Modern web design is so much more than creating something “that looks nice”. A web design has got to be engaging and hold the user’s interest and guide them in carrying out a certain action, or series of actions for that matter.
Fundamental design techniques such as balance, hierarchy, colour, contrast, form, shape, unity/harmony etc help us achieve this engagement, and it’s why “design” (deployed properly) can be so valuable.
Web design in 2016 requires us to design interactions, to develop narratives and explore the relationship between the decisions of our users and our designs. It also allows us to be iterative, to test user’s responses and see where they click.
Oversized Typography
Using oversized type can lend importance to certain text elements. Some sites even opt to use oversized typography for all their text. And you don’t necessarily need to make type humongous for it to have an increased impact; making it one or two sized larger than you normally would can work wonders for how much weight it has within the overall design.
Bold Backgrounds
Using big, bold background images in your designs is another popular trend. There are a number of ways to do this, including creating resizing images. By using more complex or simpler designs, limited or vibrant color schemes, and other, similar design choices, you can change the impact a big background will have.
Retro and Vintage Elements
Surprisingly, the inclusion of retro elements in your design can make your site look new and fresh. Vintage designs have yet to really saturate the web, so people aren’t as used to seeing them online. Whether you opt to go back to the seventies, forties, or even earlier, these kinds of elements can be fun to add.
Eye-Catching Headers
Headers often contain important information you want to stand out to your site’s visitors. They can reinforce your company’s image, provide vital information, highlight important features, and more. Using a header that’s eye-catching, through the use of color, images, and typography, makes it more likely visitors will take the time to look at what’s up there.
Collage Elements
Collage elements are some of the most versatile design options out there. Used sparingly with clean edges, they can make a site look more polished and finished. With rough edges or used copiously, they can add a more artsy look to your site. And when they’re somewhere in between, they add a real flourish to website designs.
Textured Backgrounds
Using backgrounds with a bit of texture can add that extra bit of presence to your site. A textured design, whether dirty and grungy or made to look like cloth or anything in between can really add some punch to the look of your site. There are literally thousands of textured and patterned backgrounds out there you can adapt to the design needs of your sites, or create your own for something truly unique.
Tabbed Navigation
Tabbed navigation has a big advantage over button- or text-based navigation. Tabs evoke notebooks or binders, and people have a psychological expectation that clicking on a tab will take them to a new page or section (as a tab delineates a new section within a physical binder or notebook). This psychological connection makes it more likely people will click around on your site and visit different sections.
Black and White
Black and white color schemes can make a huge design statement. Using stark black and white is the most graphic, but combining shades of white, light gray and cream with blacks, dark grays, and dark browns can all have a significant graphic impact. Experiment with different levels of contrast to come up with the appropriate level for your specific design project.
Horizontal Scrolling
Horizontal scrolling sites can be difficult to pull off and are often best reserved for sites with limited content. But when combined with modal boxes and other content elements, they can make a huge impact on your visitors. It’s still something people aren’t used to seeing online, and can really stick in the minds of your users.
Cartoon Elements
Cartoon elements add a level of fun to your site that few other elements can. Whether you keep them relatively professional and polished in a corporate site or let them get a little looser, cartoon characters and other design elements keep your site looking fresher and younger. One particularly cool technique is to use charicatures of well-known figures (Einstein, Buddha, etc.).