We here at EQQY like to keep our minds open to what’s new in the web world so here’s the second installment of my Web Design Trends and our topic of the day is MINIMALISM!

Minimalist design is not a new concept. You can see it applied to all types of products like furniture, fashion and architecture. In web design, this concept is applied when a site is stripped of all the frills and left with it’s bare essentials: content, layout and typography.

Because you don’t have decorative elements to draw your audience in or fill in blank spaces, your layout grid is key. My favourite grid template to use is the 12 column grid which gives me a restricted guide with lots of variety to ensure everything fits and lines up against each other. And remember, give your layout lots of space to breathe. White space is important!!!

Minimalism doesn’t mean plain so graphics are also part of your design. No going crazy with the photoshop effects though! When using dropshadows or gradients, go subtle. Most minimalist sites are black, white and grey but a bold hint of color is also great for visual heirarchy or for your hoverover links. Just keep your colour palette restricted.

As for typography, keep it clean. If you plan on using more than one type of font, do one in serif and one in sans serif and make sure it goes together. Use your own judgement. If you’re a good designer like me and Kathy, you’ll be fine.

In my opinion, the elements of minimalism is always a good way to start a fresh new site, especially if you don’t have a clear vision yet (but you should before starting!). Now here are some examples: