Watch Out: 5 Biggest UI Design Trends Of 2021

The fast-paced digital environment of UI design is evolving at a rapid rate. You may work on one design for some time, and after a couple of months, you realize that it has been replaced with a more advanced version — it’s that mutable! But wait! The idea isn’t to scare you out of your wits but to help you stay up-to-date with all these changes. We’re here to help you get inspired so you can produce the best online experience through your website or mobile app. We’ve done the dirty work like browsing through hundreds of blogs available online, and talking to our best designers, just to serve you these UI design trends for 2021! All you need to do is sit back and read. Are you ready? Let’s go!

Table of Content:

Why is good UI important?

Think about it.

When you first enter a website where do your eyes go? What is the first thing that grabs your attention? It’s pretty easy to imagine that every letter you write or content you put out on your website sparks excitement among visitors — but the truth is, it really doesn’t.

As soon as a visitor enters a website, before taking any action they scan through it and only stop when something catches their eyes. What adds up to the challenge is the dwindling human attention span that won’t sit at one place for more than mere 8 seconds! This makes catching your audience’s attention a tough cookie. But, does that mean it’s impossible?

Enter, User Interface!

A good user interface is crucial in the sense that it makes it easier for users and visitors to browse through your products and clearly see what services you offer without obscurity. To put it simply, a good UI turns potential visitors into buyers by drawing their attention and simplifying their interaction on your website or mobile application.

You cannot be more wrong for thinking that UI only focuses on the aesthetic aspects of a website or mobile app. The UI design is quite a detailed process as it involves anticipating the user needs and preferences then producing an interface that understands and satisfies those needs. After all, a visual design that is both interactive and informative is what makes a good user interface design that further increases conversion rates.

2020 stumbled upon some of the most creative and promising trends like animations and full-screen mobile layouts that are indeed going to stick for longer. The upcoming year is going to be even grand with trends that will take the design world by storm. Here are the 5 hottest UI trends 2021 that we think are going to shape the near future:

5 Hottest UI Design Trends 2021

1. 3D Elements

3D elements are engaging, emotive, and even better — in-trend! This immersive design is already being used in the UI arena for years but with the popularity of VR and AR technology, it is expected to reach its peak in the upcoming year. As a web and mobile app development agency, we think 3D modelling will be a great way of owning a more realistic and futuristic presence in the digital world than with the old boring and repetitious two-dimensional one.

2. Dark Mode

According to a recent report by Built With, around 1,658 websites have used Dark Theme to attract customers, out of which 1,007 are live websites while 651 sites have been using dark modes ever since.

Do you realize why this many websites (and even apps) today feel the need to provide an optional dark mode to their users? It is because due to our increased screen-time, the strain on our eyes increases too and dark mode helps with it especially in low-light and nighttime situations. This is a very important factor to consider as it directly affects the time a user spends on a website or an app. When creating a dark mode, predominantly use blacks or grey with the right contrast between different elements and typography. It is not only timeless but also adds a certain level of elegance to your page and make it look classy!

3. Storytelling

We’re all for good stories, especially if it is able to hook us right. Often times digital storytelling is thought of in terms of UX. But no! UI has the power of deliberating and narrating the storyline of your product too. How? With the use of colour, typography, animation, etc.

For example, take a look at Google’s Pixel Earbuds landing page. As you scroll down the page, you will find yourself guided through the various benefits of the product with animations, solid imagery, and stellar typography. This brings out the uniqueness of the page and creates a positive emotional response which can make the art of storytelling one of the biggest UI design trends 2021.

4. Soft-Gradients

Gradients were THE THING of the 90s. It was a popular way to add color and depth to any design to make it look lively. And guess what? Just like every 90s trend that is making a comeback, so are gradients! They are showing no signs of slowing down and are going to be a big UI design trend in 2021 too! Today we see them as backgrounds, buttons, cards, graphics — almost everywhere possible on the internet. The combination and the blend of two soft contrasting colours bring an element to life and give the design a very modern feel.

5. Neumorphism

Neumorphism introduces hyperrealism in websites and mobile apps by bringing out the design elements to life. Combining flat design elements with skeuomorphism, neumorphism creates real-life imagery with new and improved 3D graphics. The UI design takes simple and flat icons and gives them a rich dimensional makeover to make it look like it is popping out from the screen. Neaumorhphism creates a stylish and clean design with very clever use of shadows, highlights, and gradients.

And that’s it!

Conclusion

Now that you know the UI design trends 2021 that are going to create a buzz in the future, it’s your time to make the best use of them. As we know, the UI design area is saturated with fast-changing tendencies, however, there are always long-term trends that may stick forever — and trust us, the five mentioned above can make the list. To conclude, holding on to the trending UI designs can help you sustain valuable visitors to your website or mobile app that may turn into your future customers. So if you have made up your mind or are still confused about which technique should you go for, get in touch with us today and we can help you take a step forward.

Originally published at https://www.sparkeighteen.com on December 10, 2020.