The top web design trends in 2021 and how you can create them in Squarespace
Why This Matters
Building a website today isn’t simply a tick-box activity. Your business lives or dies by what happens when a potential client lands on your page, and first impressions, as the old cliché stubbornly refuses to die, really do count. Trouble is, design trends shift at whiplash speed. One year a site looks fresh as a daisy; the next, as dated as a fax machine. If you’re using Squarespace, it can feel even trickier, with glossy template promises sometimes resulting in bland, template-y output. There’s pressure to look contemporary and professional, and at the same time, you don’t want to burn up your evenings chasing every fleeting fad or compromise on usability.
Ignoring current design language can quietly erode your credibility, increase bounce rates, and undermine all the work done behind the scenes to get eyes on your product. Nobody wants to launch an online presence that feels stuck in the past, or worse, like a random mashup of trends hurriedly tacked on.
Web design in 2021 now shows your users how much they can trust you, whether you’re relevant, and truthfully, if they’ll bother sticking around long enough to buy from you. That’s why keeping a beady eye on these trends, and adapting them sensibly in Squarespace, is worth every minute you invest.
Common Pitfalls
The urge to jump on every trend is strong, especially when meticulously designed sites parade themselves all over social media, but this is where many trip up. Here’s what typically goes wrong:
- Trend Overload: Chucking in neon buttons, parallax video, oversized type and high-contrast palettes all on the same page. What you get is visual indigestion and a visitor running for the hills.
- Template Tunnel Vision: Relying entirely on out-of-the-box Squarespace templates can lead to a “seen it before” syndrome. Your brand deserves more personality.
- Ignoring UX: Bold visuals are pointless if navigation becomes confusing, or if readability takes a nose-dive. Always remember: the wow factor should never come at the cost of usability.
- Half-hearted Minimalism: Stripping things back without a genuine strategy can give you a bleak, underdone site that feels empty rather than intentional.
- Colour Blindness: Applying trendy colour schemes without looking at how they work with your content. A washed-out pink may thrill the Instagram crowd, but might be hopeless for your business proposal landing page.
- Forgetting Mobile: What looks sharp on desktop can fall apart on mobile. If you’re not obsessively previewing your designs for every device, you’re writing off half your audience.
Squarespace offers powerful tools, but they’re not autopilot. The trick is using the bones it gives you and fleshing out a website that feels authentically yours, while subtly speaking the web’s visual language in 2021.
Step-by-Step Fix
1. Master Minimalism for Clarity and Speed
Declutter, strip back, reorganise. Focus on removing what isn't necessary. Minimalism is about ensuring every pixel fights for its place.
How to pull it off in Squarespace:
- Audit Your Content Ruthlessly
Open your main pages and run through every element. Does it directly help a user, explain something important, or guide them to your goal? If not, bin it. - Choose Your Template Wisely
In Squarespace 7.1, templates like "Brine" or "Paloma" are purpose-built for spacious layouts. Don’t settle for fussy navigation or sidebars bursting with widgets. - Limit Your Colour Palette
Stick to no more than two or three base shades. Use background colours sparingly to create generous white space. If buzzing neon calls your name, use it only for key calls to action. - Keep Fonts to a Minimum
One for headings, one for copy. Mix more than this and things will quickly unravel. - Space is Your Friend
Use Squarespace’s built-in spacing controls to create “breathing room” between sections. This makes content less intimidating and more digestible.
Minimalism doesn’t mean boring. Use bold type, a single on-brand accent colour and oversized buttons, as long as each serves a purpose. Remember, your top goal is to guide, not to show off.
2. Harness Black & White for Impact and Legibility
There’s a reason fashion icons stick to black and white: it never goes out of style. On the web, this combination sharpens edges, improves contrast and gives instant sophistication. This is an easy way to set your site apart visually.
How to make it sing in Squarespace:
- Pick a High-Contrast Template
Squarespace templates like "Hawley" are primed for monochrome, with clear lines and simple navigation. - Use Accent Colour Sparingly
Choose one (just one) accent colour, such as navy, electric blue, or dark green. Apply it to key buttons or headings to draw focus. - Play with Imagery
Drop your photos into black and white mode, either in Photoshop before uploading, or by using built-in Squarespace image filters. This works wonders for portfolio sites, wedding photographers, and brands where mood matters. - Mind Text Overlays
When placing white or black text over contrasting backgrounds, always check readability on mobile and desktop. Faded overlays or gradient masks can help if you’re in two minds.
Monochrome doesn’t have to mean monotone. Mix up solid blacks and off-whites, add textured backgrounds, or use hand-drawn icons in a brand accent shade. Always apply with a light touch. Less is more, unless it’s a legal disclaimer.
3. Use Softer, Lighter Colours to Invite Users In
2021 saw a surge in gentle, pastel palettes and easy-on-the-eye shades. Spending months indoors, people had their fill of stark, clinical design and began looking for warmth and calm.
