyle imagery.
4. Distant Drop Shadows
Big soft drop shadows behind modules are a trend that will continue in 2018. Drop shadows are often used behind background shapes, modules and buttons. The notable thing about using subtle drop shadows is that not only does it create depth, but it can draw attention to an area with limited contrast - keeping the user focused on the site as a whole. Big soft drop shadows create distance.
5. Curve Your Homepage
I predict this will be the biggest trend in 2018. Forget rectangular hero image areas because now it’s all about waves, curves and fluid shapes. Instead of the hero image having a straight edge at the bottom of the photo, or better yet a gradient background, imagine a large waving curve or one big curve slope in the middle. Shapes like these implement a fluidity for the user’s eye when looking at the homepage from start to finish. Start with rounded buttons and boxes and then think about abstract shapes and how those can be implemented. Rounded shapes create a natural webpage flow and are pleasing and easy on the eyes. Consider if this will circulate with your design!
6. Overtly Large and In Charge
Users want all of the information they’re looking for to be readily and immediately available. Think of the shortest marketing phrases you can come up with for the title hero text and then use font size 70 - or another large number - and notice how your eyes can’t help but read it! BINGO! This is the newest trend and it makes absolute sense with today’s readers. Capture their attention so instead of not wanting to read a website, they have to and are intrigued to do so. For an example of this, check out Apple.com’s website or a site designed by Americaneagle.com, Ethelsbaking.com! The shorter the phrase or title, the better - and make it bold and big so the user will have no choice but to delve in!
These trends should be highly considered for updating your brand in 2018. Big fonts, curvy shapes, dramatically-soft large drop shadows, timeless vectored art, bright gradients, and bold colors are all specific design elements chosen for the interest of the user.
Good luck with your design this year, and remember that we’re always available to ensure that your online brand is at the forefront when it comes to design and usability!
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