The web has transitioned to a simpler, cleaner version of
itself. With the integration of smart phones and tablets the web needs simple
navigation and layouts; web designers have adopted a minimalistic approach to
their designs. This new "clean web" movement focuses less on ad space and more
on simple lettering, negative space, and perfectly placed colors throughout the
site.
Startups take the gold medal when it comes to having clean
websites. Svbtle is a new invite-only blog
platform that has beautiful design elements that are simple (black and white)
with a few splashes of color. This site avoids the annoying click-me ads found
on typical blog sites and has been dubbed a "breath of fresh air." These new
sites focus more on content and not making it "pretty" and full of ads.
A similar minimalistic blog site on the come up is Medium, from Twitter co-founders Evan Williams and Biz Stone of Obvious Corp. This platform
keeps the "clean web" look, but uses a different color scheme in taupes and
grays. This upcoming site only allows color via images uploaded on blogs to
highlight content. Medium will open for all shortly - currently you can login
via your Twitter handle and check out the BETA version.
My favorite of all websites that have the "clean web" vibe
to it is Digg
2.0. This new version launched mid- summer, and is simple yet eye-catching.
It features pictures with minimal text that grab the reader's attention. Digg's
new design has more negative space around the images which makes the site less
overwhelming when browsing. It's simple yet functional which is what the "clean
web" is striving for. Digg uses color carefully within its fonts: grey font for
the "sharing count," and the share buttons turn blue when you hover over them.
These minimalist colors help the reader focus on the images and the article's
title.
What's the difference in the "clean web?"
If you look at websites from back in the day you will see
that they were simple, or "clean." What we know as the "Web 2.0" era is making way for
the "clean web." This minimalist web design isn't something of the future
necessarily but it's defined as a new trend among designers and companies on
the web.
The difference between today's startup web designs and those
of the past are that these startups aren't choosing a simple design due to
bandwidth constraints. It's more a conscious choice on how color and imagery is
used in a design. It's simple for the viewer to follow and not being bombarded
by ads isn't bad either.
Designers have to take into consideration how these sites
will look on mobile devices. The screen constraints mean the web design needs simplicity,
attractiveness, and readability. This new movement calls for designers who
understand the importance of mobility of a site design. The minimalist "clean
web" designs also play a big role in web apps. Web apps must be as lightweight
as their tablets and smart phones.
Minimalist Image-Heavy Sites
A minimalist image-heavy site sounds like an oxymoron but
they exist. Look at Pinterest with images
left and right of amazingness you get lost in. The background and texts on
Pinterest are subtle, but the images bring the flare. These images
also backlink to articles offering further content for the pinner. Besides
the image the only color you see is the Pinterest logo which disappears when
you scroll down the boards and pins. The simplicity of the site allows the
viewer to focus on the images.
Remember Myspace?
Designers at Myspace revamped its look to a more subtle and pleasant design. The
new Myspace is very image oriented with a black background and soft-spoken font
colors. A simple black and white Myspace logo has replaced the original blue and white
logo. Those DIY Myspace designs with the flashy, glittery logos that took
forever to load are a thing of the past. The
new Myspace offers fewer distractions and a more Pinterest like page that
is easy to follow.
With the rise of the mobile web, designers are going back to
the basics with simple web designs. As the saying always says, "the past always
repeats itself," and this is true for fashion trends, political trends, and
even in web design. Whether this trend will define the post-web 2.0 era as
whole is not certain yet but it will be interesting to see where web design
will go with these new startups coming in. Where do you think web design is
taking us?
If you have any further questions on simple web design,
contact Hudson
Horizons web design team now.