It’s almost Christmas which also means the end of 2014 is in sight. 2014 has seen some fantastic trends in web design: code-free design platforms, parallax effects, single-page websites, and many more. While most trends are fleeting, the good ones prevail and become the standard. Here are my prediction for the trends that will be here to stay in 2015!
Go Responsive or Go Home
Responsive design has solidified itself as the new standard for web design and WordPress over the past few years. It’s no secret that mobile devices now surpass traditional computers and laptops as the way for users to surf the web. So if your site hasn’t made the switch to responsive by now, you’re doing yourself a disservice. With the increasing number of mobile users, responsive design is here to stay.
More Scrolling / Less Clicking
Sticking to the theme of mobile users, web design has changed direction to a more effective and enjoyable mobile experience. This means more scrolling and less clicking. It’s easier to do, more intuitive, and allows for a more dynamic interaction to take place between the user and the website. While websites with multiple pages are good for SEO, a single page site will create a better experience for users.
Typography Is King
I remember the days when web designers were only allowed a handful of web-safe fonts; those were some dark times. Thankfully web type-kits brought an end to that. Type kits are becoming more affordable (or free in the case of Google Fonts) which mean more freedom for designers to create information hierarchy using typography on the web. It’s important to remember that type for web is very different from type for print, and I hope that in 2015 we’ll change the old-fashioned thinking that can keep web text looking small and squeezed together. Responsive typography will be crucial for text to always look its best.
Flat Design Will Rule
2014 was the year of flat design, and this trend will surely continue into 2015. Flat design (or material design, as Google calls it) is in full bloom after appearing in Microsoft’s, Apples, and Google’s aesthetic direction. This trend works because it allows users to engage content and appreciate it without distractions. Flat design will grow up in 2015 and I hope it will be adopted by even more companies and organizations.
Large Beautiful Background Images and Videos
One of the easiest ways to make your site stand out is by having great content displayed prominently, and there’s no better way to do that than with huge images and videos. New techniques like responsive resizing and optimizing images for minimum loading times have allowed this trend to grow. In 2015, we’ll see many websites using large images and videos as backgrounds with color and pattern overlays and blurs to allow type to float directly on top.
Websites not utilizing these trends in 2015 will be left in the dust! I think the future of these trends will be decided by how far we push them in the months to come. One thing is for sure, I am excited to see how things unfold in 2015!
~ Walid Elshahed, Web Designer, The S3 Agency
