‘Code-Free’ Websites
In the past, it has been difficult for designers to create websites because of minimal coding experience. The New Year brings a breakthrough in web design trends. Graphic designers can now create websites online, free of charge, without using code. Webydo.com and Wix.com offer an online platform to design your websites on. The platform is comparable to a simplified Photoshop, which allows for maximum creative freedom when designing a website. The best part is that there is no coding involved. Designers can create websites without the help of a developer. This idea of code-free websites speeds up the web design process and could also save you money.
Flat Design
In 2014, there will be a further shift from 3D design and skeumorphic design to flat vector images. HTC uses flat design. The iPhone just updated its software to a flatter design. Windows 8 is also has a very flat design. The reason why flat is becoming such a trend is because flatness lends to simplicity. Simplicity leads to great user interface. Also with so much information floating around, flatness implements a visual Zen that is nice and comfortable to look at.
Parallax
Almost the opposite of flat design, parallax is a new design trend that will appear frequently in 2014. Parallax makes different layers of the page move at different rates. Parallax intrigues the viewer and makes them feel like they are interacting with the page.
Retina Displays
Retina displays are quickly becoming the standard for Apple’s mobile devices and computers. Retina displays have twice the pixel density of LCD screens, allowing designers to do more with their designs. Crisp images with higher resolutions will appear on websites to support Retina display technology.
Large Images
If you spend a lot of time browsing the web, the use of large images are no stranger to you. In the past many websites have utilized this feature to create a bold, impactful website. I don’t see this technique going away anytime soon. Using large photographs as a part of your layout is a visually aesthetic way catch the eye of the viewer in a second. People would rather look at an image than a block of text. A picture is worth a thousand words, after all.