7 Web Design Trends that are Heating Up in 2018
The onset of a new year has meant looking ahead towards the web design trends we expect to define the next twelve months in the industry.
No more Pop-Ups!
After years fighting against these little buggers, pop-ups may be on their last legs. Google recently announced that it would punish any site using pop-ups and/or interstitials via its search results.
With Google goes the industry and thus we can expect to see sites slowly do away with annoying content-blocking pop-up ads that do nothing for nobody. That said, not all will fade away. Any age verification or sign-in interstitials still have a role to play for some sites and can be expected to hang around.
Increased use of Broken grid Layouts
As the web design world continues to experiment with grid layouts, expect to see different design techniques come into play throughout 2018. More unconventional and broken grid layouts are fast becoming a way to push boundaries and test new ways to usher in content. Though for some users, a broken grid layout can be off-putting, if it serves a purpose then it may be something to consider.
Serif Fonts are back!
As minimalism design has continued to simplify over the past decade, it’s been unfortunate that many fonts have lost their personality in favor of straight, to the point type. In 2018, as this type of design continues to lose some of its luster in the eyes of designers, expect to see serif fonts make a comeback. Though serif fonts have been criticized in the past for crowding up design layouts, when used correctly, they can add a uniqueness and authenticity that can define your brand.
Increased use of Animations
2018 is likely to see not only increased use of animation but more restrained, effective use of it as well. In terms of web design, animation is still on the rise. In recent years, it’s been very easy to overuse animation and in doing so, users have ended up either distracted or confused.
When used sparingly and with purpose, animation has the potential to re-define the way web design is built. There are some sites already using animation in creative ways to load images and text. That said, when considering animation, always ensure the user experience is not being negatively impacted.
More Defined Gradients
Gradients have changed in their presentation over the years. More recently, sharper, more defined gradients have gained in popularity as a way to add visual interest to a page. By adding this element to your existing web design, pages can be easily modernized. Create eye-catching sharp gradients that elevate the quality of a site!
Creating non-Horizontal Section Breaks
There’s no rule anywhere saying that section breaks need to be horizontal. More sites than ever before are turning to diagonal section breaks. This is among other experimentations designed to toy with section breaks and how to best keep the navigation flow continuing. Any website on the cutting edge may want to consider doing away with horizontal breaks. By turning breaks diagonally, this can be an easy way to add interest.
More Round Corners, Please!
The last web design trend on our list for 2018 is the increased use of rounded corners online. Round corners design has been a growing trend in design for over a decade however much of web design has recently focused on flat, sharp design. The new year brings with it much potential for rounded corners to return in full force!
