5 Emerging Web Design Trends for WordPress Websites

In web design, a moderate dose of peer pressure can be healthy. After all, design trends often point toward the latest and greatest in terms of user experience, and each year creators get better and better at building more valuable, accessible, and creative sites.

The right look is crucial: One study found that 94% of website first impressions are design-related. You don’t have long to make that impression, either, since it only takes about 0.05 seconds for people to decide whether they want to stay on your site.

Contemporary web design offers tangible benefits for users: enhanced site interactivity, dynamic content delivery, and personalized user experiences cater to evolving online needs and preferences.

Let’s explore the top five web design trends for WordPress, from innovative layouts to inclusive accessibility features, and see how you can use them to elevate your online presence.

1. Bento Grids

If you’re familiar with traditional Japanese food, you’ll know where Bento Grids got their name. Inspired by the bento box, this approach involves organizing content into square and rectangle-shaped modular units like the compartments in a bento box. The core design concept itself isn’t new: its use can be traced back to the early 2010s, with the short-lived Windows mobile OS.

However, this lunchbox-inspired aesthetic has had a recent boom in popularity thanks to tech giant Apple. Their store website is particularly interesting, serving up an appetizing grid of treats for the tech-hungry consumer.

Bento grids are popular for creating visually appealing modular and flexible layouts. Breaking content into distinct compartments helps to achieve order and structure while allowing creativity and versatility. Bento grids offer a visually engaging and user-friendly way to present website content.

Bento grids are here to stay. So, how can you do this yourself?

You can use popular page builder plugins like Elementor or Beaver Builder to create bento grid layouts on your WordPress site. These plugins offer grid layout options that make achieving the bento box aesthetic easy. Alternatively, you can choose WordPress themes that come with built-in bento grid layouts, such as the Astra theme or the GeneratePress theme.

2. Depth and Layers

Traditionally, web design has been two-dimensional. Despite the widespread adoption of parallax design (seen on the Firewatch website), the sense of depth has remained limited – but no longer.

Designers are now embracing depth and layered design for heightened spatial awareness, aiming to transcend the screen and create an immersive experience that extends beyond its boundaries. This is used to excellent effect on the website for the musical artist, Sirup.

This approach involves integrating 3-dimensional shapes, layering images behind and ahead of text, and using scroll-linked animations. By incorporating these elements, designers can craft visually stunning websites inviting users to dynamically explore and engage with content.

You can use CSS transforms and animations to do this yourself. WordPress plugins like Parallax Scroll simplify the process of creating parallax effects, allowing you to add depth and dimension to your site’s design.

3. Accessibility Features

Web accessibility ensures that websites and web applications are usable by everyone, regardless of abilities or disabilities. It’s a legal requirement mandated by regulations like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and an ethical imperative for equal access to information and services.

Incorporating accessibility features into web design involves using tools and technologies to accommodate diverse user needs. Screen readers enable users with visual impairments to access written content by converting on-screen text into spoken words. Voice navigation offers a hands-free alternative navigation tool for users with mobility impairments, allowing them to browse the web using voice commands.

User accessibility features can be integrated into web design through customizations like accessible typography, font sizes, color contrasts, and dark mode options. These enhance the user experience for individuals with specific needs and contribute to a more inclusive environment.

To ensure website accessibility, site owners should follow best practices like regular audits and user testing with diverse groups. They can also invest in consultants or hire experts, who should provide valuable insight and guidance.

It’s important to be vigilant about accessibility pitfalls. Techniques like layering text may enhance visual appeal, but they can also impede accessibility for screen reader users. Creators must balance trendy design with a user-centric approach that prioritizes accessibility.

“Accessibility should be a foundational element of web design,” says Wayne McWilliams, Pressable’s Senior Front End Engineer. “By prioritizing inclusivity and accessible design practices, designers can create visually stunning, functional, and user-friendly websites for all visitors. Remember: Prioritizing accessibility benefits everyone.”

