Timeless Web Design

I have just started reading The Smashing Book #2 that was put out by Smashing Magazine. I found something in the first chapter that sparked my interest, timeless design. There have always been trends on the web. We have gone through web 2.0, 3D elements, textures, glossy buttons, etc. So I thought to myself, how do I make a design that is fresh, new and won’t lose its spark in a year?

That is why timeless design is so interesting to me. Creating a design that will work well over many years without the need to refresh to make it fit with the latest trends. The key to timeless design is simplicity. Cluttering up backgrounds with unnecessary images just for the sake of design will create a site that will lose its touch very quickly. Unless the images are being updated frequently, it isn’t a good addition to any site. I have shifted my way of thinking lately when it comes to web design. My focus is to create a site that is easy to use where design doesn’t get in the way of functionality. This is not to say that I don’t want to make a great looking website, I think it is just a more effective way of approaching design on the web. There are many approches to make great looking websites that are simple and timeless.

Content that is updated frequently is a great start to timeless design. News stories, blogs and updated photo galleries are all good ways to keep your site fresh. This is also a great draw to keep people coming back to your site to get your latest information. Clear navigation that gets the user to the information they need without the distractions of over-the-top-buttons will increase usability. Photos are also a very effective way to achieve clean design and to show what the site is all about.

The example below is one that the Smashing Book used. In the top design you will notice many images around the outside of the page that don’t really have a purpose other than visual appeal. The addition of these images makes the page very distracting. They have since redesigned their website to a much more timeless design in the bottom example.

While following the latest web trends might seem like the best solution to create a great looking website for your client, think about the site five years into the future… will it still fit?