Trends in the design world tend to shift and change at a relatively slow pace. That said, many aspects of design have begun to reflect the chaos and uncertainty we’ve all encountered during the last couple of years.

As a team, we’ve decided to share some inspiring designs, through our FUEL process, in terms of what we predict might be seen in 2022. Here’s what made the shortlist:

Maximalism

Maximalism increased in popularity throughout 2021, particularly in the last quarter. With daring colour schemes, patterns, and experimentation with dimensionality to create visual discordance, it’s a far cry from the minimalism that has been dominating the design world for some time. Although not suited to everyone, when executed successfully and paired with minimalist elements (including aspects of typography), it can create an eye-catching and well-balanced design.

Energised chaos

The introduction of jagged, clashing designs inspired by the early internet is making a comeback! This trend represents living in energised chaos – a reaction to the harmonious designs set out by many brands for almost a decade (which no longer suit the world we live in)! Think vibrant colours, shapes, and playful typography, which result in bringing energy and life back to design once more.

Ukiyo-e inspirations

Inspired by Japanese Ukiyo-e prints, designers are experimenting with new ways to create digital artworks, exaggerating facial expressions and human poses to add movement to flat scenes. Many digital designers have adopted this technique, infusing ordinary artwork with an extraordinary effect.

Playful typography

Selecting a bold display font can add heaps of personality to your brand – it’s all about communicating the fun side of your business. Using 3D effects, vibrant colours and bold lettering takes text to a whole new level and can create an instant connection with your viewers.

Gradients

Gradients once had a negative connotation, stemming from the early days of PowerPoint. Seen as dated for a long time, they’ve now made a huge comeback, due to their new-found versatility. A well-crafted gradient can add modern, seamless aspects to a design and can be used in endless contexts such as typography, photographic overlays, and striking backgrounds.

So, there’s our round-up of the latest design trends that we predict will flourish in 2022. If you’re interested in energising your brand or latest designs, give us a shout!

Email hello@weareembrace.com for more information

This latest thinking article was written by:

Sophie Stubbs
Senior Design and Brand Manager