UA Web design has come a long way over the past few years. It sits at the intersection of creativity and technology — two of the fastest-moving fields in the world — so it’s no surprise that new trends keep popping up in web design. So what are the latest web design trends right now?
- dark color scheme
- collage
- anti-design
- minimalism
- organic design
- illustration
- functionality, inclusivity, and accessibility
- motion design and interactivity
- 3D and geometric design
Some approaches in web design are here to stay — user-friendly navigation, data security, fast page loading. Trendy styles, on the other hand, will keep coming and going. Still, if you stay on top of the latest trends, styles, and innovations, your site will always stand out from the crowd, even as the online ecosystem keeps changing.
Dark Color Scheme
For a long time, a white background was considered the only way to create open, breathing space on a website or in an app. A few years ago designers started adding darker elements and themes, and in 2021 this trend took over the industry — we expect it to stick around in 2022 too.
What Is a Dark Color Scheme?
Major brands like Apple and Hublot, along with individual designers like Clock Strikes Twelve, use dark backgrounds for their products and portfolios, since it’s a great way to make a site feel modern and elegant. Beyond letting designers play with elements like pastels or neon (the two biggest trends of 2020), research has also shown that dark mode drains less battery and is easier on the eyes, as it reduces the negative effect of blue light.
«It seems more products today ship with a dark mode setting, or are built around a dark color scheme from the start — that’s driven by research into how bright blue light affects people, as well as its impact on battery life» , says Envato UI designer Sean Feehan.
Dark mode isn’t just elegant and easy on the eyes — it also boosts contrast and makes design elements stand out more. You can even add a dark mode toggle to your site, as shown in these examples from Johny Vino, Koos Looijesteijn, and Adrian Verde Studio, so visitors can customize the site to their own liking.
«In my opinion, dark background mode is the standout trend that made the biggest impact on web design in 2020, — says Envato UX designer Talia Giannopoulos. — Now that dark mode has caught on, I’ve already seen several sites add a toggle between light and dark. It’s brilliant, and at the same time so simple, letting users pick a setting based on their own preference».
More and more neumorphic designs — a divisive UX style built on skeuomorphism and flat design (commonly seen in iOS or Android interfaces) — now include a dark background option, even though they were originally built using only white and light color schemes.
Collage and Mixed Media
Collage is one of this year’s most popular trends in graphic design and on social media, and the trend quickly caught on in web design as well. Mixed media is back in the spotlight thanks to digital artists and influencers, and plenty of brands and web designers have picked it up too, including Chobani, City Circus, and Urban Outfitters.
So What Is Collage, Exactly?
Collage combines photography, illustration, graphics, moving elements, and text, and it’s used to create an inspiring, attention-grabbing aesthetic.
Now that collage has moved into the digital realm, it has evolved further, picking up new elements: animated collages, oversized decorative type, painterly textures (like visible brush strokes), and even animated distorted text — all producing striking results.
«I think the whole idea of mixing different media will only gain momentum in 2021, says Talia. — A lot of people already use iPad drawing apps and digital brushes that mimic traditional paints (watercolor, oil, gouache), and the boundaries of digital art keep shifting. It’s also convenient that this kind of artwork already exists as a digital file, so there’s no need to scan or photograph it, which makes it easier to share online».
Collage is a trend that pairs well with minimalist UX design, or even with anti-design if you’re willing to push past convention. Working mixed media and collage into your site’s design is a great way to add vibrancy and creativity, helping your brand stand out.
Anti-Design
Fair Warning: We Know This Trend Isn’t for Everyone!
If 2020 taught us anything, it’s to throw out the rulebook and every expectation with it. Anti-design grew out of the brutalism revival of 2019, and more recently this divisive style has seeped into social media and pop culture, as well as into web and graphic design.
What Is Anti-Design?
Anti-design is often described as raw, rough, unapologetic, even ugly — embracing chaos and imperfection as a form of protest against traditional standards of «good» design. It leans on experimental, asymmetrical details, exaggeration, distortion, layering, and deliberately unattractive elements, which is exactly why it won’t be to everyone’s taste. But if you consider yourself the kind of brand that likes to stand out from the crowd, there’s no denying that a site built in the anti-design style is an effective tool for grabbing attention.
Plenty of professionals are drawn to the strange world of anti-design right now — one example is the chaotic yet quirky site of Dutch brand Roze Bunker, along with design studios Play Type and XXIX. Even Australian musician Flume went for this bold, brash, brutalist approach on his own site. Even though a trend like this means running into no shortage of competitors doing something similar (hopefully in a good way), effective web design is still about balance. If you really want to try anti-design, it’s important to keep your site’s interface simple, functional, and user-friendly.
«I thought anti-design would gradually fade out, but now I think it’s evolving alongside the mixed-media trend, — says Talia. — I’ve come across a lot of different sites where images overlap each other, serif and sans-serif type get mixed together, and animation is used in unconventional ways. Even so, thanks to solid UX, they work beautifully».
Minimalism
One design trend that refuses to go away is minimalism. It’s been feeding web designers for the past decade. But what does minimalist web design actually mean? It’s less about a particular look and more about strict design principles — using only essential graphic elements like shapes, plain text, a limited color palette, and open space. This approach produces something simple, functional, and memorable.
There are plenty of great examples of brands using minimalism in their design — premium footwear brand ETQ Amsterdam, for instance, or the Brooklyn-based business growth agency Huge Inc. Minimalism is often associated with monochrome and white backgrounds, but it’s not just black or white. Colorful, vibrant minimalism is gaining ground in both graphic and web design — here, a simple yet striking site is built with bold block colors and bright backgrounds, clean sans-serif and minimalist typefaces, and a small set of elements.
