The face of design is ever changing. If you’re planning to start a new business or have decided to refresh the look of your existing brand, read on as this list can work as a design inspiration for 2020. We spoke to design professionals in the industry and compiled this list of emerging styles that you can incorporate into your brand.
While bold and bright colors are still in trend, you’ll notice the rise of the muted color palette as a millennial-preferred choice. Muted colors are dulled, less bright and desaturated colors. They are in the opposite spectrum of vivid colors. Instead of grabbing attention and giving sensory overdose, muted colors are meant to be used for blending with universal appeal.The tones of this palette works well in almost any design aesthetic because of it’s pleasing nature. Try muted colors with vivid colors, white or black backgrounds and even with other muted colors. If you’re looking for a modern look that defines your step into the future, muted colors are the way to go.
Characters have been taking the design scene quite consistently for the past couple of years with big tech companies shifting to this style for their brand. Although it’s possible to mimic these styles for your company, the main reason why companies are using character illustrations is because of its authenticity and uniqueness. Custom character illustrations can focus on your brand story and be designed specifically to your topic or idea. If you’re thinking of using dreamy abstract character illustrations, remember to keep the messaging clear so that your audience can identify you and your intentions clearly.
Who said you needed images and illustrations to get attention? If you’re thinking of a simple way to take your designs to the next level, try bigger and bolder typography. This technique is very effective in helping brands to deliver simple, strong messages without the clutter and distraction. Brave and big typography with minimal image overlays or graphical whitespace can really make a difference.
With the rise of content creators and an explosion of user-generated content on social media, designers are moving away from generic, “staged” stock imagery and overly photoshopped models and settings of yesteryear. There’s a huge shift in how brands are portraying people in images. Adding realism into your images will add a human element to your brand. Audiences can feel that authenticity and will want to build a truer connection with your business.
Sometimes less is more. Ultraminimalism is all about keeping it down to the bare essentials with simple shapes and color palette. Lines and fonts are used to frame the overall design making all design elements purposeful. Top fashion houses have been using this style for some time now to keep the focus on their products and now the rest of the design world is taking notice. Even web designers are using ultraminimalism to speed up load time and focus on functional design elements. If you’re working on a tech company and plan to align your brand style to something like Apple, ultraminimalism might be the answer.
2020 is a great year for design. Now that you have some insight on what’s hot, the decision is yours to make. What would you do to stand out? There’s no time better than now to act. Got any other design trends you think should be added to the list? Tell us about it at hello@madcreativebeanstalk.com
