By now, you must have come across numerous articles listing all the WordPress design trends that you should keep an eye out for in 2018. So, what is new about this article? Well, here we are going to make some predictions based on what is currently happening in the WordPress arena instead of just talking about assumptions that may or may not hold true in the long run. With the trends and insights, you will be able to design beautiful and functional WordPress sites that stand out in the crowd, or if you’re chilling on the West Cost, check out these San Francisco design agencies.
A lot is going on in the WordPress design field, especially for Warrington web designers like Blue Whale Media. From themes to fonts, illustrations to grids, animations to interactions, all are being reset and redefined. Let’s dig in, then!
Gutenberg is going to be a part of the core soon
You must have already heard about this one. Everyone is excited about it, and surely enough, it tops this list. Stated to be included in WordPress 5.0, it is a new page builder that makes functionalities like adding a content block or building pages much more convenient. It will soon become the default content editor. As mentioned earlier, there has been much buzz around this new feature. Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of WordPress, has explained its features in detail in his post,We Called it Gutenberg for a Reason. Since Gutenberg is going to be a part of the core soon, developers, especially the ones who deal with features like ‘drag and drop,’ are eagerly waiting for the new functionalities that this release will bring forth.
There will be more emphasis on hand-drawn images
Custom illustrations and graphics have always added value to web designs, and now they are going to be even more critical considering that we are noticing a lot more of both in websites. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that customized illustrations are quite compelling in the way they bring abstract ideas to life. The use of stock photography, though still prevalent, will reduce steadily and the original works of illustrators and graphic designers will receive much of the preference. It is noteworthy that an increasing number of WordPress web development companies are already using the works of illustrators. For example, all the graphics used by Yoast are the creations of their in-house team.
Bold typefaces will take center stage
Big, bold typography is all the rage now, and you are going to see a lot more of these all year long, maybe even longer. Why? Well, for one thing, they are incredibly eye-catching, which means you never have to worry about your audience missing your brand message. Besides, from the design perspective, more prominent and bolder typography helps to cover considerable white space.
Breaking grid layout rules is the new rule
More and more designers are breaking the constraints put in place by grids to experiment with layouts where images and texts interestingly overlap and converge while complementing each other and never compromising the quality of the design. Did you ever think that a design that looks like an unintentional error caused by a broken CSS can look stylish? A look at Rocaafiore Winery‘s website can give you an idea about how breaking free from grids does not need to look clumsy, and that it can also result in a subtle, soothing design.
Louder colors are hard to miss
That is precisely why you are going to see an excess of vibrant hues in the online space in 2018. Many designers have already bid farewell to web-safe muted shades and are trying their hands on bolder color combinations that look the best on retina screens. Have you seen the way Dropbox has revamped their look? Experts think that not just more prominent brands but also mid-sized and smaller businesses can gain a lot from this trend as super-saturation is what is having a substantial impact on visitors’ mind and improving user recall to a significant extent.
You cannot afford to ignore micro-interactions and animations
What is interesting about micro-interactions is that they have become pervasive. You are so used to seeing it on every site that the lack of it makes a website seem bland. These small moments of magic are not going anywhere this year either. If practices are any indication, the emphasis on micro animations, which result in micro-interactions, will increase solely for the fact that they help to direct the viewer’s attention to the right piece of content the moment one visits a site.
Dynamic gradients have made a comeback
Many sites are using these gradients on dull images and making them eye-catching. Designers who are making use of this theme are of the opinion that it not only allows unique color combinations but is also quite memorable, which means that website visitors remember the colors for long even if they happen to forget the content.
Looking back at everything we covered, it stands true that there are still some points that we have left out in favor of the more important ones. For example, 2017 saw specific practices related to page transitions and unexpected scrolling rates. Those still seem to be going strong and will probably be favored in 2018 as well.
It is undoubtedly inspiring to see that not just a few, but so many designers and developers are trying to reinvent things in the WordPress design world, all with the goal of making UX even more enriching and satisfying. However, it is undeniable that some designers are still too scared to experiment, thinking that they are sticking to what works for them. They must understand that what seems to be working today might not do so in the future as end users keep getting more demanding in their need for exciting web experiences. So, food for thought, are you going to give these trends a shot or be forced to rehash your designs on public demand?
Has this article covered all the major WordPress design trends for 2018? Have we missed any? Let us know. We would love to hear your thoughts on this