2021 threw the rule book out the window, the design trends are a fusion of retro, ultra modern and old fashioned styles. We’re in ‘anything goes’ territory and we’re loving it.

While past trends have all been driven by the promise of ‘newness’ and ‘modernity’, 2021’s design trends are focused on making people happy.

Whether it evokes nostalgia, soothes the eyes and mind, or just provides some much needed light hearted fun. Design trends this year appear to be creating a much needed safe haven from all the drama that 2020 had to bring.

We’re so excited to see what else might come into the spotlight soon, but for now, here are

Gradients

Gradients first came into prominence in the 90’s, with the sky blue ombre that screams Saved by the Bell being the height of graphic design at the time.

I say this with a mocking tone because it’s true, as a designer I looked at gradients and other style trends of the 90’s and thought those things would never make a comeback. Yet here I am now, loving it!

This trend reemerged in 2018 with the infamous rebranding of Instagram’s logo. I think I speak for a lot of people when I say I was shocked by this design choice at the time, but I’m a total convert!

The audacious bold colours create contrast and the illusion of depth that adds vibrancy and movement to the design. Gradients bring a wonderful sense of energy to things that is just so refreshing.

It’s such a versatile thing that can be used across backgrounds, text fill ins, call to action buttons and much more. If you look for it, you’ll see it everywhere, and I for one am happy about that.

The thing I love most about this trend is that it provides a sense of playfulness and optimism. People are looking to the creative industries to uplift them, and I think gradients are doing just that.

Serif Fonts

I previously mentioned that 2021 has revealed some trends that don’t quite fit the 30 year cycle, and this is one of them- Serif Fonts.

I have always been a fan of the classic, traditional charm of a Serif and I couldn’t be happier to see them get the appreciation they deserve.

There was a move to Sans Serif fonts in the 20’s and 30’s that has never really been reversed. Their popularity stemmed massively from their ultra modern feel and screen legibility. However, now technology has caught up with ultra HD screens on almost every new device, isn’t it time that Serif makes it’s return?

2021 says Hell Yes!

This isn’t a diss on Sans Serif by any means, it’s just simply that some brands have never suited the clean style of Helvetica and Monotype Grotesque. It was often seen as the default but now people seem to be exploring what’s more appropriate and representative of their identity and what works best for their company.

The reintroduction of Serif feels like a huge step towards a more authentic design space, one that I’m extremely excited to be a part of.

Dark Mode

Dark mode has become somewhat of a controversial topic. With a lot of people calling it life changing, and others saying it ruins good design.

Me personally? I have completely converted to the dark side.

Dark mode’s popularity lies in the long list of its supposed benefits, users claim that it reduces the amount of light emittance and therefore makes sites easier to read and safer on the eyes, whilst also reducing energy usage and saving on battery life.

The average user will spend the equivalent of 34 years of their life looking at screens, there needs to be some changes made to make screens more user friendly and I believe that dark mode is the first step towards that change.

Science and benefits aside, Dark mode is an extremely attractive alternative to the vibrant white we’re all used to. There’s something about it that speaks to a certain level of richness and luxury, like black coffee and dark chocolate, it oozes elegance and sophistication.

It doesn’t work for everyone and it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. I get that. But I have to say, I love it!

Illustrations

2020 brought about a movement to support small businesses, support your local and support individual artists, and this is carrying on well into 2021 and beyond. This is possibly why we are seeing illustration and hand drawn elements everywhere! We want to see the humans behind the company name.

It’s that element of personal touch that I think everyone has missed. Following a year of lockdowns where we all had to remain apart, it’s comforting to see that human touch in things. You want to look at something and feel the person behind the work, not the machine.

Using illustrations gives a company so much more personality and makes them that much more relatable to their customers. We see it as a way of re personalising and re humanising brands.

Matchstic’s blog section is the perfect example of this, their use of illustration not only speaks to the brands identity, but also so boldly shows that someone made this, someone is in charge of this article page and cares a lot about its appearance. It just makes their site that much more enticing and makes you truly want to read their blogs.

I hope we see more companies doing this, because I think they’re killing it.

Custom Cursors

I understand your initial thought might be that I’ve gone mad, But here me out.

Custom cursors are bringing back that nostalgic feeling of your first computer, changing the background and the theme and downloading sparkling and flaming cursors that eventually plagued your computer with viruses. Great memories right?

I get it, you’re not sold yet, but these are different.

Custom cursors are being used as a way of cutting through the seriousness of the internet, to bring a little bit of fun back, and, to tell you the truth, they’re extremely clever in the way they lead users to your calls to action.

