Web Design Trends for 2020

Trends in web design constantly change. In 2020 there seems to be endless technical possibilities and designers are becoming more extreme. Simultaneously, some of the more popular designs from the past simply will not go away like the minimalist approach and flat, colourful illustrations that we’ve become used to seeing.

So what are the web design trends for 2020 going to be? Here’s what we think.

1. Dark mode

Web designs in dark mode look extremely modern, they are easy on the eyes, and they make design elements and colours really pop.

Dark backgrounds help to enhance the visibility of alternative accent colours and offer a very dynamic design overall.

2. Adding personality through imperfection

Hand-drawn elements that are imperfect inject humanity and emotion into a website. In 2020, with hand-drawn elements added, it provides visitors with a sense of ‘soul’ that’s more appealing.

Hand-drawn icons along with various other elements demonstrate the personality of a brand and in this way, you can stand out more from your competitors.

It may be hand-made illustrations or hand-drawn icons, either way, in 2020 we will very likely see more designers purposefully implementing messy-looking elements into web design.

3. Immersive 3D elements

The reason why 3D elements have not been more popular until now is that technology was lacking and the price tag was high. Now, however, the technology is available and the price tag is within the realms of all web designers.

For 2020 though, and until VR is more cost-effective, 3D that is hyper-realistic and tends to take up the entire screen is going to be the way forward in terms of creating a more immersive experience on your website.

4. Layers, soft shadows, and floating elements

Here, we’re focusing on the creation of depth. Similar to the 3D effect but in a toned-down way, floating elements and soft shadows add depth and interest which serves to cater to a 3D-like appearance, but as mentioned, toned down.

This effect, of course, can be used with graphics, but it can also be used with photos and text.

Designers are now able to add a bit of extra sparkle to 2D layouts using layering elements and soft-drop shadows on top of each other. This provides extended depth and the elements appear to be floating on the page.

5. Blending photography and graphics

Adding graphics over the top of real photographic images creates a visual that is not only memorable but also lends itself to wilder creativity.

This trend can be used to add charm to what would otherwise be a pretty boring photo or it can be used to better communicate abstract or complex concepts such as finance or tech.

The trend is an excellent way to add more personality to a site.

6. Frames of white space

For a while now full-bleed layouts have been a trend in web design. In 2020, designers are already moving towards structures that are solid and they are giving their designs additional structure by using lots of white space. This gives the design more stability.

Framing affords the ideal foundation to allow visuals to really shine. Structured frames positioned around websites provide a sense of satisfying order while helping to separate and prioritise the different parts of each webpage.

7. Luminous color schemes

In 2020 we will see courageous colour paintings that are used to make web design jump out much more than before.

Web design is already more daringly bolder and designs now have a far more luminous feel than at any time before.

Duotone web designs really do set this trend apart. Duotone has reinvented itself over and over and that’s why it’s still at the very forefront of web design.

In 2020, more intriguing colour schemes are bound to take on a far more critical role. Because of the rise of dark mode and extreme minimalism in web design, luminously glowing colours really can shine.

8. Minimalist navigation

Since wearable devices are becoming more popular, like smartwatches, for example, there’s a trend for web design to think smaller.

Navigation is impacted by this more than anything else. Over previous years, navigation has become simpler as a way of accommodating very small devices, not to mention the ever-smaller user attention span.

This, of course, is a good thing because it allows users to think less about moving around and to move around rather than spending time thinking about how to move around.

Simultaneously, larger-sized photos and video content that uses the very minimum of text are going to become more popular in 2020.

Because images will get more attention, do make sure that the images you use are worthy of it. Rely on powerful, artful images that really do say it all to your audience.