17 Top Web Design Trends to Inspire Your Projects in 2022

1. App-like UI/UX

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As smartphones and computers run more of our lives (though we may not like to admit), web design experiences are beginning to mimic those found in mobile app design. This trend is only going to continue and UI/UX designers are turning more to no-code tools to create websites and other digital products that is front-end heavy. I’m talking about creative animations and interactions that delight users and make websites more engaging. After all, we’re all used to using apps on mobile devices, and their design cues have trickled into the desktop web design world.

2. Oversized typography

Oversized typography is a web design trend that shows no signs of slowing down. This dramatic, eye-catching style can be used to make a bold statement or add visual interest to an otherwise simple design. Rather than just being typographical elements to read, designers are styling oversized type in new ways by playing with overlays and animating them. Whether you are designing a minimalist or maximalist style, oversized typography is versatile for any design.

3. Interactive fonts

Continuing the discussion on typography, web developers are now making fonts in their designs more interactive, either with custom coding or using no-code software. By pairing them with hover states and other interactions, web designers can create fonts that move and change based on user inputs. This allows for a truly unique and engaging experience. Interactive fonts can be used in a variety of ways, from animated headlines to scrolling effects.

4. Glassmorphism

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Glassmorphism is an approach that uses light and transparency to give elements a 'glass-like' appearance, and can be used to create beautiful, ethereal designs. To get the effect right, you will need to play around with diffusion, reflection, and shadow. To take it to the next step, apply glassmorphism to images and add subtle movement. It’s common to see financial websites apply this effect to credit cards and can give any website an overall premium look.

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5. Less neumorphism

Neomorphism is a design trend that gained popularity quickly in recent years. It’s characterized by soft, rounded edges with low contrast colors, and a play on light and shadow effects. While neumorphic designs have a fresh, contemporary look, they are terrible for web accessibility, or those with vision impairment. The low contrast elements make neumorphic designs hard to see in certain lighting conditions, and as design for accessibility increases, neumorphic design will appear less and less.

6. Design for accessibility

As web usage becomes more widespread by more people, it's important to consider the needs of all users, including those with disabilities. It’s now becoming a necessity to make ensure that websites can be used by all users, regardless of their ability level. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has released Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 to help web designers create sites that are accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. Making website more accessible means it will be perceivable, operable, and understandable by all users.

7. Creative scroll-based interactions

Scroll-based interactions have been around for a few years but with no-code tools like Webflow, they have enabled designers to create much more dynamic interactions. Apple is an example loved by many designers with scroll-based interactions. By allowing users to control the pace of information delivery, you can create a more immersive and interactive experience. This trend is especially well-suited for long-form content such as articles, blog posts, and product descriptions.

8. Responsive motion design

Responsive design in today’s creative industry is a given. As web speeds continue to increase, so does the demand for more visually-rich content. Web designers have gotten creative with their use of images, graphics, and videos, and 3D elements. Today, designers are using it more responsibly, meaning they are not overusing it when it shouldn’t be used, such as on a specific device, and are not causing visual harm to users, by inducing motion sickness, which can occur with sites that use too much parallax or 3D interactions. Site users have become the center of website functionality, and designs are adapting to their behavior on more detailed levels than before. The driving reason behind this is due to the fact that user attention spans have shortened, and the need to capture their attention has become so competitive.

9. Gradients

Gradients are a classic visual technique, however in previous years, they were used mainly in backgrounds. Recently, they’ve started making their way into text, buttons, and as borders on web elements. This can create some added depth in a website’s design.

10. Adding grain

Another element that being paired with gradients, or backgrounds in general is grain. Like in Hollywood movies, grain is added to make a film more distinctive. When grain is added on top of a website, it adds texture and can make a homepage appear more natural and grounded. Be on the lookout for grain being added on top of background colors, and images. In some cases, grain may be applied to every element on a page.

11. Layered effects

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Designs used to be flat and boxed in. In 2022 and beyond, you’ll start seeing web elements such as text and photos escaping their rectangular bounding box. As designers combine the use of shadow and visual elements that bleed and overlap into other elements, they add dimension to an otherwise flat visual. For example, an image of a person or object may look like it’s coming out of a frame, which is further positioned in the foreground, with text in the background. A picture is worth a thousand words, so check out the example below:

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12. Retro or “Memphis” design

Memphis style is a bold graphic visual style Inspired by the city of Memphis in the 1980s. It uses bright colors, geometric shapes, and retro elements like cassette tapes or vintage fonts. Designers take a lot of cues from fashion, as they are one of the forefronts on design trends. This 80s retro look gives a refreshing and sometimes nostalgic look to the modern, high-tech, web standards of today.

13. Abstract illustration

In a sea of websites that utilize attractive image, sites that use authentic illustrations stick out like a sore thumb (in a good way). Technology has enabled illustrators and graphic designers to digitize their hand illustrations. As a way to differentiate from competitors, web designers are utilizing hand drawn organic shapes, abstract textures, watercolors, and even ink line drawings, to give a unique touch to their designs that feels natural and more authentic.

14. Outlines and borders

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Look out for websites that utilize borders to call out and visually organize the layout of their website. When borders are used effectively, they can help the browsing experience of the user—by creating visual interest and drawing attention to specific elements on a web page, they can focus the attention to a specific call to action. They can also be used to group together related items or to delineate separate sections of content.

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15. Hero sections without images

With our attention spans being limited, designers are intent on giving us the information we want as quickly as possible. Sometimes, the most efficient way to do that is to reduce the use if images, as that can be distracting. By incorporating other techniques in this post, such as oversized typography or animated text, it’s becoming common practice to use alternative methods of UI design to draw the attention of the user, without the use of images.

16. One-page websites

A common theme throughout this page is the concept of simplicity. One-page websites are a popular web design trend that is going to continue. Single page landing pages are perfect for businesses or individuals who want to make a strong first impression and pack a lot of information into a small space, such as a portfolio or single product. As single landing pages are also an effective marketing tactic, brands are now turning to no-code tools to quickly create landing pages for marketing.

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17. No-code tools

No-code tools will have a large impact on the future of software and web development. These tools allow anyone to create complex websites and web applications without writing code. Platforms like Webflow, Bubble, and Carrd make it easy to visually design and launch custom sites without any coding knowledge—they shorten the development time and allow digital products to deploy and iterate much faster. For Webflow specific sites, it's recommended to look for a Webflow designer who can utilize a no-code stack to create custom web solutions.

What Are web design trends?

Web design trends are common patterns that we see in website development. From B2B and B2C websites, it’s important for designers to stay current with these trends and keep an eye on all creative industries. With the ability to create truly innovative designs, designers now have more freedom than ever before. The new trend in web design is all about creating something unique with an emphasis on creativity but still maintaining practicality and easy-to use features that engage visitors in a meaningful way.

Summary

So this was my roundup for the top web design trends to watch for in 2022. With the fast pace of software development, these are just a few of the many exciting things that we can expect in the world of web design over the next year. Keep an eye on them and see how they can add value to your own website development projects.