Burocratik.com have this technique nailed! The combination of a custom cursor and micro animations make for an extremely intriguing website that users will want to spend more time on and engage with, leading to more conversions. Sneaky.

Custom cursors don’t have to be animated, Matchstic, who I mentioned earlier, are a perfect example of this. They’re making great use of this trend as a way to further implement their logo into the user experience whilst also showing a bit of the brand personality.

It’s about creating something that sticks in the users head, and I haven’t been able to get either of these out of my mind.

Scroll Animation

Have you ever browsed a website and been absolutely fascinated by the various motions and effects that show up on your every scroll? This is called scroll animation and this trend is making big waves in 2021.

Scroll animations bring the user to a new and more enjoyable level of information perception. They’re not only entertaining to look at, but they also greatly increase user engagement and make a website and brand more memorable.

Heco and Weglot are 2 examples of companies that have this down to a t!

Their websites are extremely different in intention and appearance, however they both get their point across extremely well. The balance between information and animation is perfect, and there is something about it that just speaks to the child in you. It’s pure fun.

The takeaway from all of this is simple: 2021’s design trends have come about for a much needed break from all the seriousness, and have created a move to a more authentic design space.

The World Health Organisation follows the constitutional principle that ‘the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.’ I think we can all agree that this is not something any of us have been able to celebrate this past year.

Yet in this year where we’ve all had to stay 6 feet apart, the world has never been more united. We’re all together in this fight against COVID-19. We must all do what we can to prioritise our health and well being and ensure equal access to health services in our local communities and the global community.

This World Health Day will stand out amongst many as the year nations came together to fight the pandemic. Health has been the primary issue across all media for the past 14 months and it couldn’t be a more crucial time to discuss the importance of our health care and what we as individuals can do to assist this to help build a fairer and healthier world.

COVID-19 created a global community and sense of unity that has never been seen before. Millions of people have been doing their bit to keep their countries safe during this pandemic and we must continue with these efforts and go by the rule ‘nobody is safe, until everybody is safe.

It is extremely important that we not only pay attention to physical health, but mental health too. Millions of people are still shielding in their houses and many are alone. Coping with social isolation is an issue many of us have had to face over the past year and loneliness can significantly affect a person’s health and well being.

Getting tested or vaccinated is not just for ourselves but for those who want to feel safe enough to leave their houses and get back into the community. Regular testing and vaccinations can save lives and reunite our country.

We had the pleasure of developing a website for 4 Medical Solutions who offer a Government approved COVID-19 testing service that provides peace of mind for your international travels. It is now easier than ever to follow the rules, get tested, and save lives.

‘There is an urgent need to protect, test, and treat the whole global population: only when this happens can we end the pandemic.’- WHO

Book your test today on 4medicaltesting.co.uk

• 5 Steps for Sustainable Design
  • • 1. The Usual
    • 2. Put a Stop to E-Waste
    • 3. Our Influence as Designers
    • 4. Research our Resources
    • 5. Stay Informed
    • Here are some examples of innovative and sustainable designs that we love!
    • Let’s Work Together
  • Fill out our quick and easy Project Planner by clicking the link below. We’ll then check your brief submission and arrange a quick informal meeting over a cup of coffee to discuss how we can help you.

5 Steps for Sustainable Design

This year has been pretty tough for all of us. With all the continuous negativity it’s sometimes been difficult to see the positives of the situation. But there are positives, huge ones in fact!

Back in June 2020 we all saw the world begin to heal! The pictures were everywhere and the evidence was damning. After months of the world being at a standstill we saw the swans going back to Venice, we saw the waters at Blackpool clear, and we saw the damage that we’ve done start to reverse.

So, in honour of Global Recycling Day, we thought we’d take a moment to point out 5 things we can do in our roles to help continue that change and promote sustainable design.

1. The Usual

This is the easy part- changes in the workplace. Whilst these aren’t necessarily specific to the design industry, they’re still important to mention.

Firstly, all(!) electricals should be turned off when not in use. Computers are one of the main resources used in design and they use a crazy amount of energy. Where you can, just keep them off.

Secondly (and probably most obviously), use energy efficient light bulbs wherever possible. I know certain areas require specific lighting like studios etc, this is just to say where you can, try opting for energy efficient alternatives.

Lastly, think globally, act locally. Do what you can where you are. Here at Waterside we use local printing companies to cut down on our carbon emissions. It’s about the small things we can do to help the big change for sustainable design.

