Latest Web Design Trends (2025): Make Your Site Unforgettable

Ever noticed your favorite website suddenly had a complete design overhaul?

Brands do it to stay in step with the latest web design trends and to:

• Enhance the user experience
• Put more focus on their content
• Reflect a refreshed brand identity

CNN, Bloomberg, Apple – most big brands are following modern web design trends.

For years, designers followed familiar rules to create smooth user experiences.

But now, websites are getting louder, more emotional, bold, and even chaotic.

We’ve gathered the web design trends making noise in 2025. Some are smart and simple. Others throw out the rulebook.

We’ll walk you through both and share our take, so you can pick what fits your style. Let’s explore!

A Quick Glimpse at What’s Trending in 2025

Before we jump in, here’s a sneak peek at some of the modern web design trends reshaping the web this year:

• Anti-design and brutalism: Breaking traditional rules for raw, bold impact.
• Scrollytelling and interactive journeys: Guiding users through stories, not just pages.
• Scroll-triggered animations and 3D design: Bringing websites to life with motion and depth.
• Immersive hero sections: Fullscreen visuals that instantly capture attention.
• Micro-interactions and dynamic cursors: Tiny details that create meaningful engagement.
• Bento grid layouts: Organized, stylish blocks inspired by Japanese design.
• Expressive typography and text-first aesthetics: Letting words take center stage.
• Custom illustrations and visual language: Replacing the generic with human and handmade.
• Whitespace mastery: Letting simplicity and spacing guide the experience.

Let’s talk about each trend in a little more detail.

Biggest Web Design Trends in 2025

If you’re building or revamping a site, here’s what to keep on your radar:

1. Anti-Design, Anti-Usability and Messiness

Not all websites need to be sleek, symmetrical, or polished. That’s where anti-design, brutalism, and messy layouts steal the spotlight.

They often challenge visual norms on purpose, making them stand out in a sea of pixel-perfect templates.

In 2025, more designers are leaning into imperfection. They’re saying, “This site was made by a human.”

And that raw, unfiltered energy stands out in a world flooded with AI sameness.

Anti-design throws structure out the window. Think giant fonts, offbeat spacing, and layouts that break the rules.

Studio Job’s site is a wild ride with oversized elements, a hand-shaped cursor flipping the bird, and scroll-triggered madness you can’t ignore.

Bryant Smith takes a different path. His one-page site ditches scrolling altogether.

Three bold illustrations act as menus, while movement and color do all the talking – no fluff, no extras.

Then there’s Take A Walk On The Wild Side.

It embraces messy creativity with overlapped images, out of place menu, dense visuals, and brutal design aesthetics that feels raw but energetic.

Love it or not, this kind of raw creativity now has a genre of its own and a loyal following.

While unconventional, this is one of the website design trends in 2025 that proves breaking the rules can pay off, if done thoughtfully.

2. Experimental Navigation and Scrollytelling

Navigation in web design is becoming an experience in itself.

Some designers are tossing out tradition entirely and building ways for you to explore a site like you’d wander through a museum.

Take Stykovka for example. It doesn’t feel like clicking through pages at all.

Instead, you zoom in and out of different sections on what feels like an infinite canvas.

You can even pan sideways to reach new content. It’s playful, immersive, and oddly intuitive once you try it.

Then there’s Canal Street Market, where pages unfold like origami.

It all happens on a single screen, which keeps you grounded while still giving that sense of discovery.

This ties in beautifully with another rising trend, storytelling web design, often called scrollytelling.

You’re not just clicking through pages anymore, you’re following a story. As you scroll, text and visuals come alive.

Even though it looks cool, you don’t have to overdo it. When done well, both experimental navigation and scrollytelling can turn a visit into a journey.

Expect this to be one of the trends that continues to blur the line between content and experience.

3. Scroll-Triggered Animations (Scrollytelling Meets Interaction)

Among the most immersive website design trends in 2025, scroll-triggered storytelling leads the way in audience engagement.

Take a look at sites like Lusion. As you scroll, the content doesn’t just fade in, it flies, shifts and builds itself in front of you.

It’s a strong example where interaction and motion combine to drive the narrative forward.

What we like about this design is that it uses multiple types of animation, 3D, video and text.

There’s even more happening when you layer in macro animations. Sites like Mars Rejects or Pay With Peppermint feel alive.

As you scroll, the entire interface responds to your movement. Text tilts. Elements slide. Graphics react as if the site is breathing.

It’s not just about flair. These animations guide your journey and keep you engaged. But go too far, and it can feel overwhelming.

The best scroll-based sites use this technique to pace the story, not distract from it.

If your content has a message or narrative flow, consider turning that scroll into a guided scroll web design experience.

It can help visitors slow down, lean in, and truly absorb what you’re sharing.

4. Bold and Immersive Hero Sections

Gone are the days of tiny hero images and minimal headers. Now you’ll find bold videos, animated illustrations, and oversized typography filling the entire screen.

