This is trendy now, the flat design aesthetic.
As I write this, I’m currently working on a redesign and relaunch of this link blog, and I’m implementing a flat design.
Personally, I’m finding it liberating, which is unexpected.
Less time spent fiddling with effects and textures. More time spent on more practical aspects of designing a web interface, like placement of elements, font choice, color choice, and the copy.
I’m much less intimidated by the blank canvas. I feel like I can more quickly dig in and start putting idea to paper or screen. It feels simplified in the technical execution of the design in terms of how much Photoshop-fu one needs to bring to bear on a design problem, but it feels like the emphasis on important stuff, like the usability of the finished product, is increased.
It’s intriguing enough to me that I’m going to spend some time digging into what makes this style work, and better understand its strengths and weaknesses.
I’ve done several searches for examples on Pinterest with great success. On Niice with less.
I’ve scanned through some interesting articles, and it looks like the biggest push for this style is the increased role mobile devices play, and the UI limitations that they present. Usability is paramount. And that seems to be what flat design is able to accomplish.
JAVEN ACKERMAN 