2. Put a Stop to E-Waste

Like most people, designers use computers everyday. Still the majority of us aren’t recycling them.

E-waste contains massive amounts of chemicals like mercury, lead, and beryllium (believe me, they’re as serious as they sound!) that are harmful to us and the environment. When electricals are dismantled during improper disposal, these chemicals end up in our land, seas, and air.

Currently, the UK is the second largest producer of electronic waste globally, producing around 1.5 million tonnes a year. But less than 20% of all electronics globally are recycled. We can’t carry on like this. As an industry we need to take responsibility and recycle.

3. Our Influence as Designers

We may not realise it, but designers can play a hugely influential role in how businesses conduct themselves. In creating efficient websites for our clients we are able to digitalise many of the documents they have previously routinely printed. Turning paper based forms into fillable PDF documents is a small service we can provide that can be massively significant in reducing their paper wastage.

We’re in a unique position where we have the power to influence other businesses and industries outside of our own. We should use this opportunity to encourage our clients to take a green approach in their business practices and packaging choices.

We don’t deny that sustainable alternatives can be more costly than other options available. However, being ‘sustainable’ can often act as an advert in itself.

More and more, customers are becoming aware of their responsibility to buy sustainably, and frankly the market has never been better for eco-friendly products and packaging. Brown Kraft packaging is fast becoming branding in itself, consumers see it on a shelf and immediately get a sense of a brand’s values.

We know it doesn’t suit everyone’s image but there are always other eco-friendly options that we should encourage clients to consider.

Sustainable design goes beyond just the designer, we have to acknowledge the impact of what we create and try to encourage our clients to consider natural resources as part of the design.

4. Research our Resources

The volume of materials used in the industry is vast and there are always ways we can improve on this; starting with our paper consumption. Bleached paper requires the use of toxins that leach into our water system. The paper industry itself is responsible for massive amounts of deforestation.

In the endeavour for sustainable design practices we should always ask ourselves if there are better options. And there are.

In the global market, around 13 million metric tons of pulp come from alternatives to wood, and all of this can be used to make paper. Tree-free paper alternatives utilise pre-existing agricultural waste like sugar cane, straw, hemp, seaweed, algae etc. We should all aim to try and bring eco-conscious alternatives into the industry. And even better, where we can, go paperless!

Most of us are also aware of the damage that ink can cause to the environment. Many of us have switched to soluble and vegetable inks in our work already, however this is also something we must pay attention to in the design process. Some inks can render cardboard and other seemingly green products unrecyclable. When designing, we must always encourage safer and more eco-friendly options for our clients.

5. Stay Informed

Most importantly, something that we all must do, is stay informed. The Society for Responsible Design is a website dedicated to keeping designers in the know about how we can continue to make changes for a sustainable future. Developments in ink and eco friendly packaging materials are constantly making headlines, the change is happening, so let’s get creative and see what we can do to help save the planet!

Here are some examples of innovative and sustainable designs that we love!

Job Description:

We have an excellent opportunity for a Front End Designer/Developer to join our growing team in the heart of Lancashire. You will be working alongside our creative team to produce work for a wide variety of clients.

The ideal candidate must be adaptable and have good interpersonal and communication skills. You will need a great eye for design to deliver what the client wants. The design industry is forever changing, so we want to ensure that our team members are open to learning new skills.

It is extremely important that whoever joins our team is someone who can manage their time and their projects efficiently. At times, deadlines can be tight, so you must be able to work proactively as part of a team as well as using your initiative when working on your own.

So, if you have a creative passion for design and are looking for your next challenge, this may be the job for you…See below to check whether you fit the bill!

Key Requirements:

• Experience of WordPress, WooCommerce & Elementor would put you in a strong position
• Excellent HTML, CSS knowledge
• Ability to communicate with clients and adjust designs to fit their needs
• Excellent organisational and time keeping skills
• Proactive with an enthusiastic approach
• Excellent written and communication skills

Bonus skills:

• Knowledge of Shopify is beneficial, however not essential as training can be provided
• Experience or good knowledge of SEO best practices
• Knowledge of Social media, PPC, Google shopping
• Knowledge of Adobe XD

The ideal candidate will be based in our studio in Lancashire, close to motorway links. Flexible hours available, Monday to Friday. On-site parking available.

If you think you have what it takes to join our team, please email your CV to careers@watersidecreative.com, alternatively, if you wish to discuss anything, please email your query in.

No recruitment agencies please.

