Web Design Trends of 2014

Technology self-perpetuates as new developments happen elsewhere. With a greater availability of Internet access available from more powerful smart phones and cheaper home computers brought about by miniaturization, more people than ever are expected to be using the Internet in 2014 for everything from education to grocery shopping.

With this explosion of technology, new trends in web design have surfaced.

Let’s take a look at what promises to be the most influential features of web design in 2014.

1. Grid-Style Templates

Tumblr and Pinterest were the first social networks that people found grid-style layouts to be an amazing way to redo the entire format of their website so that it was both more brief in terms of words while being more graphically rich.

This style has caught on so much that it’s hard to find a Facebook Timeline that doesn’t opt to use a grid structure. Businesses and media outlets are already making the shift to these types of layouts.

2. Dedicated Landing Pages

The traditional way that websites are laid out is that the home page should be arranged into a portal that branches off into various links, each one another layer deeper.

2014 has shown that the idea of a home page dedicated to just one piece of software, idea or business can be successful and, in some cases, is even preferable for things like digital products of apps. It’s a sure-fire way of putting something important in the spotlight without distractions.

Think of it like a new spin on the traditional long-form landing page.

3. HTML5 Video Playback

Previously, video playback was only available to web users by downloading the videos and playing them back on the user’s computer, utilizing third-party plugins or through Flash playback.

Despite the fact that Flash seems to be the current favorite, it still has a number of issues. For example, some mobile platforms can’t use it due to licensing issues.

HTML5 has cleared the way to eliminate these compatibility issues by allowing playback to take place natively from within the browser. By including codecs for video and audio playback, this has enabled webmasters to create their own self-hosted media playback widgets.

As 2014 progresses, it’s likely that we will see many more websites choosing to opt for HTML5 video playback.

4. 2D and 3D Transition Effects

Adding a little life to galleries, navigation menus and more has always been the goal of libraries that allowed you to add animation to your web pages. The problem is that these libraries tended to be proprietary in nature, which meant that they more often than not didn’t work as intended on all platforms.

HTML5 and CSS3 are gradually working to overcome these limitations by implementing 2D and 3D transitions for webmasters to use. This both simplifies the technology behind flashy web design and makes it easier to design for cross-platform compatibility.

5. Designing for Mobile Devices First

With the emergence of responsive web design in 2013 as a trend, web designers began thinking about how to compact and streamline websites so that they could be scaled down to work on mobile devices. This has led to a number of unique challenges and bad compromises.

In 2014, web designers are taking an entirely different approach. Instead of trying to downsize, they’re starting small and working up.

This means that web design starts with mobile devices first, then expands to work for devices with a higher resolution. This succeeds in minimizing the number of complications in the design of layouts, while ensuring that no device receives a better or worse browsing experience.

What Else Will 2014 Bring For Web Design?

The implementation of HTML5 and CSS3 has given rise to many new features and way of thinking for web designers to play with.

What else will 2014 bring for web design? While they aren’t’ entirely worth mentioning on their own, it’s a sure bet that flashier effects, feature-rich forms and CSS3-driven animation will be among just some of the trends we’ll see.