Design Trends: Flat Design and Material Design

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Flat Design and Material Design

Since the global pandemic, Mobile UI also known as mobile User Interface has greatly evolved, as has how users interact with companies’ digital tools and platforms 

Flat Design and Material Design are two concepts launched by Google in 2014 that are becoming ever-present references in digital graphic design.   

So, which one corresponds to you best: flat design and material design? Which one suits your brand DNA better? Let’s take a closer look at the two different types of design.  

Flat Design: What is it? 

 

Flat design is a minimalist graphic design style used on websites and for mobiles. It is mainly based on colors, typography, and icons and that favors efficiency, especially when it comes to the use of white space 

It was brought to the forefront with iOS 7 and Windows 8, radically revolutionizing the design of applications.   

Flat design offers various advantages, including 

  • It is minimalist and simple, making interfaces easy to use, more efficient, and overall, the design is more intuitive for users.
     
  • It reduces the weight of interface files, making the navigation and the loading time faster.
     
  • It prevents problems associated with screen size changes and also renders seamless images on high-definition screens.
     
  • It provides better readability and ergonomics, as it eliminates unnecessary visual elements that can distract users.
     
  • It adapts to all media formats and is ideally suited to responsive design.  

 

Its disadvantages: 

  • The minimalist aspect of this graphic style sometimes makes it difficult to stand out and convey a strong brand image. For example, it can feel generic and monotonous.
     
  • The user may have difficulty understanding the content and structure of a site if the design is too simple. 

Read also : → The latest web design trends

 

 

The Types of Typography and Logos used for Flat Design 

 

Flat design is based on the use of simple and minimalist elements to create interfaces, including the following design principles:  

  • Simple shapes, without shadows, textures, or gradients.
     
  • The colors are flat, that is to say, the colors that are solid and uniform. They stand out from the rest of the site, making it easier for the brain to find its way around by using chromatic palettes to clearly distinguish the elements and guide the navigation.
     
  • Fonts are chosen for their legibility (e.g. With serifs) 

Rules to Follow for Successful Flat Design Colors 

 

Colors are an essential element in flat design because they are the foundation and they will also dictate the graphic hierarchy. Flat design offers great freedom in terms of colors, but it is necessary to choose them in a uniform palette 

To ensure that you select the ideal color palette for your brand, it is recommended to avoid mixing bright and pastel colors. What is more, the latter shades are often preferred in flat design. The colors should energize the navigation, without causing a visual overload.   

  • Images and illustrations: If the choice of a website tends towards a flat design, the insertion of the image should be well studied so as not to overload the general design of the interface. You can also play with different geometric shapes: circles, squares, triangles, etc.
     
  • Typography: The font should help structure the information and organize the content. Flat design favors the simplicity and legibility of fonts.
     
  • Icons: A flat design website would not be flat without the use of icons. We recommend that you limit the use of shapes in favor of “flat” icons. You can use many icon kits such as Designmodo and Thenounproject that meet most needs. Some are developed in Syg format and the colors and shapes can be modified in Illustrator.
     

Which Brands are Best Suited for Flat Design? 

 

Before moving on to the graphic design of your website or mobile application, it is essential to think about the overall use of your platform to make sure that flat design is in line with your needs 

To do this, first, do some UX research and ask yourself the following questions:   

  • What is your brand DNA? Would it match a flat design?   
  • What is the content of the website?   
  • How complex do you want your website to be 
  • Will your website be visited from a mobile device or on a computer?  

The objective is to select a design that will facilitate navigation. Flat design is primarily used to convey information and improve the user experience, so its use must be well thought out and relevant.   

What is Material Design? 

 

Material Design is a set of rules proposed by Google and intended mainly for mobile appl