I have read and heard about the struggles others are facing and I feel it is good practice to do this on a regular basis, so that we can appreciate what we have been blessed with. In a week, where the government decided not to extend free school meals for children in England into the half-term holiday, I thought about all the people who will struggle to feed their children for various reasons, like having lost their income due to the pandemic, something no one could’ve planned for. I am grateful that I am not in the same predicament. However, we have to be grateful for humans like Marcus Rashford and his campaign and all the people and companies who have gone above and beyond and shown what happens when we are let down, in true spirit, we battle on. Big clap to everyone chipping in, in whatever way they can!

So, back to the article, why you should have a website in the current world of COVID-19? A lot of businesses have struggled to keep their shops open in the “current climate” (I hate these words, but nothing else fits) so being online is more important than ever.

More and more people are choosing to shop online, even our parents have started shopping online for their clothes, food, DIY tools (never thought that would happen but it’s nice to see they have moved with the times) and so with that, comes the pressure to be online with an effective eCommerce website which attracts customers and retains them to ensure they become long-term customers.

I always say, your website has to look good but just as important is the usability of it, it has to be user friendly, it has to flow. It just ensures that visitors can find what they’re looking for, without too much trouble. In my opinion, your visitors have to have a smooth visit, a smooth transaction, information should be easy to find and your photos should be of high resolution. And, of course, like you would secure your retail store, it is absolutely crucial, you secure your website. You don’t want to be a victim of a cyber attack, you don’t want to lose your customer’s trust.

Track, track and track, I couldn’t emphasise this more. You need to track where customers are going, where are they dropping off, etc. If you track behaviour, you can make improvements to make your site to make it work for you.

If you are looking to develop your brand, website or eCommerce store this year, get in touch with the team at Waterside Creative today, to discuss your requirements.

Let’s Work Together

Fill out our quick and easy Project Planner by clicking the link below. We’ll then check your brief submission and arrange a quick informal meeting over a cup of coffee to discuss how we can help you.

Project Planner

• Giving back to my community…and inspiring the next generation!
  • So, we’re getting settled in to the new office and have had some visitors this week…new clients, friends/family (all socially distanced…hate that we have to explain this all the time) even a work placement student!
    • Let’s Work Together
  • Fill out our quick and easy Project Planner by clicking the link below. We’ll then check your brief submission and arrange a quick informal meeting over a cup of coffee to discuss how we can help you.

Giving back to my community…and inspiring the next generation!

So, we’re getting settled in to the new office and have had some visitors this week…new clients, friends/family (all socially distanced…hate that we have to explain this all the time) even a work placement student!

This is something I’ve always wanted to do and something I have been doing for the last couple of years, offering work placement students a place to come and learn on the job. I have always felt like on the job training was something I wasn’t able to do simply because of where I live. It’s a small town in Lancashire, to get some on the job training from a decent design studio, I had to travel to Manchester which wasn’t easy.

For the last two years, I have been working in partnership with Blackburn College to allow their students to come and learn from experienced Designers in the field. It has been a pleasure to host these students and gives me a sense of giving back to the very college where I studied all them years ago. We also had Lucy join us on an internship from Loughborough University, Lucy Watson had an excellent attitude and was extremely committed (she travelled from Skipton every week) and her illustrations were amazing…she is talented!

Isn’t it just amazing how great you feel after helping someone out, even it is in the smallest way possible? I also noticed that I felt more creative and more confident. Basically, I felt fulifilled, even though I have done nothing, but it meant something to someone and for that, it meant something to me.

Back to Blackburn College…Raheel visited us earlier this week, this was his first visit and his dad popped in to say hello too. Raheel is currently studying Graphic Design and is required to undertake 30hrs of work placement as part of his course. I am hoping he can utilise some of this time on some projects we currently have ongoing and we can in turn share these with you in the coming weeks!

Keep a look out for what Raheel gets up to and if you have any other ideas about how else we can give back, please drop us an email.

• A long and exciting year at Waterside Creative
  • Here at Waterside Creative, we have had one of our most exciting years but I’m not going to lie, it was also a very very painful one!
    • Let’s Work Together
  • Fill out our quick and easy Project Planner by clicking the link below. We’ll then check your brief submission and arrange a quick informal meeting over a cup of coffee to discuss how we can help you.

A long and exciting year at Waterside Creative

Here at Waterside Creative, we have had one of our most exciting years but I’m not going to lie, it was also a very very painful one!

