Is Flat Web Design for You?

Web design trends come and go almost as frequently as the weather changes. But one trend seems to have some real sticking power: “flat” design. 

This style started making a noticeable appearance in 2014, with big-name companies like Google (new flat logo launched in 2015), Spotify (updated web design in 2014), Taco Bell (updated website and new app, 2014), and Condé Nast (2015 website redesign) making the news. Owners of Apple products (iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad), have been exposed to flat design ever since the release of iOS7 in late 2013.

Web audiences are becoming accustomed to this new look, and its popularity is gathering traction.

Flat Web Design Explained

So, what exactly is flat web design? In essence, flat means that superfluous design elements have been stripped away. Graphic features that give the illusion of three-dimensionality like gradients, drop shadows, textures, patterns, are minimized to achieve simplicity. To think flat is to think function over form: shapes, fonts, action indicators, etcetera.

Simple doesn’t have to mean boring, however! Minimalism is a refined aesthetic that has a calming, soothing effect on the viewer. Perhaps flat design has been so well received because of its counterbalance to today’s super kinetic, hyper-charged pace. 

Equally as important, flat design also contributes to a focus on the site’s content. By removing the attention on how things look, people are driven more directly toward the content on the page.

Where Is Flat Design Applied?

You can see flat design in everything from the font type on the page to icons, logos, and other visual elements like hero images.

Hallmarks of flat design:

• Fonts: sans-serif, clean, and somewhat retro in feel; use of uppercase text for headlines and navigation items
• Colors: bold, bright, heavily saturated, in several different shades, and a generous amount of white space
• Icons, shapes, and type treatments: no beveled edges, drop shadows, or reflections; simple shapes like rectangles and circles; lack of ornamentation; two-dimensional aspects

Benefits of Flat Web Design

Why go flat? Many of the benefits derived from flat design point to the ever-increasing use of mobile devices. Flat design meets the need to make sites more accessible to viewers in several ways.

• Flat sites take less time to load because design files are smaller in size.
• Cleaner, simpler fonts are easy to read on mobile devices.
• There is a focus on content, which is delivered in a less distracting fashion.
• Actionable buttons that are easy to tap or click means more transactional sites.
• Flat designs are conducive to designing sites that are responsive.
• Simple, uncluttered layouts do not distract.

Are You Ready to Go Flat?

Think your website would benefit from a new, flat design? The web designers at efelle creative are on top of the latest styles and trends and can create a site your audience will love . We take into consideration everything from SEO to market-driving characteristics, helping clients throughout the Puget Sound region obtain results. Let our creative marketing professionals help your business stand out from the crowd!  Call us today at 206.384.4909, or submit an online inquiry to set up a consultation.