To enhance the accessibility of your WordPress site, you can use plugins like WP Accessibility or One Click Accessibility. These plugins offer features that improve your site’s usability for visitors with disabilities.

Pro Tip: When choosing a WordPress theme, prioritize those that follow WCAG guidelines.

4. AI Incorporation

As artificial intelligence (AI) technology becomes more accessible and sophisticated, its integration into web design is set to revolutionize how we create and interact with the online world. AI offers designers endless possibilities, from enhancing details to crafting bespoke, imagined graphics tailored to specific website needs.

Creators can use AI-editing tools to enhance image details, creating hyper-realistic visuals that captivate viewers. AI algorithms elevate the aesthetic appeal of websites by imbuing images with clarity and precision.

AI’s ability to generate custom images offers a wealth of creative possibilities. It can bring abstract visions to life, conceptualizing futuristic landscapes or characters.

You can use AI to create polished, professional-looking images, or you can use AI art in self-aware or ironic ways, such as showcasing AI errors or quirks as part of the design aesthetic. This playful integration adds intrigue and dynamism to websites, engaging users on a deeper level.

Despite the exciting prospects of using AI this way, designers should be cautious when relying heavily on AI-rendered images. Legal issues about copyright and intellectual property rights are still evolving, and the boundaries of original work versus infringement remain ambiguous. Designers should be mindful of potential legal ramifications and use discretion when using AI-generated content to avoid legal disputes.

5. Dopamine Design

Dopamine design uses whimsical elements to trigger dopamine release in the brain, creating pleasurable online experiences that compel users to return. It capitalizes on the brain’s reward system, tapping into the human desire for novelty, validation, and gratification.

When used properly, many site elements can elicit a dopamine response. Vibrant colors, emotional imagery, and captivating visuals stimulate the senses and evoke positive emotions, enhancing the user experience. Reward loops, such as progress bars, achievements, and other forms of gamification, create a sense of accomplishment and reinforce engagement. Micro-interactions, animations, and feedback mechanisms increase satisfaction and anticipation, encouraging repeated interaction.

Using natural textures and botanical motifs evokes serenity and connection to the environment, eliciting positive emotional responses. The popularity of colorful, blobby shapes (like those in Julie Bonnemoy’s portfolio) embodies the playful, maximalist aesthetic favored by Gen Z audiences.

To incorporate dopamine design elements into your WordPress site, consider using plugins that add micro-interactions and animations, such as Animate It! or LottieFiles for WordPress. Choose WordPress themes with vibrant colors, engaging visuals, and gamification elements to create a dopamine-inducing user experience.

Designers must balance the pursuit of engagement with ethical considerations. While dopamine-inducing elements can enhance user satisfaction and retention, designers must prioritize user well-being and avoid manipulative or addictive design practices.

Create a Trend-savvy Website Today with Pressable’s Managed WordPress Hosting

First impressions count, and with Pressable’s managed hosting, you can stay ahead of WordPress design trends. We understand the challenges of creating a fresh and functional website design. That’s why our managed WordPress hosting solutions alleviate common pain points like sluggish performance and compatibility issues.

With super-fast edge cache content delivery and staging sites for testing designs, you can confidently explore new features without compromising site performance. So whether you’re creating a new website or looking to refresh a new design, you can make the most of the process if you get started today with Pressable‘s managed WordPress hosting today!

Nox Dineen-Porter

Nox possesses a unique blend of industry and academic expertise, seamlessly integrating her knowledge of communication, software development, and research. Her journey with WordPress began in 2003, first as an avid blogger and later as a skilled software developer. Her fascination with WordPress led her to join the Pressable support team, where she effectively combines her passion for technology with her love of problem-solving and her deep understanding of user behavior. As a PhD candidate, Nox is poised to make a significant impact on the field, bringing together her expertise in research, communications, and software development to provide context and clarity about health science and devices to the public. When she's not at her computer she enjoys hiking, running, yoga, and street photography.