Hello monochrome, old friend. After years of watching brands embrace wild and bold web design trends, like brutalist websites and Y2K design, more are turning to monochromatic web design.
Sure, this means brands are using just one-color palette. But today's monochromatic websites are anything but boring.
Ahead, you'll see how web designers are embracing monochrome today, plus how you can make your next monochromatic website stand out with Wix Studio.
What did monochrome look like in the past?
Monochromatic branding can be super memorable. Just think of classic brands like Tiffany & Co, and how their unique color became synonymous with the brand. But let’s jump ahead to the 2000s and understand how monochrome has shifted in the digital age.
Before Gen Z came of age and shook up our style tastes (like every generation does, and should), the 2010s, for the most part, saw monochrome as a way to achieve minimalism. The aesthetic specifically embraced more muted colors and neatness, with beiges and natural colors taking the stage, and monochromatic deep hues, too.
Monochrome trends in fashion and branding helped some of the biggest influences in 2010 to take off. In the late 2010s, head-to-toe-color was all the rage on runways, inspiring minimalist-oriented designs embraced by both venerable fashion houses like Bottega Veneta, and fostering the boom of new brands like the late Virgil Abloh’s Off-White. This was in-line with the relaxed culture of the fashion world at the time.
Monochromatic palettes were the inspiration for some of the biggest emerging brands of the last decade. Consider Glossier, which made an empire out of its effortless-looking branding, featuring a clean, monochrome palette of its signature pink alongside a few darker shades of the hue.
Other rising stars in the 2010s, such as Spotify, leaned into monochrome branding. Using a minimalistic wordmark logo in avocado green, the streaming service was popularized for that branding simplicity, using it to build trust and recognition before adding more colorful, psychedelic-inspired communication materials to their branding assets in the 2020s.
Web designers also embraced dramatically minimalist designs in the 2010s. Especially in the food and wellness industries, clean layouts, sans serif type trends, monochrome (often black and white), and a shift towards flat aesthetics, really dominated web design trends of the 2010s.
How brands are revamping the monochrome trend in 2024
Monochrome is re-surfacing not only thanks to its solid reputation, but also because of our obsession with using bright colors on screens. Here's how it's playing out across industries.
In fashion: In the more tangible fashion world, monochrome styles aren’t going anywhere; it's one of the biggest Spring/Summer fashion trends to come out of this season’s runways so far. A-listers are covered in monochrome on the red carpet.
In beauty: Many beauty brands—like Kylie Skin, Rhode and Fenty Beauty—focus on pastel colors like Pantone’s trending lilac purple or deep, earthy hues. These brands are solid examples of how digital wellness continues to bring mindfulness into design in 2024. On the other hand, look at the oral health care brand, Twice, to see how bright monochromatic color schemes can feel refreshing and optimistic.
In tech and media: Blue branding is on the rise. A well-known color choice for tech startups in the aughts, blue is known to draw in mass appeal, motivating big names like Max and Facebook to amplify their monochromatic online presence using the cool hue.
In food and beverage: Psychologically, red and other bright hues are considered the right colors to build an appetite in customers, so it makes sense that we see brands in the food industry embracing monochrome in web design using palettes of red and orange shades. Murray’s Cheese is loyal to its monochrome red branding palette. Iessi, a new non-alcoholic aperitif, spreads bright orange tones across their packaging and web design, branded by Maiarelli Studio & Florent Gomez Siso.
What today’s web designers have to say about embracing the monochrome trend
When creating a website for clients, we must keep in mind that web design is actually branding. When you’re banking on one color to set the mood for your client’s web design and branding, you’ve got to do it with the right intentions and skill. Let’s hear what designers today say about embracing monochrome in web design.
Insiders Alexandra Zimmerman, an independent web designer and creative director based in New York, and Paz Shribman, a Wix Studio designer, share these tips:
Start with a solid concept
“Start with a strong concept first,” says Zimmerman. With an emphasis on strong brand recognition, she says web designers should first “consider how the lack of multiple colors can emphasize your message and uncover clever depth to your palette rationale.” Before choosing one hue, designers should consider how color perception might impact the way your client’s brand is perceived, since many cultures experience color differently.
Embrace animation and other effects
Monochromatic sites are 0% boring, especially when you add engaging Wix Studio design features to the site. For example:
Web animations can help monochromatic websites feel fresh and fun.
Bento-inspired websites, like the one below, look clean and modern no matter which color you choose.
Horizontal scroll effects allow you to tell a story with your monochromatic designs. (See also: The web designer's guide to scrollytelling)
Use a range of tone and shades
“Use a range of tones and shades within your monochromatic palette to create depth and contrast,” Zimmerman says. She adds that this will also “ensure sufficient contrast between colors to maintain readability.” “I use what I call a ‘squint method.' I literally squint to determine contrast on the fly while designing. But use professional tools like the WebAIM contrast checker to verify that your design meets accessibility standards.”
Consider an accent color
Zimmerman says you can still introduce an accent color. “It will draw attention to critical elements, like call-to-action buttons, and create a lot of visual interest.”
Adhere to principles of minimalism for a user-friendly experience
“Web design, much like interface design, aims to be functional and user-friendly,” says Shribman. “Using fewer colors or monochrome palettes achieves a clean web design aesthetic that guides users smoothly through their journey, while providing clear and concise information.”
He adds that designers using a monochromatic palette for their client’s web design should “focus on minimalistic design principles, ensuring that their websites are both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional, enhancing the overall user experience.”
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