I think it’s safe to say that there’s a shift from adding unnecessary frills and shiny buttons, to a much cleaner design aesthetic.
We are more frequently seeing combinations of big impressive images and big and bold typography to catch attention, coupled with well-spaced content type. These emerging websites allow content to shine through to the forefront.
A couple of nice recent examples I’ve discovered are:
Designers and developers alike are coming to realise that designing below the fold isn’t a crime and that spacing out your content makes the page look more graphically appealing and gives any calls to action the space to capture the viewers attention.
These days, scrolling down a web page is just as instinctive as turning the page of a book. So, my advice would be to let your content breathe. Like more traditional mediums, many web designers appear to be adopting classic graphic design rules and techniques to their layouts which I think will last longer than many web trends and fads have done previously.
Amidst this clearer, uncluttered approach we are seeing latest HTML5/CSS3’s features being used to offer the user a more interactive experience. Many of the techniques now available were previously, only possible with JavaScript or Flash.
At Senior, we are currently looking at using parallax scrolling for a project. This is a technique that’s been around for a short while and features layered images that move around the website at different speeds or perspectivescreating a 3D illusion.
Some good examples of new interface interactivity can be found in the following sites:
So, on the whole – instead of being dull and simplistic, many current designers are dealing with layout, content and typography in a more considered way.
Please feel free to leave comments about any recent trends you may have noticed in web design.