Trends give us a hint of the underlying patterns inspiring creative professionals around the globe. Rather than taken literally, design trends are meant to serve as starting points to kickstart your own creative process. A set of insights to spark a design that is still uniquely yours. Inspire your perspective as we go over some of this summer’s most popular design themes. You can also check out our handpicked collections with fonts, graphics, photos, templates, and more assets featuring each of the trends.
Surreal Garden
The clock strikes six o’clock and it’s time for tea. With the Mad Hatter, that is. With the emergence of gardening as a pandemic coping hobby, botanicals pique our collective interest again. This season, flowers and leaves feature an airy, vaporous look playfully inspired by the 80s.
Poolside Pastels
These are not your typical soft pastels. This season we’re seeing neon, in-your-face mints, blues, pinks, and yellows take over. As the northern hemisphere enjoys warmer weather, sunlight also baked our color palettes leaving us with a retro rainbow of hues that work great as design accents. White, the combination of multiple colors, is represented in this trend through iridescence and holographic effects.
Sunbaked Mint, our Color of the Season for summer 2021, is a perfect example of a bright pastel designed to stand out.
Download our set of color palettes in SVG and start using them in your favorite design app.
Download the palettesUrban Psychedelic
Cities are reemerging and so is a distinctively street-inspired aesthetic. Neon signage, mural art, dark sci-fiesque scenes, chrome effects, and bold acid tones dominate this trend, also heavily influenced by a boom in psychedelic culture.
Sandy Vibes
Earthy tones inspired by the resurgence of desert trips and music festivals. Expect bohemian motifs to take center stage in a look that is, at once, rebellious and calm. Dreamy and grounded. While the colors themselves are soothing and warm, there’s a bold layer of outspoken, cause-driven messages.
Tropical Luxe
It’s been raining nonstop and nature is blooming at will. This awakened, moody jungle features animal prints, tropical patterns, and daring metallics. Think glamorous jungle escape with a dark, misty feel.
Divine Energy
Confinement led many to rediscover their inner magic. Divine Energy is all about our return to soulful living and self-discovery. Astrology, tarot, and sacred symbols all make a stellar appearance in branding and other design projects. Other popular accents under this trend include crystal light effects and prisms.
What are you seeing more of?
Have any other trends caught your eye this season? We’d love to hear. Share your findings in the comments section below.
Download our set of color palettes in SVG and start using them in your favorite design app.
Download the palettes
Brand strategist. Creating design tools to empower creative entrepreneurs. Author of the Lean Branding book. MA in Design Management from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).
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