Web Design Tips

As anyone familiar with the industry will know, minimalism has been a rising trend for websites over the past few months, but it is important to remember that there is a fine line between something being minimalist and something being plain empty. So, in short, it is possible for a web design to be too minimalist – and here’s how:

• Designers forget that it’s just a style. It is important for everyone involved to remember that minimalism is just a style, like grunge or retro – not every design needs it and not every website will look good when done in this style. 
• Everyone thinks that minimalism works for all websites. This is actually a misconception – it tends to work best on ‘artsy’ websites, such as portfolios for creative industries – not so much for a heavy-duty equipment supplier. 
• A minimalist design means little to no content. When people look at non-minimalist websites, they often say that they are cluttered or ugly, but this does not mean that a minimalist style calls for as little content as possible – you still need to aim for content-rich. 
• Designers become lazy and begin to misuse the style. Whilst it may not seem like there is a lot to a minimalist web design, it actually takes a lot of practice to master. Are you an advocate for minimalism because you love it or because you cannot be bothered to do it another way?

The next time you are working on a minimalist web design for yourself or a client, take a step back and take a look at the bigger picture to avoid being too minimalist – remind yourself that it is just a style, that it won’t work for all websites, and that you still need adequate content.