How to bring the latest visual trends into your website design, with Squarespace

Vivid Glow

First up is Martyna Wędzicka-Obuchowicz. Based in Gdańsk, her practice spans graphic design and art direction, with her speciality being music-focused visual identities – especially for festivals. Her work is characterised by punchy colour palettes, dynamic forms and mind-bending patterns, and it comes as no surprise that the visual trend she presents for this series is Vivid Glow. As the name would suggest, this trend is about embracing dazzling, neon hues in your designs, and not shying away from colours that practically glow. Crucially, this trend is not about chaotic use of colour, but rather a thoughtful rebellion against clinical minimalism.

“It represents a fresh approach to visual storytelling that refuses to blend in,” notes Martyna in her video. She goes on to explain how she often utilises striking and contrasting colours in her work, catching viewers’ eyes through a considered mix of fluorescent hues. Given that many of her clients are music festivals, this trend perfectly suits her briefs, and to help exemplify this, Martyna has collaborated with Squarespace on a Vivid Glow template in the form of a festival website.

This template brings together many of the elements that make up the Vivid Glow trend, from hypnotic motion graphics and mesmerising patterns to refined fonts and, of course, a heady colour palette. Each of these have been created using Squarespace’s in-built tools and features, which include shape blocks, scrolling blocks and font scaling. Together, these help to maximise the effect of this visually-arresting trend, allowing the colours and forms to connect and clash as needed. “Squarespace’s [tools] have really brought this trend and my idea to life [and] I encourage you to use this website design for your project or event, and add your own customisation,” says Martyna.

For Manchester-based illustrator Tom Bingham, this trend is particularly captivating, and one quick scroll through his Instagram reveals just how it has pervaded his practice. Plants, fungi and insects can be found in abundance in his work, each rendered in his distinctively cute style. His illustrations seek to bring us closer to nature, and as he attests to in his video: “We can’t help but be influenced by the natural world.” He continues: “There’s no shortage of inspiration – look at the textures, colours, shapes, and oh, a bug! It’s easy to spot the impact of organic elements in the design world, from natural forms and shapes, all the way through to earthy colour palettes.”

In his collaboration with Squarespace, Tom has brought these organic-based designs to bear on the platform’s diverse range of features. He has utilised Fluid Engine, a drag-and-drop editor, editable scrolling text blocks for a playful and engaging visitor experience, and included a donation box. Visually, the template incorporates several of Tom’s illustrations, alongside background textures that have been created with leaves gathered on one of his forest excursions. Eye-catching and accessible, this Organic Matter layout is the perfect stepping stone for creating a nature-inspired website.

Visual Smiles

Finally, for our last trend, we have Visual Smiles – a design approach that prioritises fun above all else. Making your audience happy is surely one of the best things design can do, but this is often overlooked in the quest for clear communication. This trend makes use of playful typography, quirky imagery and an overall lighthearted aesthetic to bring some joy to the online world. It reminds us that growing up doesn’t mean we have to take ourselves seriously all of the time.

This is a value that London-based illustrator Martyna Wieliczko lives – and works – by. “Let’s face it, the internet can feel a bit repetitive and serious at times,” she tells us in her video, “but design should have the space to break the mould and create something unexpected.” Indeed, Martyna’s work seeks to do just that, with her stating that it’s all about “crafting moments of uplifting reflection and connection”. Through silly subject matter, playful compositions and cute characters, Martyna shows us how design can be a force for fun, no matter the context.

With this in mind, she partnered with Squarespace to create a template that is full of playful details whilst still being functional. Colourful and inviting, it features shape blocks, scrolling type and pinned blocks to create an engaging experience for visitors. Through the use of these features, typical elements like a shop, an about section and clear navigation are elevated and turned into a website that is both informative and cheerful to look at. “With interactive animations and thoughtful details it’s easy to create a digital space that feels personal and inviting,” notes Martyna, “and now you can try this out with the Visual Smiles design over at squarespace.com.”

We invite you to explore these trends, experiment on Squarespace’s design-driven platform, and see which templates and tools work best for you – so your online presence can be as expressive and unique as your work.