Design Trends 2014

Thoughts from Hilda Allen24.01.2013

Design Trends 2014“Less is more”

For 2014 it feels like we are going back to basics. Flat design VHHPV�WR�EH�KHUH�WR�VWD\�ZLWK�WKH�PDLQ�FRQFHSW�EHKLQG�ȵDW�design being simplicity. Designers are more conscious of trying to not over complicate things for the user for a faster, richer, seamless experience.

Dieter Rams


Experience Design

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At CES this year, Sony showed their vision of the future. Visitors were able to walk into a typical living room and see a demonstration of what could be possible. Sony showed how the user could interact with various entertainment content without any other devices, like a remote control.

Although Sony’s “Life Space UX”, is still at concept stage, it allows us to dream of designing outside the norm.

With the future of design being every customer touchpoint. Designers are starting to think about a holistic seamless, omnichannel, experience.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25744333http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/7/5284998/up-close-with-sonys-futuristic-life-space-ux-projector


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With more experiments with HTML5 and CSS3 we are breaking away and making QHZV�UXOHV��7U\LQJ�WR�ȴQDOO\�UHPRYH�WKH�grid and design for every surface instead of just devices. We are slowly seeing the “fold” disappear with one page websites DQG�LQȴQLW\�VFUROO�EHLQJ�WKH�ZD\�IRUZDUG��

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also allows us to rethink the navigation, QRZ�ȵRZLQJ�DORQJ�ZLWK�WKH�XVHU�UDWKHU�than stuck to the top of the page.

One page websites also seem to align well with large opening images rather than typical carousel sliders. These heros are more attention grabbing and also allows designers to play around with HTML5 video.

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http://www.costa.co.uk/experience/#/1/nations-favouritehttp://kennedyandoswald.com/#!/premiere-screenhttp://www.literacytrust.org.uk/adult_literacy/illiterate_adults_in_englandhttp://webstandardssherpa.com/reviews/storytelling-in-web-design/

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With all the advances and the FRQȴGHQFH�EHLQJ�JDLQHG�LQ�+70/��and CSS3, we will see more storytelling and engagement, almost in a game like format. With “around 16%, or 5.2 million adults in England, can be described as “functionally illiterate”, this allows us to make our experiences accessible to all.

A good example of this is the Costa Experience or the Killing Kennedy website. Both sites allow the user to ȵRZ�WKURXJK�WKHLU�VWRU\�DORQJ�ZLWK�videos, images and so on. All these little interactions keep the user on the page and also build brand awareness.


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https://creativemarket.com/blog/2013/12/25/4-typography-trends-for-2014

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As we are going back to basic, we are also putting more attention to crafting a design. With Adobe Creative Cloud pairing up with Typekit and Google’s webfonts. Designers don’t need to settle for basic fonts, more attention and care can be paid to typography.

As a type lover I’m looking forward to mixing and matching fonts, more hand written fonts and more experiments with large typography.