7 Of The Hottest Design Trends For 2022
As the world starts to slowly emerge from a two year lockdown, we’re likely to see a huge shift in cultural reactions which will ultimately manifest within visual trends. Styles from across the decades are being given a second life and experimental designs are replacing the old with the new. A shift away from the cold Swiss minimalism which has dominated design for the last decade, expect exciting and experimental times ahead.
Here are our predictions of the hottest design trends and visual styles we think we’ll see more of throughout the next year within the world of design.
TREND 01Maximalist colour palettes
As the saying goes – go big or go home, but given we’ve all been at home for way longer than we’d like recently, it’s time to go big! A shift towards maximalism is a direct response to the feelings towards monotonous design (and life), designers have gravitated towards colour palettes of seven plus colours, mixing bright neon hues with pastel tones to create a powerful visual punch. This is a trend we’re very happy to see gain traction and can’t wait to see how far it get’s pushed!
Style characteristics:
Bright, highly saturated colours
Five or more colour hues mixed together
A mixture of bright saturated colours with softer pastel shades
TREND 02TRIPPY TYPOGRAPHY
This trend taps into the hippie culture of the 1960’s with a contemporary twist. Sans serif, Swiss style typography is being replaced with modern serif fonts with added character. Inspired by the rise of interest in self care and spiritualism, these fonts embody the idea of free spirit with an elegant sophistication.
Style characteristics:
Elegant serif or hybrid fonts
Contrast letter line weights
Flowing, psychedelic, rippling lines
For some great examples, check out – Park Lane Hotel redesign by Mother London | VJ-Type | Okulus on Behance
TREND 03a joyful revolution
The world has felt very serious recently so brands focusing on spreading more joy in the world is certainly welcomed by us! On a deeper level, we’ve seen a rise in the rejection of the hustle culture and move towards a focus on self-care, joy and finding meaning in the everyday. As a result brands are moving towards a more upbeat, light-hearted look and feel anchoring their messaging around positivity and joyfulness. Think feeling over function and engaging customers on a much more emotional level.
Style characteristics:
Put the feel good factor front and centre
Puns and witty one-liners
Friendly shapes and human faces
Check out – Nuud brand design by Mother London
TREND O4THE RISE OF anti-design
The rebellious design movement, this trend is all about challenging conventions and traditional design principles. The aim? To create designs which are free from constraints, liberated to take any direction it pleases. It’s unsettling and demands attention, whether it’s legible is another question but it certainly projects energy and dynamism which is hard to ignore. Designers aren’t limiting themselves to traditional typefaces, instead opting for variable fonts, using a flexible single typeface to create richer, more customised experiences.
Style characteristics:
Variable fonts
Asymmetry
Clashing colours
Crowded elements and a breaking free from the grid
TREND 05spirit of the 70’s
Another decade that is showing a revival and a direct response to years of minimalistic design, is the vibrant seventies. This trend began in the fashion world with brands such as Alessandro Michele’s Gucci leading the way, we’re now seeing this filter through into the wider design world including interiors, graphic design and film cinematography. Think flamboyant patterns, saturated and bold colour palettes and voluptuous letter forms.
Style characteristics:
Rich and vibrant colour palettes (think orange, green, yellow and lilac)
Simple floral motifs
Flamboyant repeating patterns
Curvaceous type
TREND 06BRANDS IN MOTION
There’s no denying that the online space is feeling a little crowded, so brands are looking for other ways to add character and stand out - adding motion and movement is the perfect scroll-stopper. Motion adds an extra layer to a brand personality, similar to tone of voice, the way a brand moves can act as a brand characteristic that is recongisable and feels familiar.
Style characteristics:
Adding signature moves to characters or brand elements
Playful elements that interact
Motion timed to music is a winning combination
TREND 07HYPER REALISM & ESCAPISM
After the few years that we’ve had, no wonder audiences are leaning towards a need for escapism! The rise in this trend also coincides with improvements in design technology and 3D rendering techniques that designers can now harness to bring scenes and products to life. It appears that designers are wading more and more into fantastical, futuristic worlds, representing the idea of escapism in it’s purest form, with the aim of letting viewers lose themselves as they explore the visual world before them.
Style characteristics:
Utopian, dreamy, futuristic landscapes
Hyper coloured scenes
3D illustration rendering
Immersive experiences
For further examples, check out the work of Sagmeister & Walsh.
