Minimalism

“Simplification; using the simplest materials and forms available”

The school of “Less is More” has its unique advantages. A clean and minimal design has the power to fascinate viewers and puzzle them; leave them with unanswered questions and the human wish to solve them. Designers sometimes feel like they are taking un-necessary risks if they don’t spell it out for their viewers, but they will be surprised to find out that this is exactly what’s making them stay.

A smart product is always complemented by a smart display. Here are 10 great examples to inspire your next minimalist design.

This smart and creative illustrator chose to design her homepage with an enigmatic figure.  It demands from the viewer to take a second to understand that it is actually a side-centered manga like face. The beautiful contrast between the yellow, black and green is a wise use of colors that highlights the caricature even more.

One picture is worth a thousand words…and if you’re a photographer – that’s priceless. This fun and almost spontaneous photo is a great way to display the photographer’s work. A word of advice for all of you photographers out there: a showcase gallery is always nice, but all you really need for a fantastic homepage is one gorgeous picture.  

Here are two examples of great portraits in black & white, that mingle with the dark / bright background. Mysterious, cut in the edges, and breathe taking. These photos takes all the attention while the navigation buttons fit together perfectly at the lower / upper edge of the page. Composition is also a key – notice the difference between the two examples (through their themes are not so different). 

Michael V Manalo chose a different, but not less effective approach. In his website he demonstrates mystery and fiction with a repeating motive of a television head. The text does not steal any of the photo’s focus, and uses the color range and restraint that the photos shows.

T-shirt shop or a portal to space? This cool minimalistic home-page uses text and logo to lure the visitor in, without too many word or flashy graphics. As a viewer, you immediately understand what this is all about.  That’s – the greatness of this simple white on blue design.

One tree, two birds and the never-fail combination of black and red. Simple, attractive and pleasant.

This beautiful and functional home-page puts the product in the center. With a simple white background and black text, the viewer has the best view of the colorful product.

Gotham Sport Management’s website puts the ball in the court with simple images and great content. It’s all about the game.

One last example that proves that intelligent design decisions can make all the difference.

A golden fish is a symbol that relates to fairytales and childhood stories. The decision to make it a portal to this illustrator’s website is fascinating. The clean “sketchbook” background emphasis it even more.