This isn’t just for show. It’s about setting the mood fast and guiding the visitor’s eye where you want it to go.

This trend shows up consistently in website design trends because it grabs attention from the very first second.

Take Get Creative, for example. The moment the page loads, you’re met with a fullscreen autoplay video showcasing their creative work across industries.

Big, powerful text floats on top, telling you who they are and what they do:

“Create. Data fueled. Idea led. Proven through performance.”

You don’t scroll to explore, you stay, absorb, and engage right there.

You’ll see the same bold visual strategy on the Microsoft Surface homepage, where a fullscreen hero video tells the story.

A well-done fullscreen design doesn’t overwhelm. It simplifies.

When done right, it becomes your brand’s elevator pitch, visually loud, but strategically sharp.

It’s perfect for storytelling, product reveals, or simply setting a strong visual tone that sticks.

5. Micro-Interactions and Dynamic Cursor Effects

You know those tiny animations that react when you click, scroll, or hover?

They’re called micro interactions, and in 2025, they’re everywhere, doing more than just looking cool.

Click a button and it gives a subtle bounce. Hover over a menu and the border softly lights up.

Add something to your cart and a mini animation confirms it, making the whole experience feel thoughtful and alive.

These details might seem small, but they make your site feel human and interactive in all the right ways.

Take a look at Spire’s website, hovering over a button subtly changes its background color. It’s a tiny gesture, but it signals that the site is paying attention.

This kind of micro interaction design builds trust and keeps visitors engaged without overwhelming them.

Then there’s Elive Hotels, where elegant swans gracefully vanish once the page loads, and the background subtly shakes when you move your mouse.

These little touches don’t just add flair, they guide attention and keep visitors engaged

Even cursors are joining the party. We’re seeing custom cursors that trail behind like a comet, or reveal hidden elements as you move across the screen.

Some turn into text tools, others pulse or glow. It’s a throwback to early internet creativity done with modern finesse.

Used right, micro interaction designs guide users, reward clicks, and turn static websites into responsive, almost conversational spaces.

They don’t shout for attention, they earn it.

6. Immersive 3D Web Design

3D websites aren’t just for flashy portfolios anymore, they’re becoming more accessible, purposeful, and seriously cool.

Thanks to better bandwidth and smarter tools, 3D web design is no longer out of reach.

Designers can now build lightweight experiences that feel dynamic and interactive without dragging down your page speed.

Just take a look at Atmos by Leeroy.

It’s not a typical scroll-and-read site. You zoom into a 3D web design interface that flies through aviation history.

Content appears mid-flight, and you can pause anytime to explore. Add some background audio and it feels like you’re watching a short film.

It’s a perfect example of immersive 3D design done right by blending visuals, storytelling, and interaction.

Then there’s Savic Motorcycles, where visitors can rotate, zoom, and explore every curve of their bikes in the configurator.

It’s more than eye candy. It helps users interact with a product like they’re seeing it in real life.

3D isn’t a gimmick, it’s a game changer for eCommerce sites.

When used right, it’s a journey, one that invites users to explore, stay longer, and remember your brand.

Expect to see this in nearly every roundup of modern web design trends in 2025, especially for portfolios and eCommerce!

7. Bento Grid Interfaces

Bento grids are back and they’re sharper, more colorful, and incredibly user-friendly.

This layout trend, often referred to as Bento web design, draws inspiration from Japanese bento boxes and Apple’s iOS widgets.

Bento website design breaks content into clean, modular tiles. It gives each section its own visual identity while maintaining harmony across the page.

You’ll often see it used to showcase different categories, features, or product types, each neatly packed in its own little visual “box.”

Take Givingli for example. Their homepage feels playful yet organized, using vibrant tiles to highlight everything from cards to gifts to celebrations.

It’s eye-catching without being overwhelming and a textbook case of Bento grid web design done right.

Retail giants like Walmart and Urban Outfitters also use Bento website design.

Their layouts shift content into structured blocks, giving each product its own moment to shine.

You’ll notice how they alternate between large and small blocks, creating rhythm while keeping things logical.

Designers across the globe are adopting Bento grid web design to infuse personality into their projects.

It’s not just about fitting content into boxes, it’s about crafting an experience that resonates.

The Bento layout allows for the perfect balance between form and function. It gives designers the creative freedom to innovate while keeping the user at the center of the design journey.

The best part? You don’t need to code it all from scratch.

Tools like CSS Grid and modern page builders make Bento web design more accessible than ever.

If you’re looking for fresh web design ideas, Bento layouts are a great way to keep things modular and memorable.

8. Expressive Typography and Text-First Design

In 2025, fonts are loud, playful, and sometimes downright chaotic, in a good way.

Designers are leaning into typography web design where fonts do more than just deliver words.

They create an experience which has become one of the boldest modern web design trends of the year.

Take Grog.shop. This site plays with all-caps type, sideways scrolling, comic-style marquees, and animated strokes.

