Inspirational Websites for Web Designers

Just short of 20 years ago, when the internet was still in its infancy, I had a job reviewing websites. It’s hilarious now when you consider the fact that the reviews were published in a paper magazine distributed to customers of an internet provider.

Fast forward to the late 2010s, and there is no way in the world we could get away with some web designs that we then thought were well done. Web design no longer goes by vague ideas that were borrowed from the publishing world. What makes a great website these days goes by its own set of rules, realizations, and trends. 

It’s a fast changing industry and while it’s never a good idea to go overboard, it’s important to stay au courant with the trends. So what are some of the most eye-catching websites out there at the moment? Where do we draw our inspiration from? 

1.      Color

 When 20 years ago, fitting in was still the norm, now it has become standing out that is the aim. And rightfully so. Web design has become a business card and we want attention. What better way to get that than to use screaming bright colors. Belgian brand Sikkema went exactly for that. But they did more. They kept design minimalistic and slightly asymmetric. A difficult one to pull off, but when done well, it’s powerful. (https://sikkema.be/#inspiratie)

2.      Transitional images

Digital designer Steven Mengin goes quite the opposite direction and uses black and white transitional imagery. It’s a stunner, eye-catching but at the same time it avoids being distractive from the content. You can’t help but be entranced. (https://www.stevenmengin.com)

3.      Minimalist

When it comes to introducing new trends, it’s obvious that designers are where to find what’s in vogue. Less is more, these days. The idea that a website no longer is read, but scanned, caused web designers to reduce the written word to a minimum. Typography and strong visuals take the forefront in Dinner for Five web design. (https://dff.mitsugutakahashi.com)

4.      Illustrations

Similarly to the strong color effect, well-executed illustrations have a way of grabbing attention. Avocode went a step further and made the illustration animated. It’s an excellent way to target your audience in a laser-cut fashion and communicate difficult and boring content in an entertaining way.  (https://avocode.com/design-report-2017)

While it’s easy enough to identify trends and admire the talent behind the design, it’s always important to align with your audience and stay true to your brand. Remember that Web Design is only a part of a branding concept, albeit an important one.