There are good trends and bad trends, and most people probably remember at least one trend from their past they wished they hadn’t followed, particularly when looking back at those old yearbook photos.
The good news is that most trends for websites this year are not something that is too over the top, and many are a return to a very classic, clean look that is ideal for a professional looking website for any type of business. Of course, there are also new ideas in the 2016 design trends for websites, and taking a look at how they can be used with your existing site is a great way to upgrade.
In some cases, businesses may want to completely revamp the website based on the new direction of website design. This will be particularly relevant if the existing website is more than a few years old.
A Simple Flat Design
In the past, the goal of many of many websites was to present a multi-dimensional type of look to the site. Landing pages tended to be full of images, videos, graphics and large blocks of text.
With a flat design look for a simple, basic image, a few colors that may include shadowing to create the look of texture and movement, and central key image that is clean, clear and iconic. The text is simple and legible, with minimal text on the page unless it is a content page. Clutter is out, and a central focus is in with this and many of the other 2016 design trends that are on the rise.
Be Creative
A fun trend that is seen across a wide range of different professional, ecommerce and business websites is the use of creative drawings, doodles and more playful types of artwork in lieu of high-resolution photographs.
These types of drawings can be small or large, and they can include the use of different types of lines, colors and images to take a lighter look at products, services and even complicated or abstract concepts discussed in content articles on the site.
Get Moving
A unique look for specific types of websites is the use of 2D animation on a website. This is not the same as having a video looping in the background, but rather offers a central image with slight movement around or through the image, just enough to catch the eye and spark attention.
This is a great option for mobile devices as well. The slight animation around an otherwise still central element is ideal to create pages that load quickly but give that unique quality that warrants a second glance.
Colors and Shapes
While the flat website style is still one of the big 2016 design trends, that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. In fact, choosing a repeating or tessellating pattern in softer colors behind some larger, contrasting font is a bold option that is still very appealing without becoming overwhelming.
The pattern can include the complete background of the page, or a portion of the background. Text boxes in unique shapes can also be used to highlight the title or the text area, making the text jump out at the reader.
The use of shapes and repeating patterns with combinations of colors and unique lines will continue to be a popular option. This can be used as a central component of the page or it can be faded and serve more of a background.
Negative Space and Minimal Design
With logos and branding, as well as with websites, the use of negative space, or the space between the lines, will continue to be a creative way to create a logo or a design. These combinations of space and line are interesting to the viewer and tend to create a very memorable corporate logo that is instantly identifiable.
Adding branding and logos into a website design, particularly with a highly recognizable logo, makes the website an exceptional branding tool. The use of shapes, words, bold and fine lines and even gradients in color all create a dynamic look.
There is still the need for videos and movies on a website, and there is always a way to incorporate favorite images or elements if you are using an expert website designer. Just remember that the trends for the last few years have been quality images and simplicity, and this is likely to be a style well into the future.