We became quite settled in our one room (don’t get me wrong, it was one massive room) office but early last year I got thinking that in order to grow the agency, we needed more rooms/space. So, when the opportunity came up to move to a stand alone building within the same business park, I was sold. It had everything I was after! I could have a meeting room, a “stock” (hoarder – this is what my wife calls me) room, the design studio and a photography studio, its own kitchen, and toilet too, what else could I possibly need?! This would be a third move for Waterside Creative but it was a natural progression for us. Being in our own building means, we will be much more accessible to our clients and it will allow us to provide the personal service we have become known for.

Well, that dream started 52 weeks (probably more to be honest) ago, meaning Waterside Creative was meant to have moved to its new premises in September 2019. You can probably tell from the tone of this blog, it wasn’t as easy as that. The building needed a lot of work doing to it and so the work began to make it more aesthetically pleasing to how we wanted it and then, as with all building work, it came to an abrupt halt. That halt lasted a full 10 months before it restarted again. And every month, my wife (without fail) would ask me the same question, “I thought you were moving” and I would give her the same deflated reply “I don’t know what’s happening”. But, alas we are in, as of 1st October 2020, the deco isn’t quite finished and we need to have a clear out (really should’ve done this before the move) but it has made my year!

As I sit here today (on a Sunday), I am excited for what this new move will bring (“cringe” as my teenager would say). Yes, it was a painful and long battle but the end result, more than made up for it and as I sit here today (whilst I can hear the girls arguing in the background about having nothing to do), it makes me more grateful and appreciative to be here, knowing how long it took me to get here.

Next thing to tackle is the damn heating in this place…

Let’s Work Together

Fill out our quick and easy Project Planner by clicking the link below. We’ll then check your brief submission and arrange a quick informal meeting over a cup of coffee to discuss how we can help you.

Project Planner

• National Festival of Making 2019 – An impressive experience!
  • The national festival of making is a program which combines manufacturing, making, art and communities. It is a free family festival where international and national artist have come together to create world class work. The festival takes place within Blackburn which has a range of makers and manufacturers.
  • What happens at the National Festival of Making?
  • What took place?
  • Bivouac Printing
  • The Making Rooms
  • Action Painting
  • Islamic Art

National Festival of Making 2019 – An impressive experience!

The national festival of making is a program which combines manufacturing, making, art and communities. It is a free family festival where international and national artist have come together to create world class work. The festival takes place within Blackburn which has a range of makers and manufacturers.

Article by Ebrahim Nagdee (Volunteer at NFoM)

This week, we’ve finally had work start to take place across the road at the new Waterside space here in Blackburn. Walls have been filled and sanded down and painting has begun. All the old cabling and networking situation was very messy so it’s all been removed and new networking cabling and sockets will go in. The reason for the move was to cater for expansion in the near future (hoping to grow soon!) and for some exclusivity as a creative business. Being part of a business centre does not leave a-lot to the imagination. Clients assume we’re just another business who will offer cheap rates for quick work. We pride ourselves in the quality of work and the service we provide and this can’t be achieved with a one room situation. Although, we love our current office, it make sense to create separate spaces for client meetings, working room, and additional rooms for other areas such as photoshoots, and additional staff etc.

We opted for the Sapphite Salute by Dulux as it followed the brand colours and also the richness of the tone gave off an amazing vibe for the meeting room space. Paired with our favourite wallpaper, the red brick. Its a hit with our clients in our current office as it looks nothing like a wallpaper! Can’t wait to see what the Chesterfield sofa looks like against the deep sapphire blue.

We want to improve the brand experience for potential and existing clients. Being able to showcase our work and have a dedicated space for informal chats, allows us to truly achieve what we strive. We can’t wait to share the experience once all the work is complete. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the new space! For now check out the current progress in the pictures above!

Keep up to date with the progress by following us on Instagram as we share on our story!

We had a great time on-boarding our new client – SK Supplies. We will be carrying out the work for their website design where the main focus will be on promoting home lifestyle for bathrooms, living rooms and general plumbing and electrical supplies. The idea is to showcase their products in live settings to allow customers to visualise their state-of-the-art products.

We were honoured to have been invited down to see the new store and take a few snaps! They’ve done their hardwork. Now its time for us to start building their online presence in line with their goals.

You can visit them at: Unit 1, Bruce Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 3EE

or get in touch by calling: 01254 427376

If you are looking for something similar for your business, feel free to visit the Project Planner and also see our range of work. Follow us on Instagram & Facebook where we share regular updates, office life and design news.

Checkout the site here: www.sksupplies.co.uk