Minimalist web design relies on subtraction and the preservation of empty space.
The birth of minimalism can be attributed to excessiveness. When we indulge in excess, we tend to realize that having more of something is not necessarily in our favor. This is followed by stripping off the redundant elements and leaving behind what really matters. Similar is the case with art, the act of ‘adding’ and ‘taking out’ is always there. The principle of minimalism is the new black for web design; white backgrounds infused with minimum color schemes and a clean layout. Web designers rely on minimalism so that they can better focus on the website design essentials and keep distractions at a distance.
Minimalism lets you focus on the bare essentials that drive design. For instance, all that a car needs to run is an engine, wheels, gas, and other critical components. The other ‘fancy’ items such as the audio system, leather seats, and other interior décor items are not needed in moving a car from one point to the other. When this is applied to website design, it involves starting from the basics i.e. a clean white page and adding essential elements that are actually required by users. The minimalist approach in web design can be used for designing landing pages and those that often have a clearly defined call-to-action.
A simple website design has a basic layout and not much clutter which emphasizes the audience perception rather than designer preferences. It may seem that minimal design websites do not require much of an effort or experience than traditional clutter web designs. Although minimalist web designs are simple yet there are certain design principles they are based on. A minimal webpage design rips a webpage of all the superfluous forms, concepts and features. This eliminates visitor distractions and lets them concentrate on what is more important.
Web developers should keep the following in mind when designing minimalist websites:
n Subject: You should focus on important topics on your web page to keep your user focused and engaged.
n Usability: Every website should enhance the user experience and therefore web designers should incorporate elements that are user friendly.
n Balance: With the appropriate visual hierarchy and visual weights, you can guide your users to emphasize on the essentials.
With so much clutter on the Internet, a simple website design breaks free form the usual and lets you showcase the purpose of your website as effectively as possible. A perfect example of a minimalist design is the Google homepage which consists of a simple search bar and a few links. Although it might have been born as a result of lack of creative design potential, it has very much contributed to Google’s success.
The minimalist approach might not be a skill that every web designer has; some might be comfortable with using expanded design layouts and graphics. When you choose a website designer for your website design needs, you should take a look at their portfolio to figure out if they fit your requirements.
