Sometimes it’s wise to know what’s lurking around the bend, to view trends in the upcoming year; if anything, to understand how best to avoid its potential trappings.
I was mowing the yard the other day, which was a couple of weeks overdue. The time away did not serve me well as I had to push a little harder to get through the ankle-deep grass, choking the mower as I went along. Camouflaged by days of neglect, I soon caught the waft of a newly disturbed canine leave-behind, which had miraculously found its way through the gap in the fence just feet away. Had I been paying better attention earlier in the week, I may have avoided the unpleasantry altogether and saved myself a trip to the hose.
Understanding when and how to apply the latest design trends is no different—a lack of awareness for them may get you into trouble. And, it’s not necessarily best to incorporate the latest and greatest design innovations into your work simply because they are gaining in popularity. So, here is a glance at design trends for 2021, some of which continue to evolve and should not be unfamiliar to the discerning designer. I’ve also added my take on what to look out for, when considering how to incorporate these latest trends into your next project.
- Nature-inspired design with 3D pop: A good thing. Heightened awareness for global environmental stewardship has been accelerating for a couple of years. Fresh organic shapes and colors have an even greater presence with dimensional presence and cartoonish embellishment. Don’t abandon juxtaposition, however – sometimes shapes are further punctuated when abutted against a contrasting texture/image.
- POP culture infusion moving towards optical illusion: Caution – We see this evolving from year-to-year. The hottest in online music/POP trends, Asian influence this latest round seems to be heading west to South Korea, seeping its way through American subculture via worldly indie music scene and kitsch revisited. We will see what China has to offer next year.
- Boldening of the color palette: Gold is hot! But shy away from using color based on “just cuz.” The use of color must always follow a sound rationale to justify. Otherwise, it is just another shade of pink. Look for a continued push towards natural and healing tones.
- 3D Typography: Be bold and exciting because 3D has arrived! Caution. There are tons of fonts available but watch the temptation to settle just because they are readily available. Do not abandon the classics, because they are established for a reason. However, a modern font can add pop if it supports the storyline for which it was chosen. Keep an eye out for more of those hand-drawn gems too, though at some point you have to ask yourself, what’s the point?
- Understanding the “Why” behind the work: Once again, a must. Designers (and marketers) need to be fully prepared to deliver on the Why. And this level of preparedness means even greater access to data—and the technical savvy necessary to discern the meaning behind the data. Advantages that will have the upper hand when it comes to better understanding your audience and how best to connect with them, through design that matters. Do this well, and win the consumer.
Have fun. Just watch your step.