At first glance, it feels like you’ve stepped into a graphic novel.

But every movement and type choice is intentional. It’s expressive without being overwhelming.

Then there’s Made by Analogue using emojis, animations, and energetic typography that turns simple text into a dynamic experience.

They even draw you in with a playful mini-game that kicks off when you hit the “PLAYFUL” button – and yes, you get a scorecard at the end.

It’s a fun, memorable touch that gives the site some serious recall value.

Their competitor, Analogue Agency, plays it more conventional, which only makes the original stand out even more.

If you want a blend of storytelling and design, check out AncientDrinks.com.

Their large, Nordic-style fonts, paired with hover animations and ingredient reveals create a vibe that’s immersive and unforgettable.

You’ll also notice a rise in text-heavy layouts, like Sam Goddard’s portfolio.

It leans heavily into oversized headings, shifting layouts, and bold spacing proving that typography design can lead the entire creative direction of a site.

So whether it’s with quirky fonts, shifting text blocks, or bold typographic choices, expressive typography is giving websites a new voice and plenty of attitude.

9. Custom Illustrations and Visual Language

Stock photos are on their way out and we’re here for it.

Websites are embracing hand-drawn illustrations, quirky visuals, and branded artwork that feels personal and real.

This shift has led to the rise of illustration web design, where custom visuals define a site’s personality more than stock images ever could.

Just look at Therapy in London. Its homepage feels like a page out of a notebook, with soft, cut-out-style illustrations and handwritten textures that mirror the warmth of a therapy session.

It doesn’t just look good, it feels like someone actually cares.

It’s a beautiful example of intentional illustration website design that connects emotionally.

Then there’s Who Cares?, an educational site that turns learning into a jungle safari.

Drag your cursor to explore, snap photos of endangered animals, and learn about them through pop-up facts.

All wrapped in the charm of a children’s picture book.

Brand Studio takes things up a notch by animating their entire team as illustrated characters.

Click an avatar and you’ll discover what each team member does through movement, color, and fun interactions.

This creative use of illustration website design shows how visuals can speak louder than bios.

Custom visuals like these don’t just stand out, they show personality, creativity, and that there’s a real human behind the design.

In a world flooded with AI-generated assets, this remains one of the most human-centered modern web design trends.

10. White Space That Works

White space web design isn’t about leaving huge blank gaps on pages.

It’s about giving your content space to breathe, visuals room to shine, and visitors a sense of calm and clarity.

Think of it like composing a visual symphony. Each element, your logo, headline, navigation, product shot, needs its own moment in the spotlight.

Too much going on and the experience feels noisy. But get it just right and it feels premium, clear, and intentional.

And who does this better than Apple?

While they didn’t invent white space in design, they’ve certainly mastered it.

Their product pages give you one focus at a time with no distractions.

Bold imagery, minimalist layouts, and intentional spacing guide your attention like a silent tour guide.

It’s not just design; it’s storytelling with space.

Bear Creek Distillery is another standout. Their site pairs bold visuals with bold copy that never feels crowded.

This is white space web design in action which is elegant, focused, and effortlessly readable.

The sparsity of the layout helps highlight what they do best: distill.

There’s nothing flashy, just strong messaging wrapped in clean, open design. It tells a story without saying too much.

White space isn’t about emptiness. It’s about focus, flow, and the confidence to let simplicity speak louder than clutter ever could.

What Not to Compromise When Embracing Trends

The most exciting web design trends in 2025 can only shine when they’re backed by rock-solid fundamentals.

Here are a few things every designer should protect, no matter how innovative the layout or interaction becomes:

1. Speed Matters
Animations or videos are great until they slow your site down. Optimize everything so your site still loads quickly.

2. User Experience Comes First
No design should ever confuse visitors. Clear navigation, intuitive interactions, and scannable layouts are always non-negotiable.

3. Mobile Responsiveness
If your website looks breathtaking on desktop, don’t forget mobile. Sites like Canal Street Market maintain distinct mobile layouts that mirror their desktop vibe without sacrificing performance.

4. Accessibility Isn’t Optional
Use high contrast, alt text, keyboard-friendly navigation, and readable typography. Design should be inclusive, not exclusive.

5. Consistency Across Pages
Going bold on your homepage and bland everywhere else is a mismatch. Create a system that makes every page feel like part of the same experience.

Embrace trends but build with care. A trend should elevate your message, not overshadow it.

Conclusion

Trends come and go, but the best design choices are the ones that serve your purpose.

Whether you’re designing to attract, convert, educate, or simply express yourself, your website should support that without losing clarity or speed.

Whether you’re exploring new web design ideas or refreshing your brand presence, use these trends as inspiration, not obligation.

Pick the ones that feel right for your audience and your message.

Blend creativity with strategy. Because at the end of the day, great design isn’t just about what’s trending, it’s about what works for you.

When used thoughtfully, the right web design trends can help you get there.