Written by

Carrie Cousins
on

February 25, 2022

Last Updated on February 25, 2022

Now that we are well into 2022, it’s time to start thinking about modern refreshes and website design trends. Whether you are starting new or just looking for a few trending touches, we’ve got some great ideas to help you along the way. 

Here are five great trends that will keep your WordPress website looking fresh. 

1. Big, Big Text

The more we look at typography trends, the more we keep coming back to the concept of big text elements. And they just keep getting even bigger. 

Designers are having a lot of fun with oversized text that’s fully integrated into the design, such as the text on the photo here at regrocery.co. 

For the most part, this concept is used with bold images and text elements that include short words.

• Why it works: This design works when text and image elements work together. When paired in a way that feels united and seamless, the result can be stunning and highly engaging.

• How to use it: This is one of those trends where you can’t force it. You need just the right words – shorter is often best – and a stellar image that combine to create a unified message. If the elements work against each other, the design won’t hold up. 

2. Hidden Navigation

This is one of those trends that seems to be almost everywhere, it seems completely counter-intuitive: The navigation is hidden. 

Without an obvious menu or navigation structure at guidelotus.com, designers are opting for deeper headers with more white space – reminiscent of many mobile homepages – and kicking navigation elements out of the design. 

The result is a very clean and sleek visual, but is it user-friendly? This is something you’ll have to test on your website. If you go this route focus groups, user testing, and a close look at analytics to ensure usability are important. 

• Why it works: Users are getting more and more accustomed to hidden and hamburger-style navigation because of the increased usage of mobile sites. Because mobile websites have

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This article was written by Carrie Cousins and originally published on WordPress News | iThemes Blog.

Web design is ever-evolving. As technology gets more powerful and designers experiment with new styles, every year presents a unique set of exciting trends in the online world. Drawing from the designs emerging throughout recent years, as well as new tech that’s being developed, it’s possible to predict what’s coming over the course of 2020.

Let’s recap the last few years in web design and examine the emerging styles, so you can know what to expect in the upcoming new year and beyond.

Why Keep Up With the Trends?

Not every web design fad is viable, that much is for certain. There’s a time and place for everything, and overhauling your website for no reason can do more harm than good, especially when it comes at the cost of usability and UX.

But though you shouldn’t go giving your site a facelift without serious consideration, there’s definitely some merit to keeping up with web design trends, especially those based on advancements in technology.

For instance, if you haven’t heard about AI chatbots, progressive web apps, or CSS grid yet, you could be using outdated tech that’s losing you conversions. Think of how revolutionary responsive design was to the internet; you don’t want to be last on board next time a development like that happens again.

And even when the trends are purely aesthetic, there’s still merit to keeping up with them. For instance, a plain white, clean, simple website may be functional. But with the more avant-garde style web design has taken on in the past few years, users are also finding it quite boring.

Even small changes like adding more color, broken grids, or micro-interaction animations can go a long way towards keeping your site relevant.

Plus, as web designers grow, learn, and adapt to new technologies, some of these advancements and trends are very much for the better as far as both beauty and functionality go. Think about how sites looked and worked 20 or even 10 years ago… we’ve come a long way, and have a long way to go yet.

If you see a modern web design trend that fits your brand, and helps or at least doesn’t harm usability, it might be worth it to get on board.

Recap: 2018 Web Design Trends

With 2020 now here, 2018 is seeming further and further away. But its trends still continue to impact the web even as brand new styles emerge, and as many of these are still relevant to modern design, it’s good to look back and see how far we’ve come.

Web design has been moving away from minimalistic simplicity and towards bold individualism for a few years, but it all came to a peak in 2018. We can still feel the effects even now, and the internet will surely continue to populate with original, unique styles.

2D Illustrations, 3D Animation

An example of a 2D illustration (Source: Nomadic Tribe)

Illustrations are one of the best ways to convey personality and 2D drawings have been popping up more and more. They’re great for branding and make

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This article was written by Brenda Barron and originally published on Blog – Kinsta Managed WordPress Hosting.