Depth Perception

Depth perception is becoming very trendy in the web designs of 2011. The goal is to have parts of your site look nearer than others. Shadowing, layering, lighting, gradients, gloss and texture accomplish this effect. Parallax scrolling will also aid in creating a sense of depth. It uses layers to create an illusion of 3D space. Parallax scrolling can be created using CSS or with a Query plugin. However, it is most effective as a secondary element to your design like a header, footer or background because t will be frustrating for users if it is used as an integral part of your navigation.

Large Photographic Backgrounds and Illustrations

Large photographic and illustrated backgrounds are a hot trend for the web designs of 2011. This is now possible because more viewers have faster Internet connections with smarter loading methods. These photographic or illustrated backgrounds grab the viewer’s attention instantly. They must be high resolution, content-appropriate and not overpower the sites content & navigation or else the viewer’s experience will be disrupted.

Continuation of Traditional Print Style

As they did in 2010, lines between web and print design will continue to blur. This is aided by the typography advancements of CSS3. With the use of large photographs and illustrations as backgrounds, websites are being designed to mimic magazines, posters and flyers.

Simplicity

2011 is all about simple color schemes. Use two or three colors and different shades of those colors for variety. Nothing is more impactful than an honest message on a quiet backdrop.

Fantasy as Fuel

Fantasy will propel us forward... successfully into the future. A recent study by Harvard University determined that our minds need to wander because daydreaming is actually the brains' normal state, rather than a pointless distraction. Daydreaming and fantasy are the fuel for imagination and imagination is what differentiates us and makes us human. Our fast lives are forcing us to redefine our personal and collective tempos, so fantasy – spontaneity, creativity and daydreaming – is becoming an antidote to technology. The ability to imagine and liberate our creativity leads to optimism (vs. apathy). In the long term, fantasy and imaginational wanderings will lead to new discoveries and collective problem solving. Fantasy will ultimately be the cornerstone to a restored economy as new businesses are imagined, then developed that enable us to live non-toxically well into the future.

A Dip into Historic Colour Palette

Today, there is a general tendency in the design and fashion community of reusing and reinterpreting fashion and design from the eighties. This is accompanied by a strong resurgence of colour palettes from the eighties. More specifically, what reoccurs now are fantasy/sci-fi colour patterns from the mid and early eighties, with plum fuchsias, electric blues, shocking pinks, and reds. A host of fashion refers back to comic and sci-fi heroines of the early eighties. Colours often indicate the current mood of a society, so a return to the eighties is not completely unexpected, as we are experiencing a recession similar to the one of the early eighties. The second colour trend stems from a recent appreciation of pop art by street artists of the fifties and sixties. When comparing Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe portrait, a pop art classic, with Madonna’s cover for her new album Celebration, created by L.A.
street artist Mr. Brainwash, the similarities will become all too apparent. Mr. Brainwash’s ‘remix’ also incorporates another pop art staple, the Ben-Day dots, a hallmark of prominent pop artist Roy Lichtenstein. So we might be seeing more revamps of pop art designs in the not too distant future.

Information & Trust

Imagery that engages the viewer, that makes a ­viewer question things and allows for the unforeseen will be the features that matter most. Such an image might be a ­powerful portrait – a good portrait is the signifier of a ­visual truth, providing a ‘window to the soul’. Even if this is not true, we still invest belief in it. The image might also be rich in the information it provides of our environment, thus revealing something about where we are now. If you are to connect with someone, the image must express a universal story. It must have usable information with some realism attached to it, no matter whether it is practical, ­psychological or emotional, so that consumers will once again ‘trust’ visual language.

Personalization

The trend in all areas of life is personalization. Technology has permitted us to order custom sized jeans, custom car interiors even custom showers made to perfectly fit our bodies.
Your home is your most personal possession! How can you personalize your space and put your individual imprint on it? Personalizing your space is the only way to really feel at home in your home! Giving a home authenticity is the most important ingredient. There is only one YOU and your home needs to reflect who you are. What are your interests? Do you travel? Gather your favorite travel photos and create a gallery wall. Printing your photos in black and white or sepia tones unites the wall and makes the subject matter more important and artistic. Do you collect? Display your collections! Designate a bookcase or install a shelf above a doorway or line a room in shelves and carefully group your collectibles. Be sure your treasures can be seen.