Trends come and go but, as we have come to see, it’s rarely goodbye forever. People consistently find ways to refresh and reinvent old classics in other creative fields, including fashion and music, so it was only a matter of time before retro web design made a reappearance in a big way.
Nostalgia unequivocally plays a big role in our very human desire to look back at how things once were, even though we know that they can never be recreated in the present. With the internet playing a larger part in our daily lives, a cultural shift resulting in the rise of retro web design isn’t unexpected or surprising.
But What Is Retro Web Design?
As this New York Times article details, web design is currently experiencing a ’90s revival, but the term can also encapsulate both nods to design elements from the ’60s through to the ’80s and full-scale, all-in designs covering everything from imagery and typography to patterns and layouts. Think everything from ’70s-inspired muted colour palettes and vintage film grain effects to hand-drawn fonts once seen adorning cassette tapes and anything with a distinctly D.I.Y, almost photocopied effect.
Incorporating Retro Web Design
One of the joys of retro-inspired design is there really can’t ever be a step-by-step guide detailing how to incorporate these features into your own website. Whether you opt for a full-scale retro design from a particular era or take snippets from different periods and combine them to create something truly new and unique will depend very much on the nature and essence of what you’re trying to communicate.
It’s one of the more challenging design aesthetics to pursue and working with experienced Reading web designers such as Star Web Innovations, who have both the skillset and the passion for design required to develop and produce a unique website, is likely to lead to the creation of a memorable and impactful design suited to the needs of your business and the requirements of your customers.
The One Thing You Need to Know
While there are no rules to retro design, one thing is certain: utilising the correct tools is imperative. Balancing the successful creation of your desired aesthetic with the technological elements that will ensure each element works smoothly across a variety of different browsers and devices is essential.