9 Web Design Trends for 2022

Web design is an art and often an understated one. It’s not as simple as picking a colour palette, throwing some images together and making sure there’s enough content on each page. A web designer’s job is to create the perfect storefront for your business. Not only does the website have to feel fresh and aesthetic, but it also has to be highly functional, quick to load, accessible on multiple devices and optimised for search engines.

As with anything creative, web design is subject to trends. These trends are often driven by culture, big players like Google and Apple, as well as social user experience, which is determined by social media apps where users get accustomed to a particular layout and navigation.

As with all things, your web design projects will be influenced by your budget. Unless you have enough money in the bank to reinvent your website regularly in order to keep up with trends, it’s important to select something that will not only age well but will, above all else, provide an exceptional user experience (UX) that makes it easy for your website’s visitors to access the information they need and make a purchasing decision.

In this article, we explore the latest web design trends for 2022 to provide you with the inspiration you need to build, refresh or re-design your own website.

1. Big Bold Typeface

2. Triadic Colour Schemes

This trend has been on the rise for a while, but you’re likely to come across it even more often in 2022. A triadic colour scheme uses complementary colours spaced out evenly around the colour wheel; each one is picked so that no particular colour stands out above the rest. It’s all about harmonising and achieving a visually pleasing balance.

3. Throwbacks and Flashbacks

Many web design experts have highlighted a trend that celebrates the 90s and early days of the web. This nostalgic look back at the dawn of the internet brings us more analogue style websites, grainy images, retro fonts and pastel colour pallets. Take a look at Super Mega Hyper Doge, the BlockChain NFT game, for some retro vibes.

4. One-page Websites

The past two years have been complicated and stressful –– people naturally crave simplicity. The one-page website is perfect for businesses or organisations that have a single idea or subject matter to present. You can use this type of website to really focus on the kind of feeling you’d like to evoke from your visitor and provide all the information they need to quickly move on to the next step—no distractions or multiple pages to dig through. Explore The Rafael to get a feel for what a well-coordinated one-page website should look like. Divided into five focussed sections, you can learn exactly what you need to know about this property.

5. Black and White Colour Schemes

For ultra-minimalist lovers, a black and white colour scheme can be a real feather in your cap. When you only have two colours to work with, it’s essential that the design elements, the content, the layout, the typography and the copy do all the hard work. So, if you enjoy a simple aesthetic that demands attention, the black and white web design trend is for you. Check out this super immersive black and white website created for a documentary series on bread.

6. Gradients

Gradients are huge this year, use them in your text and illustrations to maximise impact and create a textured effect. Gradients are colour transitions that use gradual blending from one colour to another, giving you room to play with multiple shades. Gradients are eye-catching; they also tick that nostalgia box and allow you to inject some energy into your design. Lastly, don’t be afraid to put some grain into your gradients to bring texture and more natural elements into your web design aesthetic. Renowned French photographer, Virgile Guinard is a big fan of the gradient, as seen on his striking portfolio website.

7. Copy Instead of Images

A picture is worth a thousand words…. but in 2022, you’re likely to encounter text in the homepage header/hero image section of a website. Designers are boldly using oversized typography, animations and interactive elements in the copy. The aesthetic can end up being quite minimalist, helping your website visitor to focus on what you really want them to see. If using interactive text elements, it's important to make sure the text is still easy to read, and the message doesn’t get lost.

8. Layered Effects and Collages

Layering images to create a collage can help to free up more white space on the screen and allow you to use multiple images. Stack, overlap and merge pictures and graphics to show how they are connected while giving your page some depth and plenty for the viewer to discover. It’s a great way to bring seamless cohesion to your images and build a powerful message.

9. Interesting Illustrations

If you’ve ever wanted to flex your design muscle, now is the time. Abstract illustrations that draw the website visitor into a story can be hugely successful. Try textured, tangible looking imagery that invokes a sense of artistry. Have fun creating images that merge reality with imaginative, surrealist visuals. Your visitors will remember you for it! For exceptional illustration combined with a clean, minimalist ambience, check out koox.co.uk .

These are just some of the top trends dominating web design in 2022. Of course, there are many others like split-screen webpages and gender-neutral designs that use non-binary colour palettes and language to create a more inclusive and welcoming online experience.

Ultimately, you have to pick the concepts and ideas that align with your brand, its core messaging and, of course, what your audience expects to encounter when they visit your website.

Conclusion

The overarching theme for 2022 seems to be simple, straightforward messaging, mixed with nostalgia and storytelling that gives the visitor an immersive experience without being intrusive or overwhelming.

The web is saturated with content, which makes creating an engaging and interesting website essential. Amazing user experience and creative web design that’s in line with modern best practices and standards isn’t just a nice to have; it’s a must-have. Why not let the BEE.Team help you turn your website into an extraordinary discovery for your visitors and customers?

If this article has inspired you to refresh, upgrade or build a brand new website, simply book a call with one of our experts and let's create the website of your dreams.