A trend focused not only on simplifying the visual design of sites but also on usability and functionality is another important direction for 2021. Minimalist web design will keep being a key part of modern UI design for years to come.
«I’m no trend expert, but I believe minimalism will always be relevant in digital design, says Sean. — The more we complicate our interfaces, the harder we make it for people to actually use our products».
Organic Design
Organic design is one of the most noticeable trends of 2021, built around drawing inspiration from nature and the world around us. While this trend has long been common in product design, interiors, and graphic design, it’s now starting to gain traction in web design too.
Organic design is shaped by growing attention to ecology and environmental protection, hence the warm earthy colors, natural shapes, and raw organic textures — as seen on the sites of Ora Floral Agency, A Better Source, and Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne.
Neutral colors mirror the palette of the natural world, which is the simplest and most effective way to give a site a natural feel. Soft shades of brown, beige, and white, along with dusty pink, blue, and green, also complement a natural color palette beautifully — they can be used on their own or paired with brighter colors for extra contrast.
«I’ve noticed a few sites shift their focus toward warm, natural color schemes — it’s been a welcome change, since our screens are usually full of bright, cool tones», says Talia.
Illustration
Illustration has been an absolute hit in graphic design this year, and it’s also caught on in social media and web design. Plenty of brands have embraced it, from insurance company AHM to even Gucci — companies and artists alike have been weaving hand-drawn elements into their site design.
Like organic design, illustration is great for giving a site personality — it creates a sense of warmth and puts visitors at ease. Since 2020’s focus was on diversity, a lot of illustrators now depict unconventional-looking people, a style sometimes called «odd bodies».
3D illustrator and graphic artist Amrit Pal Singh is a big fan of this kind of quirky, inclusive illustration, and his own work pays close attention to diversity and everyone’s individuality.
«Illustration and character design have, over the years, set the wrong standards for beauty and for what actually matters. Almond-shaped eyes, light skin, certain body types — we grew up on cartoons that only reinforced these biases, says Amrit. — Fixing that is our responsibility as creators and artists. We need to be deliberate about how we represent these standards. I always try to make my illustrations diverse, so that everyone can see themselves in them».
Functionality, Plus Inclusive and Accessible Design
Functionality has always been a core part of web design. But alongside fast page loads and mobile-friendly interfaces, growing attention to inclusivity and accessibility has created a need for web design that accounts for the needs of people with disabilities and makes sites accessible and usable for everyone.
Fortunately, plenty of brands and companies already build this way, including e-commerce platform Blue Receipt and cat food brand Cat Person. A functional, accessible, user-friendly site that any visitor can navigate with ease is now essential for effective online engagement.
Clearer, more inclusive design isn’t just good customer service — it also boosts conversions, helps promote your site, and grows your audience.
Here are a few ways to make your site more accessible:
- create strong color contrast between text and background;
- add focus indicators, such as a rectangular outline that appears around links during keyboard navigation;
- use labels and hints on form fields instead of placeholders with vague hints;
- add functional ALT tags (alt text) to images;
- use content that’s easy to understand and free of jargon.
«Overall, I’ve seen the bar rise quite a bit — there are a lot of well-crafted, functional, accessible sites out there now, and that’s great, says Sean. — I came to that conclusion when I noticed sites starting to use higher-contrast colors, bolder typography, authentic content, bigger buttons, and soft, rounded interface elements. I believe all of this is happening because there’s a growing understanding and appreciation of the value great design can bring to a business».
Motion Design and Interactivity
Video content grabs internet users’ attention today more than any other format, so it’s no surprise this has become one of the popular trends in web design. Motion design and animation are used by everyone — from boutique sites like Alter Mind and Gridspace to major job-search services like SEEK. It’s a simple way to make an ordinary web page more engaging.
Similarly, plenty of brands and companies, like YouTube Rewind, have started adding more interactive elements to their sites (quizzes, games, and polls). A great example of this approach is the brand Estee Lauder. The company’s site features an interactive arcade game called «THE ANRCADE», a futuristic quest where users earn «youth points», which the brand uses to promote its Advanced Night Repair cream.
Interactivity isn’t just a fun addition to the online experience — it’s also a great way to engage your visitors and learn more about them. That said, it’s important to keep a balance, so that interactive motion design elements don’t overwhelm or distract users from the main reason they came to your site.
«As technology advances, motion design keeps getting easier to apply, and when used well it helps create stunning experiences, says Sean. — I find it works best when there’s a real flow between content and how users interact with the elements».
3D and Geometric Design
Geometric patterns and elements are a common sight in modern web design, including classic flat shapes like polygons, rectangles, triangles, and rhombuses. But the trend has evolved and now includes more contemporary elements too, such as three-dimensional shapes, floating objects, and visible grid lines.
Three-dimensional shapes and floating objects show up in geometric design through the blending of surreal animation with real objects, creating a mesmerizing, futuristic effect. This style is often used in promo videos to showcase new products, which appear to rotate as if suspended in mid-air. To make your own site more engaging, you can add an extra layer or dimension. One example is The Artery’s website, which pairs geometric elements with the clean, simple lines of a minimalist modular grid.
Using simple grid lines, borders, and other structural elements has also become a trend in web design. You can see it at work on sites like Rail Road Ladies, Monograph Comms, and The Imagineers.
«I’ve noticed geometric elements and grids making a comeback in web design. And as someone who loves structure and order, I genuinely love it» , says Sean.
As you can see, 2021 has a lot of exciting design trends in store — and some of them are already gaining momentum right now.
