2018 was a year with a lot of faces for web designers. The constant evolution of tech has come with many challenges and lessons for website designers. However, from all the good and bad that 2018 offered, designers showed us that they are always open to chase the unknown and explore it.

As far as 2019 is concerned, it will definitely come with new experiences. This will be a year that will push designers’ limits even further. If we would give you some examples, we will include vibrant color schemes and colorful gradients, custom draw illustrations, or particle backgrounds.All of them will be part of 2019’s trends.

On the other hand, we all know that the brands’ biggest priority is to stand out. So, why not take things to a new level and help brands be unique and overpass competition? There are still many trends waiting to be discovered in 2019 which can create visually stunning web pages. Below you can find some of the top trends which are going to rule the world of web design in 2019.

Website Design Trends in 2019

1. Particle Backgrounds

When brands think of the background for their website, they traditionally think of photos or videos which contribute to the website’s general theme and message. However, if we think of clients’ requirements from today, they are looking for faster loading websites and unique experiences. Therefore, if we think of video backgrounds, we can instantly see that they can cause a serious performance issue which doesn’t comply with the users’ expectations. What is more, the internet is already filled with image-based or film-based backgrounds. Thus, it becomes easier for users to anticipate the result and this comes in contradiction with the wow effect you are trying to create for your website.

Particle backgrounds, on the other hand, don’t create any performance issues and are hugely appreciated for being versatile and attention-grabbing. There are various modern, dynamic backgrounds which can help brands stand out of the crowd. Take a look on some particle backgrounds that 2019 is putting on the table:

• Particle Animation: Particle animation’s popularity will skyrocket in 2019 thanks to its versatility and elegance. For example, a cosmos-inspired background can be easily combined with any vector drawing, solid color canvas, or illustration. What is more, it also offers variety. For example, some brands choose the chaotically moving dots pattern, while others are adopting the constellation style, where small dots are connected with thin lines. For instance, you can try to combine a classy, moving group of dots with a dark color and a map placed in the back,and you will obtain a website background that definitely keeps up the pace with 2019 trends. Furthermore, people love simplicity and neat designs. Thus, you can’t go wrong with particle animation.
• Particles Displayed in Waves: What do you think your visitors think about you if you would create a welcome page with a simple and refined background with waves of particles? You don’t have to develop over-complicated backgrounds to impress your users. As long as you keep it minimal and exquisite, you will have all the chances to attract more visitors in 2019. The waves of particles create the idea of a pulsating background. Also, you don’t need to use too much magic to make it happen. On the other hand, you can test how it looks both horizontally or vertically and choose the one that best fits with the content and overall idea behind your brand.
• Layered parallax: We already agreed that 2019 is going to be about simplicity when it comes to website backgrounds. Therefore, mouse hover parallax is going to be on a growing trend this year. It creates a subtle feeling of a 3D animation while keeping things neat and classy. It is the ideal choice when you want to liven up your logo or page title a little bit, without complicating things too much. Moreover, it immediately catches the eye, allowing users to play with the environment and become part of your story.

2. Custom Drawn Illustrations

Custom drawn illustrations have captivated audiences during 2018,and it will continue to be in trend in 2019. Why? They offer brands precisely what they need to create truly unique experiences for their customers: versatility. Custom drawn illustrations can be easily used from branding your website to explaining a concept. You can use custom illustrations in many ways and adapt them to your website’s overall style and theme. For example, they can help you to:

• Enhance your blog content and quickly get your point across. People respond exceptionally well to visuals. Considering that everyone is in a hurry nowadays, it becomes easier to get your point across with custom drawn illustrations and integrate everything into your content strategy.
• Add personality to your brand and support your company’s image.
• Easily grab your website visitors’ attention and engage with them through visuals.
• Create a unique and appealing look for your website which will help you stand out from the crowd.

