Every year, designers push existing trends further and further into interesting creative spheres. 2019 is no different. It can be a daunting task to keep up with the fast-paced scene of modern designers. In fact, it’s impossible to always have your website look ahead of the curve. However, integrating some trends into your website design can really help your brand stand out and look fresh.
Here are the top design trends of the past few years and going into 2019!
In today’s design world, aesthetics and technology will reach an apex. Eccentric, bold design choices like bright color schemes, asymmetric layouts, and brutalist design continue to dominate the creative scene.
Serifs on Screen.
2019 has seen the revival of serif fonts in websites.
Serif fonts have traditionally been restricted to print media, and sans serifs are used onscreen. Sans serifs have been the go-to for web designers for their clarity and simplicity, the perfect form for text on digital screens. Additionally, serif fonts have typically been viewed as traditional, classic, even old.
However, serif fonts on the screen are now in vogue! Mailchimp recently redid their website in a bright yellow background and serif font that says cheerful and fun.
via MailChimp.
3-D Dimensional Illustration.
3D illustrations can be a great way to better connect with your customers through lively, fun, and imaginative animations. Animation has been on the rise in the past two years, with Forbes even stating it as one of the most powerful trends in web design last year. We said so too!
An animated logo or website can bring a lot of personality to your brand identity, and quite literally, make it come alive. In 2019, innovative web designers using CSS3 (Cascading Style Sheets) technology have made animation even more vivid and intuitive.
Via Paarth Desai.
Asymmetrical Layouts.
Designers are pushing out of the rigid, standard grid design that has dominated web design for years. Hosting sites such as Squarespace, Canva, and WordPress have empowered beginners with simple grid layouts to create perfectly beautiful websites, but some designers have been searching for the next step in creating innovative websites.
Asymmetrical layouts allow for a more dynamic, kinetic website that feels more alive, breaking the usual conventions of the structured grid layout. With an asymmetrical layout, the user is immediately drawn in by your more unconventional website. As they scroll through your site, a sense of wonder and intrigue may overcome them as they explore your design.
Via Daniel Spaztek.
Buxom Serifs
As stated before, this year will be the year of serifs. More specifically, we’ll see the rise of custom serifs, with a great sense of personality and diversity in different typefaces. Gone are the days of the “soulless” or “characterless” sans serifs fonts that dominated the scene in past years.
Today, designers are looking for retro, unique-looking serifs that burst with quirk, charm, and character. A buxom serif is chunkier and more bold than your classic serif like Baskerville or Didot. They’re legible, bold, and attention-grabbing. A serif font may be the way to go for you if you want a unique voice without the clutter.
Via Tulimilka.
Custom Illustration
Keeping in custom with the rise of more vintage looking design, we’ve seen the rise of delicate, elegant illustration in 2019 for design trends. The past few years were saturated with thick, bold lines in design, and this year, the trend has shifted to more classic pen and ink illustrations that might remind you of vintage botanical illustrations and Victorian scientific drawings.
Airy and light custom illustrations can add a classic quality to your brand. They can be great for food packaging, clothing brands, galore!
Via Mad Pepper.
Art-Deco / Mid Century Modern Design
In 2019, Art Deco is experiencing a revival. The flashy, flamboyant designs of the 20s are witnessing a comeback in 2019, the luxury and exuberance of this pre-World War I design movement coloring the design scene. Everything from web design, photography, tattoo design, and packaging design is getting an Art Deco makeover.
In addition, the opposite answer to Art Deco –– Mid-Century Modern Design –– is having a comeback, too. The stripped down, minimalist look of Mid Century Modern Design that emphasizes line fits in perfectly with the design world of 2019, a response to the opulence of flash of Art Deco.
Clean, organic, and geometric, Mid-Century Modern Design was most closely related to the Bauhaus German design school and sleek European furniture, as well as postwar advertisements. Mid-Century Modern strikes the balance between modern and classic.
Via Andrew Littman.
Organic Shapes
Designers are turning toward more natural, organic shapes in 2019 versus more austere geometric shapes like squares, triangles, and rectangles. Colorful paint splatters and organic shapes add a sense of dynamism to your website and can be more inviting than the sharp edges of geometricism. Think rolling hills, rain drops, and flowing splatters that give off the impression of spontaneity and playfulness.
Fluid shapes and bold color can make your brand seem warm, fresh, and accessible.
Via CrowdRise.
Micro-Interactions
Micro-interactions are animation designs that engage the user and elicits a response with a small event. They are small animations that pop up when a user presses a button. For example, when you refresh your Twitter feed, it makes a small bubbling noise – this is a micro-interaction.
Small interactions embedded into your design can create intuitive, lively animations in your mobile design. These subtle visual effects can really make your design come alive. In 2019, animations, chimes, and sounds like the pop on Twitter engage your user with your design and makes your page feel smarter.
We hope these design trends inspired you! Of course, the year isn’t even halfway over yet, and these are just the common trends of today. Undoubtedly, 2019 has more surprises in store for designers in the months to come.
