Why minimalist Squarespace website designs work
I put it right out there in my profile on the Squarespace expert Marketplace that I specialize in minimalist website design. It’s my favorite form of design, period. It’s the way I dress, very minimalist. My wardrobe consists of most heather grey T-shirts, dark chinos, grey crewneck sweatshirts and white sneakers. The look is clean and easy, two attributes I enjoy employing in website design.
Functionality: Light backgrounds with dark writing are easy to read. That’s it. I want users to have an easy time reading the information presented on a website. Even though I need reading glasses these days, I still am able to read smaller fonts when there is enough contrast. When I’m in a restaurant and I forgot my readers, I can typically get by with using the flashlight on my iPhone to make sure I’m ordering what I want on a menu.
Elegance: Growing up I would try to read one article in the New York Times Sunday Magazine. My dad would always buy the Sunday editions of the New York Times and Philadelphia Inquirer. I’d read the Inquirer for my local sports news and the Times to challenge myself on a topic I didn’t easily want to read. The Sunday Magazine always had a striking cover and the inside layouts were simple, but dramatic. Everything was really tastefully done and the designers created a sense of sophistication that flowed throughout the experience of reading the publication.
Timelessness: Trends come and go, and in website design you can easily identify certain looks from specific eras. While some of that is based on technology limitations, much of it is just based on looks. Remember Blogspot sites with the multiple columns? With a minimalist website design, it’s easier to achieve a trend-proof look. When I visit my parents now, I still pick up the Sunday Times Magazine and it basically looks the same as when I read it decades ago.
So if you are considering various approaches to your website design, I urge you to take a look at the most classic designs as inspiration. Look at cars, clothing, buildings, anything a coffee table book might cover as its theme.
