16 Web Design Trends to Watch in 2021

The web design landscape is constantly evolving.

Something that looked modern and fresh yesterday can seem out of date overnight, and trends that were once dismissed as irrevocably passé can unexpectedly come back into fashion.

One thing remains constant, however: websites are the most important marketing channel for many companies and, according to HubSpot research, the second most popular marketing channel for companies.

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Given the importance of websites to most businesses and the fact that half of consumers believe website design is vital to a business’s branding, it pays off to create your own website that is in line with today’s trends.

However, it doesn’t mean that you have to give up your website vision in order to get visitors. There is plenty of room for stylistic decisions across the spectrum. As HubSpot Senior Product Designer Dan Hartshorn notes, “I have recently noticed that many SaaS offerings go either monochromatic or black and white or in the opposite direction in their user interface, and their user interface is simply colored, shaded, graded, skeuomorphic, and so on . COVER. “

To help you prepare for where the web design tide is taking us, we’ve compiled a list of 16 trends that you should keep an eye on. Check them out below and get inspired to tackle your web design projects in style this year.

1. Bold typography

More and more companies are relying on large, bold typography to anchor their homepages. This style works best when the rest of the page is kept minimal and clean, as in this example from Brooklyn-based agency Huge.

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2. Cinemagraphs

Cinemagraphs – high quality videos or GIFs that run in a smooth, endless loop – have become a popular way to add movement and visual interest to otherwise static pages. Full-screen loops, like this example from French creative agency Social Brain, spark immediate interest on an otherwise simple page.

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3. Brutalism

To stand out in a sea of ​​tidy, organized websites, some designers opt for more eclectic structures that defy convention. While it may seem terrifying at first, many popular brands are now incorporating these aggressively alternative design elements into their websites, such as Bloomberg.

Brutalism emerged as a reaction to the increasing standardization of web design and is often characterized by a strong, asymmetrical, non-conforming look and a clear lack of hierarchy and order. In other words, it’s hard to describe, but you know when you see it – as with Chrissie Abbott’s example below.

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4. Saturated gradients

Gradients have been all over the internet for the past few years, and it seems like they aren’t going everywhere just yet. A perfect example of how this effect can look fresh and modern is shown by the copywriting agency Monograph Communications with its full-screen start page with a gradient.

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5. Vibrant layers of paint

Staggered, stacked layers of paint add depth and texture to a simple site layout, as seen in this stylish example from snack food brand Pipcorn. A vibrant color palette like this instantly set it apart from competing websites.

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6. Text only

Some websites dispense with images and prominent navigation sections altogether and rely on a few selected lines of simple text to inform visitors about their company.

The Danish agency B14 uses its homepage Immobilien to simply describe its mission statement and to provide links to examples of its work. It’s a modern, clear approach to presenting information.

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7. Figure

More and more companies are turning to illustrators and graphic designers to create bespoke illustrations for their websites. After years of flat design and no-nonsense minimalism, adding illustrated accents to your website is a great way to add a little personality, as seen in this charming example from NewActon (designed by Australian digital agency ED).

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8. Ultra minimalism

When classic minimalism is taken to extremes, some designers defy the conventions of what a website should look like and only show the bare minimum. Designer Mathieu Boulet’s website focuses on a few selected links to their social profiles and information.

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9. Mixing horizontal and vertical text

Stripping text from its usual horizontal orientation and placing it vertically on a page adds a refreshing dimension. Take this example from action sports video producer Prime Park Sessions, which combines horizontal and vertical text alignments on a minimal page.

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10. Geometric shapes and patterns

Quirky patterns and shapes are appearing more and more frequently on websites and give a little flair to a landscape that is otherwise dominated by flat and material design. The Canadian design studio MSDS uses bold, patterned letters on its homepage.

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11. Serif Fonts

Due to screen resolution limitations and a general lack of online font support, designers avoided serif fonts for years to keep websites legible and clean. With the recent improvements, serif fonts have a big moment in 2021 – and they never looked more modern. As seen on The Sill, a serif heading adds a dose of sophistication and style.

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12. Overlapping text and images

Text that slightly overlaps accompanying images has become a popular effect for blogs and portfolios. Freelance art director and front-end developer Thibault Pailloux highlights your overlapping text with a colored underline under each title.

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13. Broken grids

While grids are still one of the most common and efficient ways to display text and images on websites, broken grids continue to make their way into mainstream sites and provide a change from the norm. Take a look at the HealHaus website, for example. The homepage offers overlapping images and text blocks.

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14. Organic forms

Gone are the days of strict grids and sharp edges – now everything revolves around curved lines and soft, organic shapes. In the following example from Neobi, the borderline cartoonish background gives the uncomplicated design a generous dash of personality and vibrant color.

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15. Web textures

Web textures are background images that look like a three-dimensional surface. Textures, when done well, can immerse the viewer in a website by appealing to tactile senses, as demonstrated by Color Of Change – the background is reminiscent of a tape-like texture.

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16. Hand drawn fonts

Custom hand-drawn fonts have been popping up over the past few months, and for good reason. These unique fonts add character and charm, and help designers create a distinctive look without the need for a complete overhaul. On the website of the KIKK Festival 2017, a hand-drawn font provides a whimsical anchor for the homepage.

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Design trends to use on your website

Of course, you don’t have to consider all of these trends to create an effective website – we doubt it’s even possible. But even adding a few prominent components or more subtle details can greatly improve the UX of your website, resulting in higher engagement, more CTA clicks, and better bottom line for your online business.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in January 2018 and has been updated for completeness.