5 Top Design Trends for 2017

01/08/2017

Experimental Use of Colour

In 2017 we’ve been seeing a shift to a more experimental use of colour. Not only are colours brighter and bolder but we're seeing a more adventurous use of colour through gradients and duotone techniques. This shift has been largely accelerated by influencers such as Spotify and Instagram where colour changes have played an important role in their rebranding.

Bold Typography

Bold typography has been gaining popularity in 2017. With the constant overload of information, getting noticed is difficult and attention spans are short. Large and short headlines are eye-catching and get straight to the point. These are particularly effective on billboards and social media graphics where information needs to be digested instantly.

Original Photography

Again, with the outpouring of content, the fight to stand out from the crowd is constant. The use of completely original photography has grown significantly in 2017. In the past, stock photography has proved the most popular way to add images to a website or to complement an advertising campaign. The problem with stock photography is that it can often appear too unnatural or clinical since it's typically shot in a controlled environment. Additionally, stock photography is typically non-comissioned work created for a stock image library, which means photographers shoot the photos without a particular brand or campaign in mind. When stock photos are chosen badly or shoehorned into marketing material it can result in a lack of authenticity and can sometimes de-value the brand. Original photography (exclusive to your business) ensures your marketing collateral is unique and perfectly tailored to your target audience. It allows businesses to present a genuine and authentic presentation of their brand, which helps to build trust with the customer.

Card Based Designs

Card design is great way to separate content into an easily digestible format. Quite simply, a card-based design would feature pieces of information and possibly a call-to-action in its own contained box. This design style filters out noise and distracting content which allows the user to focus on a single piece of information. Card-style design works great across devices because the cards can be easily manipulated to suit varying screen sizes, which also creates a consistent experience for users across devices.

Geometric Shapes and Patterns

In 2017 we’ve seen this design style popping up everywhere; print, fashion, interiors and also on the web. Whilst the 'flat design' revolution saw the industry move towards simplified design layouts that improved user experience, flat design has over the past couple of years looked a bit tired and saturated. This year we’re seeing a lot of retro inspired geometric shapes and patterns inspired by nature, flowers and marble like textures, complimented by an uptake in Google's Material Design approach. This extra layer of intrigue adds depth and personality to a brand which is easily replicated across different mediums to create a cohesive design style.