Flat design is a style of design that is characterized by minimalism and simplicity. It is identifiable by the use of simple shapes and typography as well as the minimal use of shadows, gradients and textures. This design style first emerged in the early 2010s as a reaction to the skeuomorphic design, which emulated real-world materials and textures.

Flat design has become popular in the world of web and graphic design and is widely adopted by businesses looking to create a modern and sleek look for their brand. The minimalistic approach of flat design makes it easy to create a clean and uncluttered look that can help businesses standout in a crowded marketplace.

While flat design has its advantages, it’s not without its criticisms. Some designers and users disprove of flat design for being too minimalistic, lacking visual interest and being difficult to use. Despite these criticisms, many businesses continue to adopt flat design as a way to create a modern and professional image.

In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at flat design and its use in business and explore whether flat design is still a good way for businesses to stand out.

Skeuomorphic Design vs Flat Design

When it comes to picking a design style, there is no such thing as one being better than the other. It ultimately depends on the goals and target audience of a business. Both skeuomorphic and flat design have their own unique advantages and disadvantages.

Skeuomorphic design emulates real-world materials and textures, which can create a sense of familiarity and ease of use for users. It can also add visual interest to a website or app. However, it can be seen as outdated and overwhelming, especially when there is too much details in the design.

On the other hand, flat design is characterized by minimalism and simplicity, which can create a modern and sleek look. It is also easy to create, it can be easily scaled and it’s responsive. However, it has been criticized for being too minimalistic, lacking visual interest and being difficult to use.

How Flat Design Can Help a Business Stand Out

One of the main advantages of flat design is that it creates a modern and sleek look for websites and marketing materials. The minimalistic approach of flat design can help businesses create a clean and uncluttered look that can make their brand stand out in a crowded marketplace. Flat design is also easy to create, can be easily scaled and is responsive. That means that it can adapted to different screen sizes easily, making it perfect for creating websites that look great on both desktop and mobile devices.

In addition to its aesthetic appeal, flat design also has practical benefits for businesses. Because it is minimalistic and easy to navigate, it can help improve the user experience of a website or app. This can lead to an increase in engagement and conversions, which can ultimately help a business grow. Additionally, flat design can be easily customized to reflect a business’s branding, which can help create a consistent and professional image across all of a company’s marketing materials.

Many popular apps and websites like Spotify, Instagram, Skype, and Windows have adopted flat design. The use of flat design on these platforms have helped them to achieve a modern and clean look that appeals to a wide range of users. As a result, they’ve become widely used and well-known platforms.

While flat design can be a great choice for some businesses, it may not be the best choice for every business. It’s important for businesses to carefully consider their goals and target audience when choosing a design style.

The Problem with Flat Design

One of the main criticisms of flat design is that it can lack visual interest and make a website or app feel unengaging. Because flat design relies on minimalism and simplicity, it can be easy for a website or app to feel bland and uninspired or worst, generic.

Another criticism that has frequently arise is that flat design is difficult to use. Because flat design relies on minimalism and simplicity, it can be easy for a website or app to feel unorganized and disorienting. Without the use of visual cues such as shadows and gradients, it can be difficult for users to understand the hierarchy of information on a website or app. This can lead to confusion and frustration for users, which can ultimately lead to decreased engagement and conversions.

To address these potential issues, businesses can take a few cautionary steps. They can incorporate subtle shadows and gradients to create a sense of depth and hierarchy, and use typography, color and other design elements to create visual interest. Additionally, businesses can use user testing to ensure that their website or app is easy to navigate and understand.

Final Thoughts

Flat design can be an effective design choice for businesses looking to create a modern and professional image, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s important to keep in mind that, a design style is only one aspect of a business’s overall marketing strategy. It should be used in conjunction with other marketing efforts to create a cohesive and effective strategy.

If you’re having trouble figuring out what design style works best for you, consider bringing on a design partner to make those choices for you. Trusted by 100s of businesses from early-stage startups to big organizations, Mad Creative Beanstalk delivers quality branding and design that your company deserves.

‍