Every year brings with it a slew of new web design trends. 2014 is no different. Here are some of the most engaging and exciting trends to watch out for this year.
Flat Design
The days of three dimensional flashy websites with 3D images and similar eye catching techniques are waning. Now it’s all about providing a simpler, cleaner and more basic design. We’re talking about flat design, and it can be applied to anything from a logo to an entire website. Google’s logo is the most obvious example of this; the old rounded look has been replaced by a flat one for more simplicity.
Responsive Design
There are more ways to access websites now than there were in the past. We’re not tied to a desktop screen anymore. With smart phones, tablets and other devices giving easy access to the internet on the move, responsive web design is coming into its own this year. Responsive design ensures the user sees the ideal site layout according to the device they access it with. It should also respond to how the user moves around the site, according to their needs.
Fixed Navigation
This provides a more user friendly experience when someone is navigating a site. The navigation bar is typically situated at the top of the site as it would be normally. However with fixed navigation it always remains in view – even when someone scrolls right down to the bottom of the page. This enables the user to navigate to another area on the site without scrolling right back to the top of the page. It’s easier and more convenient for visitors when compared to the old way of doing things.
Full Width Pages
These have yet to be seen in abundance, but more webmasters are looking at the potential to have full width pages that aren’t cluttered by sidebars or widgets in the usual positions. This can be done on individual pages as well as across larger sections of a website. The main benefit is to ensure visitors focus on specific pages of content, rather than being distracted by countless messages, ads and other detritus in the sidebars.
Parallax
This is an interesting effect which alters the appearance of the web page depending on the point it is being viewed from. As you scroll down the page can change and move, as the background moves differently to the foreground. Sometimes the movement of the cursor from side to side elicits a change, while at other times the scrolling makes a difference. Either way it can be used with both flat design and 3D effects depending on the needs of the user.
2014 is certainly shaping up to be a big year in terms of web design. Just one of the above examples could transform a website, but when two or more are used it has the potential to catapult a site above its competition. Being user friendly is still the ultimate aim, but when used correctly all these trends tick this box.