Along with the development of internet technology, using internet becomes more and more common in daily life and work. Thus, website design is different from before upon the technology development and new desire of visual effect from people.

Now, let’s talk about the trends of recent website design, examine how they can enhance the website interface and user experience.

Responsive Website Design (RWD)

Since the popularity of smart phone, people get use to obtain different information from mobile devices. A newly technology of website design arise in response to such mobile version, it can adjust the layout display according to different resolution of different devices, allowing people to browse the same website in the best visual circumstance even using different mobile devices.

On the other hand, non-responsive website makes users difficult to browse in mobile version. A good website design should be compatible to different devices, not only can decrease the cost, but also increase the usage of the website, so that the message can be delivered more effectively.

Because of the appearance of mobile website, the trends of modern website design has been changed too, card layout, long scrolling and parallax scrolling are commonly used recently.

Long Lasting of Mininalism

The trend of design is different in different era and place, however, minimalism design is always popular and fashionable. Minimalism means “Less is more”.

Minimalism excludes excess elements, shapes and colours etc., instead simple pictures, typography and spacious usage will be used in order to make people focusing on the content. If the design include too many elements, users will find it difficult to search relevant information.

In conclude, a good design is using minimalism to make the layout looking prettier and more efficient to express the message content.

* Minimalism makes people feeling calm and Japanese style is one of the representatives of the minimalism design.

Material Design & Flat Design

Material design and flat design are new style language created by Google in 2014. Material design uses shading effects as well as movement and deepness concepts, making the design looks more realistic. Its target focuses on the simplicity and modernizaton of user experience (UX). Although it is said that the sense of aesthetic of Google is decline, most people regards it as change of game rules, and it is able to compete with Apple design.

With the minimal appearance, although there are many similarities between material design and Flat design (which is another leading trend of design), material design uses deepness and shading effect which are more meticulous than flat design.

Furthermore, material design, flat design and minimalism design are widely used by Google and Apple, which they affects people’s appreciation and trend of design.

Typography

Because of the appearance of Google’s font style and Adobe Typekit, typography can be used in web design, development staff and designer can use more and more stylish and special font type to design and not only limited to Arial and Comic Sans due to compatible problem.

A big and bolding typography can be matched with other stylish elements, and making the design more diversify to attract more customers.

Hero Image – Large Image Background

Visual is the strongest sense in human beings, a high-density full screen picture (or background of the video) can draw people’s attraction quickly. Thanks the advancement of broadband and data compress technique, uses will not have the problem of speed when downloading files. With the vertical scroll of browser, place a HD graphic on the top will be the more effective and popular design method.

Hamburger Menu Icon

Icon makes a message become very simple, direct, functional and memorable, just like those “Road Signs” on the road. Hamburger Menu Icon become a popular component of modern website and mobile apps design recently, especially for the mobile apps due to the limited frame.

Although people’s opinion on hamburger menu icon is in two opposing extremes, this menu icon can make the design more stylish and modern, it also can focus on other elements and can unify the browsing navigation of different devices.

Card Layout

Card Layout becomes popular recently and is widely used in online shops, website products and title presentation style. One of the advantages is it can divide the content into card layout which can minimize the monitor space occupation. Another advantage is it can easily change the website into responsive website design which is the most popular design nowadays.

* The representative website using card layout design – Pinterest

Long Scrolling & Parallax Scrolling

Due to the development of mobile devices, most people is get used to browse in long scrolling mode. Its make navigation more easily, users is not required to click to display the content. One-page website design is thus developed base on this long scrolling design, it makes website more easily to be browsed and message transmission.

Parallax Scrolling design changes the user experience (UX), more interactions can be done in the website through narration.

Rich but Tiny Animation

Animation in user interface is an interesting presentation method, it enriches the layout and become more attractive. Nowaday, ting animation is widely used instead of huge animation, e.g. loading animation, navigating animation and hovering animation.