Every year, Web design grows and so many awesome things are being published daily, When thinking about website design, you must consider the full spectrum of possibilities that the internet presence. We push your website design imagination limits on a global scale.
Recently, we have seen a surge in popularity of responsive web design, as more and more sites join the drive to become ‘mobile-first’ which is now even more important in the wake of Google’s Mobile Friendly update.
While everyone is reflecting on the year that was and looking ahead to the year that will be, let’s take a look at some of the best website design trends we will likely see when we turn the calendar to 2016. You can view them all on one page here.
Large Background Images Trend
Stock photos still play a major role in digital communication, whether it’s an eCommerce store, portfolio or blog. People use images to engage more with users and illustrate the message they are trying to send.
Video Background Web Design Trend
Websites generally are storytelling tools and storytelling can be more effective when visuals and motion are involved so the ideas and emotions can be transferred to the visitor easier. We’ve seen businesses implementing video on their websites. In 2015, this trend will grow even more with the endless possibilities of 3D graphics and HD quality videos to build that impression of real-life experience.
According to us, people love the video as statistics show mind-blowing numbers of video consumption online.
Minimalistic Web Design Trend
This trend has been surfacing as a way to reduce clutter on websites, simplify navigation, and make the user experience more efficient. Minimalistic design includes several sub-trends that are prominent on the web today including flat design, use of iconography, heavy focus on typography, and more inclusion of white space between visual elements.
Grid Web Layouts Trend
The grid structure has become widely used for displaying sections of information on websites, especially on the homepage where multiple service offerings or other pieces of information are presented and need to be organized to look nice. This way of laying out a web page works particularly well in responsive design as well since the columns of the grid structure can break down easily for more optimal display on smaller screen sizes.
Interactive Elements Trend
Interactivity on websites can range from Javascript animations and contact forms to rollover CSS3 transitions on buttons. Websites are rarely completely static anymore and if a site does not employ any sort of interaction then chances are it is not going to be very successful. Even the most subtle animated effects and parts of your site that make the visitor feel more engaged can take your web presence to the next level and many websites are taking advantage of this.
These are just a few of the trends that are dominating the interwebs but they are constantly changing and new ones are surfacing all the time.
Responsive Design Trend
Designer expects the industry to “continue maintaining simple and minimal aesthetics,” with the web “becoming fully customized for different viewports”.
But others see responsive design going further. We will see “responsive design practices become more important in native apps,” in part through a proliferation of wearables. “Apple Watch, for example, relies on a responsive-like flow to accommodate a small screen, and so while 2015 isn’t the year the web and native become the same, it’ll get us much closer.”
Galleries & Slideshows Trend
Modern websites can run pristine dynamic galleries and media slideshows on any screen size. Mobile smartphone browsers have come a long way combined with responsive design techniques.
It’s possible for a new web designer to pick up a simple responsive carousel plugin and code it right into any layout with ease. Code libraries are released for free and open source plugins come with fantastic documentation. jQuery makes frontend development even easier and this trend has skyrocketed into stardom over the last few years.
For the time being it appears that jQuery is the quickest and most efficient way to create galleries. You just need some images and a bit of time to play with the setup. As trends advance, I expect to see more animation and other techniques built into media galleries for the web.
Fixed Sliding Navbar Trend
Although fixed headers have been around for years the trend has recently advanced quite a bit. The vast majority of designers have taken a liking to fixed navigation bars which stay on top of the screen at all times.
One of the most common techniques is to blend the navigation into the header while at the very top of the site. When a visitor first lands on the page all navigation links appear as though they’re just part of the header section. But as the visitor scrolls down this navigation become fixed in a small bar at the top of the screen.
Custom CSS3 Animation Trend
Ever since the CSS3 specification was released developers have been hurling themselves onto the bandwagon of CSS animation. Web browsers are now more advanced to support CSS3 transitions and keyframes en masse. It’s only natural that as browser support increases there will be more developers getting their hands dirty.
One of my favorite modern effects is the scrolling page element animation. When a visitor scrolls down the page elements will fade-in or slide into view from offscreen.
Traditionally speaking, this effect does require a very small amount of JavaScript to handle the CSS classes. But all of the animations can be controlled 100% via CSS which only runs when the element(s) come into view.
Admittedly this can be a tricky concept for new developers to grasp. But it shows how much CSS3 has advanced in just a few short years. As frontend web development trundles forward I’m excited to see what the future has in store for web animation.
Final Thoughts
Many new design trends continue to emerge with each passing year. I certainly hope the trends above can light a spark in designers both new and seasoned to the field. Web design is now more in demand than ever before, and a good designer should be able to deliver based on current trends and best practices. By studying what’s hip you’ll learn how to craft websites based on the needs of your clients and the needs of the design industry as a whole
