The overarching theme in this selection is simplicity. Minimalism never really goes out of fashion and with good reason; it can convey a variety of different things depending on how it is applied.

Black and white with a single accent color can be bold and striking, or it can be sophisticated and polished. A minimal layout with a warmer color scheme maintains clarity while also evoking the emotional response associated with the tones used. In this collection, we have included examples of all of these and more. Enjoy!

+Anton

A bold color scheme of black, white, and orange is combined with occasional, striking images. The usual menu headings — about, work, services, etc. — are abandoned in favor of a more direct approach.

Milliners Yard

Animated lines shift to form different patterns, at times revealing an M or a Y, reflecting the font used for the logotype. This creates an area of interest in what is essentially a holding page.

Voyager

A pale blue background softens and adds warmth to this otherwise black and white site. The loading icon based on the company logo is a nice detail.

Mayice

Mayice studio practises architectural and product design, and its website is split across these two disciplines. The home page is rather fun: at first glance, it appears rather empty but simply moving the cursor around produces a flurry of images.

Epicurrence

This single pager for the next Epicurrence event keeps things simple. Gold-green text is a sophisticated alternative to yellow, on a black background, while maintaining a dramatic contrast.

Wimp

The idea behind Wimp is that decaf coffee shouldn’t be the poor relation. A simple, modern aesthetic provides the backdrop to engaging copy that feels personal and creates a connection with the user. But sadly not if the user is Ron Swanson.

Villa Clementina

The approach here is to focus on the experience of staying in this boutique hotel on Lake Como. The angles on the display type used creates the impression of water, and the clickable hand-drawn style illustration is a pleasing feature.

Accordion

Unsurprisingly perhaps, the design here leans into the agency name with a showcase accordion menu on the homepage. Overall, the animated transitions across the site are smooth and effective, and the accordion concept doesn’t become gimmicky.

fritz-kola

fritz-kola has gone for a youthful, punchy look, with crisp bold white type on black. Images and videos are greyscale except for the products that stand out as the only color.

Function Health

Function Health’s site uses selective interactive highlighting break up a dense block of text. This together with app-style images and engaging animated illustration helps to demystify and humanize the medical terminology.

207 Ouest

A well-chosen hero image sets the tone for this lifestyle design store. Good product photography, balanced spacing, and aspirational sales text work to gather for a refined, stylish experience.

Potluck

Lots of bright colors evoke freshness and flavor when used to promote food. Candid-style photography and oversized text add both vitality and warmth.

Space Posters

Often sites selling a small number of products can feel lacking but this one makes a virtue of having only two items. It’s visually simple but with engaging details, and is pleasing to use.

Huey

Huey has a handmade feel and a slight retro aesthetic. This fits perfectly with the brand’s values of artisanal and sustainable design.

Peterson Rich Office

This minimalist site is pleasing to use, with engaging images and easy navigation. The occasional flash of bright blue adds a sophisticated sense of character as does the subtle serif display font.

Terner Labs

The homepage reveal animation works really well here, as the logo opens up to play an introductory video. Overall, the site evokes a sense of robustness and of straightforwardness.

Luca

This site exudes a sense of quiet elegance with its spare layout and dark green background. Attention to detail is apparent: even the usual blog section appears to be art-directed.

Concrete

This website for creative agency Concrete could be described as brutalist—appropriate to its name—but it’s brutalism with a bit of polish. Elements like the app-style menu prevent it feeling dated.

The Blimp

The Blimp is a dynamic music catalogue, with magazine elements like featured new releases and recommendations. It has a lively, anarchic feel on the surface, but the content is carefully categorized and searchable.

Pillowtalk

With its warm muted colors and nature-inspired images, the design reflects the calming effect intended by the app it is promoting.