The Important Design Trends To Watch In 2018

Broken Grid Layouts

Grids are useful tools for arranging content in a clean and logical manner, and that isn’t going to go out the window especially using Bootstrap, but there is a move to more asymmetrical layouts. More unconventional arrangements are going to take the driving seat in the design of webpages gong forwards, especially in the more niche areas of the web, but the larger brands are likely to jump on the band wagon before long

Images are Key

The use of images has long been important as they are a great way to instantly and clearly signal your intent and vision. However, these images are becoming more bespoke, less off the peg. Thoughtful use of bold and expansive images is going to become the norm.

Jarring Design Choices

There is beginning to be a trend towards website designs that are less expected. Designers are looking for new ways to engage with the end users and one of the ways they are doing this is by making unexpected choice that jar the viewer out of their complacent browsing and force them to really engage with the content.

Inspiration from Nature

Straight lines and right angles have been on the decline for a while now and it looks like this trend is going to continue. Smoothed bubble edges and naturally inspired flowing shapes will continue to be the dominating design choices.

Smooth and Smart Animations

Animations are become natural and expected parts of website, there are no more clunky dropdown menus, instead they are seamlessly integrated into the page so that they just seem to flow out of the cursor as you explore the page. The aim is to create interactions with the user to engage and enthuse them.

Navigation Bars That Follow you

Navigation bars are being detached from the address bar, and floating separately from the design of the page. Rather than waiting for you at the top of the page they are instead held always a small distance below the address bar separate yet still connected to the rest of the page.

Video

This is the further step from the animations. Many users now expect videos as integral parts of most sites, so this content is becoming better integrated.

Mobile First

With mobile views now making up the majority of website hits, design is being focused on the mobile platform first. Designs that will be optimal for mobile devices are going to become the norm as desktop interactions become fewer.

Vibrant Colours

Colour choices are becoming bolder. The background design is not trying to hide but is, in itself, becoming a design feature. Text is being made to ‘pop’ from the screen with sharply contrasting colours rather than a reliance on black and white. This use of colour is also changing the way that gradients are used. They are becoming more dynamic. An example of this is using gradient filters over photos as a means of jazzing up more sedate images and giving them a bolder look.