With the first quarter of 2009 half way through, there are distinctive web design elements that have been repetitive enough to emerge as trends or fads this year - some carried over from 2008 and some fabulous new design inspirations.
With access to broadband and speeds more readily available than ever before, designers are taking this opportunity to address and impress internet users.
Here are 10 identifiable design styles that you are sure to see on various websites adding to the transformation to beautiful, informative and interactive websites on the internet.
Out of the box layouts
Individual and creative layouts are the flavor of this year – replacing traditional boxy layouts with site design that thinks outside the square and give your website and business an individual style to stand out from the crowd.
Modal Windows
Dialogue boxes are redefining the depreciated pop-ups. Far more user friendly than JavaScript windows, they appear to float on top of the main content and are triggered by an action of a user. Used for logins and enlargements of images.
Magazine Layout
With blog design there has been a lean towards the adaption of the various techniques used in traditional media such as magazines and newspapers. Great for the likes of information websites and portals.
Introduction blocks
The upper left hand corner of a website is your first contact with a web visitor. To get the message across to your online visitor it can’t get better than by having a strong, brief, introduction as to who and what your website and business represents in a larger type font.
Slideshows
Slideshow navigation is an increasingly popular method to view content and images vertically or horizontally by toggling an arrow. This allows visitors to skim and browse with the minimal of time. Great on blogs, entertainment sites and online portfolios and creeping into mainstream websites.
White Space
One of the trends that is improving the structure and usability of websites over the last few years ( and continues this year ) is increased white space on a web page. Visually appealing and refreshing!
Large, bold and vibrant
Large images, bright vibrant backgrounds and edgy navigation are a hugely popular part of the process to create memorable web sites.
Retro and Vintage
Creating a feel of past years by using old movie poster style illustrations, old style typography, packaging and wallpapers blended together to create plenty of nostalgia.
Handcrafted styles
A trend that emerged in 2008, this style has carried on with designs incorporating notepaper, paperclips, sketches, handwriting and backgrounds of wood, faded paper, wallpaper and fabrics.
PNG transparency
PNG transparencies are being successfully integrated into web design to give semi transparent backgrounds and 3D effects to images, backgrounds and drop shadows to modal windows.
Although some would say drop shadows have become oh so yesterday, I disagree and regard them more as a design element that adds depth and volume to a flat medium. Unfortunately PNG transparency is not supported by Microsoft’s limited Internet Explorer 6.
There are of course many other ”in vogue” ideas being flaunted in web designs all over the internet for 2009 – leave some comments about trends you love or hate!
The main consideration though, is not to fall into the trap of creating clones of other websites and vigorously following trends – sprinkle your design with your own creativity and uniqueness and remember the web is about content, and informing your visitors.