Flat Design 2014

Characteristics and Practical Applications

Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaMeera Krishnan, Web Designer and Developer, iconnect360

5 main characteristics ofFLAT DESIGN

1. no added effectso This means NO

• drop shadows• bevels• embossing• gradients • or other tools that add

depth

2. simple shapes, such as rectangles, circles or squares

5 main characteristics ofFLAT DESIGN

3. a focus on typographyo The tone of the type should

match the overall design scheme

o Type should also be bold and worded simply and efficiently

5 main characteristics ofFLAT DESIGN

4. a focus on color o Retro swatches

• Retro colors work best when they stand along as a dominant color element. Pair them with images or muted colors for the best results.

• Popular colors: Oranges, peach or plum tones and dark blues

o Monotone swatches• Just like with other color palettes,

monotone schemes also need to include contrast. Mix tints to that each different “color” is distinct from the parent color. Start with a full color (100 percent) and tints of 50 percent, 20 percent and 8 percent.

• Popular colors: Blues, grays and greens

o Bright swatches• Try these color combinations

together or mixed in groups to create a great flat color palette. Each of these colors will pop against a white or black background for maximum impact.

• Popular colors: Blues, greens and purples

5 main characteristics ofFLAT DESIGN

5. an overall minimalist approacho avoid too many bells and

whistles in the overall designo simple color and text may be

enougho If visuals are necessary, opt

for simple photography

Practical applications of FLAT DESIGNS

Websites• Oak.is creates fonts and other

graphic solution for what they call to be productive people.

• Kickfolio is an interactive app for the iPhone and their modern, slick website uses different solid color and buttons with slick, modern effects.

• Invoisse is the landing page of a web app that has not been released yet. The site is a single-page with possibility to scroll down. What is unique about it is the fact that during scrolling the background colors change. Very nice touch to an otherwise simple, clean and modern website.

Practical applications of FLAT DESIGNS

• Mobile appso Shopping List Appo Musix Appo Spendee Appo Calculator App for iOS

Practical applications of FLAT DESIGNS

• Forms

Practical applications of FLAT DESIGNS

• Icons