A site has one job before it can sell anything: hold a visitor's attention long enough for the business to make sense. Filming and coaching happen on site, wherever your people are, and Pittsburgh is home. In 2021 the design conversation moved toward graphics, depth, and quieter color. These are the ten directions that were leading that year.
Vector graphics
High-quality illustration and photography will always beat a page that is only type. Vector graphics and illustrations can stretch to the screen and keep their quality, which is why they were a practical way to lift the look of a site.
Parallax scrolling
Parallax was already familiar by 2021, and it was still in use. The effect had become subtler. Done with care, it adds a sense of depth and keeps the original design intact.
3D visuals
Phones and laptops with sharp screens made 3D visuals a normal part of a serious page. Designers were blending 3D with static layouts and a minimal structure so the page stayed clear and people stayed engaged.
Augmented reality
Augmented reality was moving into web design through graphics and multimedia. Retail and ecommerce sites were the ones using it most, so a shopper could get closer to the product while deciding.
Dark mode
Bright color used to be the default way to grab attention. Dark mode became the classier choice: a deep backdrop that lets the important elements stand out.
Retro fonts
Vintage letterforms stayed popular, with a modern cut. The trick was balance. The font can feel like a throwback while the styling stays current.
Photos combined with graphics
Pairing a photograph with illustration gives a page more motion. It is also a way to make the brand feel specific, so the site is harder to confuse with the one next door.
Visual storytelling
People follow a visual narrative more readily than a block of text. Storytelling on the page was treated as a direct way to raise engagement and make the visit feel considered.
Geometric grids
A geometric grid does not have to be neat or evenly spaced. An asymmetric grid can feel more dramatic and give a visitor a reason to look a little longer.
Subtle background colors
Bright full-page backgrounds fell out of favor. Neutral or quiet backgrounds, with darker color reserved for the components, fit the way people use screens at all hours.
Taken together, these were useful references for a redesign in 2021: a site with clearer visuals, a calmer palette, and a better chance of keeping someone on the page.
When you are ready to rebuild around how people actually use the site, our team can help with website design and development.
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Where to go from here
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