When you think of patterns, what is the first thing that comes into your mind? Many would think of the 70′s or Gran’s carpet, but patterns have made a huge comeback over the past few years, thanks to establishments like Ikea who promoted the use of bold colours within home furnishings. However, within web design, patterns are being used more readily; with faster download speeds and better file sizes with the use of vector graphics, patterns are being used more and more for background images within web design than ever before.
Patterns are now used often throughout web design. However, they usually go unnoticed, remaining in the background and enhancing the overall design (hopefully!). These background patterns are used to replace standard background colours, creating a more inviting atmosphere fitting the overall style of the site and boosting the branding and image of the company.
The reason why patterns are popular for background images within web design is because they are extremely versatile, creating a unique space and increasing the sites personality, setting it apart from others. Within the e-commerce sector, websites using patterns within their background can be seen often, but many other sectors choose to use patterns to add a touch of character to their sites too. Here are a few examples that we have come across:
It is easy to create completely different styles by utilising background patterns. Whatever look and feel you want to achieve with your website, from crafty and homely looks to ultra modern and sleek designs, patterns are so diverse enabling you to transform a relatively ordinary website into something a little less ordinary.
Here are a couple of great resources for downloading free patterns:
Tags: background patterns, web design