3. Vibrant Color Schemes

Colors represent the centerpiece of any website design. On the other hand, color schemes are also a form of brand expression. 2019 will push designers’ boundaries and bring vibrant color schemes back on track. The biggest question of this year will be not what designers will do with color, but what they won’t do with it. As for the users’ side, they will be literally crying out for vibrant colors and high contrast. Moreover, fashion seems to come back and everything that was considered old a couple of years ago has come back in trend. The electric color schemes that dominated the 80s and 90s are coming back more vibrant than ever. Designers are leaving safety nets behind and take risks in using contrasting colors to evoke emotions and bond with the website’s visitors. They will follow a new motto in 2019: “the bold, the better”.

In addition, 2019 is putting color on a higher podium. Colors will become not only a tool for the website’s appearance but also an enhancer for functionality. Designers will use colors to help users interact with the pages and create a dynamic customer experience. However, all this range of possibilities brings also responsibilities. What does this mean? We want our brands to be remembered for their personality and unique website design. Therefore, each decision in terms of color combination should be taken with responsibility and follow the brand’s voice and mission. You want your users to be stunned by gradients and vivid colors that transmit positive emotions, and not by a design which will cost them a visit to the optometrist. So, go ahead, be bold and find the right combination of colors for your website.

4. Typography Remains a Major Focus

Typography has been a major trend in 2018,and it will continue to be in 2019 as well. The purpose of your website is to transmit emotions and make people read it. Yes, content continues to be important, but it won’t be everything. You will also need typography to send instant arrows with emotions to your visitors. What are the trends of 2019? Just like there is no limit when it comes to colors, the same will happen with typography. This year we will see hero images being replaced by bold and dramatic headlines which will strike each visitor with a dose of emotion. Moreover, Serif fonts are back, and they will rule the fonts’ kingdom many years from now. When you want to create elegant and sophisticated headlines, Serif fonts are the answer. In our view, they are the right choice for a minimalist website, managing to convey the brand’s message in a very subtle way.

In 2019 you will capture your audience’s attention with highlighted text. People don’t have time to read a passage from the beginning to the end. Once they enter a website, visitors will immediately scan the document and decide whether it is interesting for them or not. Thus, you will need to catch their attention with highlighted text which will convince them from the first minute of reading. In addition, typography will turn heads in 2019, literally. Don’t be afraid to play with horizontal and vertical texts to break up blocks of text and create a wow effect. This is how you will keep your audience engaged and curious to discover more.

5. Sustainable Web Design

2019 is going to be a year under the “zodiac” of sustainability. When it comes to web design, there is still room for improvement. So, this year will bring a lot of efforts to create sustainable websites. What does a sustainable web design mean? It starts with findability. Therefore, in 2019, the contents should be easier to find. Users will have to load fewer website pages to locate the information they need. Thanks to the fewer requests sent to the server and no other pages loaded without reason, small energy savings are made over time. Considering the high impact humanity has over the environment, each energy saving counts.

Moreover, sustainability means also performance optimization. It goes hand in hand with the speed your pages load. Creating an efficient website which runs without interruptions will lower your carbon footprint by using less processing power. As we already mentioned, people don’t have too much patience nowadays. Thus, they expect that the pages load almost instantly. Finally, you can improve your website’s speed and energy efficiency by creating a site which is compatible for both desktop and mobile. By making it easy for your visitors to access the website from any device they prefer, you will create a good experience and avoid loading large content which is designed for desktop devices only. This can only be translated into an efficient and sustainable website.

Conclusion

In the end, trends come very fast,and they go just as soon as they came. What is important to remember is that the internet connects people from different locations, with different ages and cultures. Therefore, when building a website, it is essential to keep your target audience in your mind. Visitors usually want to reflect their personality into the brand’s culture and message. Therefore, 2019 will challenge web designers to think of inclusiveness, starting from improved accessibility and continuing to diverse images and adapted topography.

Furthermore, when you start creating the website design, always think of the brand’s values. While it is important to be on trend, it is essential as well to follow the company’s mission and vision. As a designer, you will need to be flexible and choose those trends that create the best impact for the target audience, even if we are in the year of 2019 or 2050. The rule that will govern 2019 is that there will be no rules. Web designers are given the liberty and flexibility they always wanted. However, as we already mentioned above, freedom comes also with responsibilities. Thus, designers should carefully analyze each trend and implement it to create positive vibes for their visitors.

These being said, we would like to hear your opinion. What website design trends do you love or hate in 2019?