To get it right on Squarespace:
- Start With Your Brand
Have you already got primary colours? Work out a hierarchy: one or two lighter shades for backgrounds, plus a bolder version for headings or CTA buttons. - Apply Colours Sparingly
In Squarespace’s design panel, adjust page and section backgrounds to soft greys, blushes and muted blues. Avoid using more than two tonal variations on the same page. - Mind Accessibility
Lighter doesn’t mean illegible. Always use Squarespace’s accessibility checker to ensure your text is readable (aim for AA or AAA ratings). - Swap Out Default Theme Colours
Default colour settings are rarely your friend. Customise button backgrounds, checkboxes, borders—even bullet points—so everything feels coherent.
If in doubt, use lighter colours for backgrounds and stick to black or navy for text. You’ll save yourself an avalanche of accessibility headaches and still keep things looking fresh.
4. Transform Content Hierarchy with Large, Impactful Text Blocks
Nothing spells clarity like bold headings and short, punchy statements. The move toward oversized typographic layouts turns visitors into readers at crucial moments.
Implementing strong type in Squarespace:
- Pick a Statement Font
Head to Design > Site Styles and sift through Squarespace’s Google Fonts library. Look for bold display fonts for headings; "Montserrat", "Oswald", or "Bebas Neue" all stand out. - Set Sizing with Intention
Use the "Page Header" block for homepages. Crank up the size until it grabs attention without overpowering everything else (somewhere between 40px and 60px works for most layouts). - Keep Body Text Readable
Resist the urge to shrink paragraphs down—16px or above is ideal. Do not shout at your visitors with 48px body copy. - Layer Over Images with Care
If you overlay text on hero images, use solid or blurred overlays (the latter are in Style Editor) to guarantee legibility.
Embrace negative space. You can let a three-word hero statement take up half a page if it’s on message and paired with a supporting image or icon that works well.
5. Incorporate Visual Elements: Images, Video and Animation Done Right
We’re all magpies at heart. The best 2021 sites blend beautiful text with visuals—animated, interactive or lively enough to halt the scroll.
Getting your visuals to pull their weight in Squarespace:
- Start With High-Quality Imagery
Blurry photos say "I’m an afterthought." Use copyright-friendly stock sites or your own photography. In Squarespace, galleries and image blocks are your friends. - Sprinkle In Illustrations
Use SVG icons (Pixelhaze has a generous library for members), or try a custom illustration in the main banner. Upload as PNG for best results. - Animated Content (Without Going Overboard)
The “Car” section block now supports looping video backgrounds or subtle transitions. Don’t make your entire homepage a funfair, but a subtle movement catches the eye. - Embed Video Where It Matters
Using the Video block, you can embed YouTube or Vimeo clips, or self-host for a cleaner look. If the video is just for atmosphere, set it to autoplay and mute.
For a polished finish, maintain consistent aspect ratios for images and videos (Squarespace’s built-in crop tools will help), and try arranging them in grid layouts. Odd-numbered grid columns often feel more considered than even ones.
6. Subtle Neon and Vivid Accents (When You Need to Shout)
A little drama goes a long way. Neon was big on the 2021 stage, with electric green, fuchsia or acid yellow showing up regularly. Using these sparingly can draw the eye, evoke playfulness, or say “we don’t do business as usual.”
To add neon highlights in Squarespace:
- Pick One High-Impact Accent
Decide where you want maximum attention: newsletter sign-up, main CTA, navigation highlight. That’s where your neon goes. - Apply Neon to Buttons or Hover States
In Style Editor, set accent hover states to your chosen neon. By default, people will notice those shimmering hues instantly. - Be Gentle With Backgrounds
Resist the urge to make entire sections neon. Instead, use as a “pop,” like a drop shadow, underlined text, or border to make something stand out. - Pair with Simplicity Elsewhere
A touch of neon in a minimalist layout stands out; fill the screen with it, and you risk overwhelming your visitors.
If you’re unsure, check your site on a phone in daylight. If the neon makes your eyes water, it’s time to pull back.
What Most People Miss
Trends are there to guide and inspire. The smart use of a trend lets you extract underlying ideas—clarity, approachability, trust, surprise—and bring them out in your own voice. Anyone can copy a style, but not many do it in a way that feels like it’s always belonged.
A professional finish isn’t about stuffing your pages with effects or following a YouTube tutorial pixel for pixel. You need to know when to stop, pay attention to user behaviour, and ensure your message stands out.
The best results show up in small details: you might pair an on-brand pastel palette with just the right oversized heading; treat your gallery with a monochrome filter, but highlight one spot of colour for a real emotional effect. Design builds on itself. Get the details right and your Squarespace site shifts from “off the shelf” to something truly yours.
The Bigger Picture
Mastering these trends on Squarespace has nothing to do with chasing likes or working through a checklist from a January design newsletter. Instead, focus on building trust, communicating clearly, and bringing a sense of delight to your users.
Give your visitors a site that looks modern, works perfectly on any device, and quietly signals that you’re switched on in every sense. Achieve this and you’ll find yourself on the same level as the agencies—even outshining those with much bigger budgets.
You’ll start to notice visitors linger longer, engage deeper, and come back more often. It’s easier to share, easier to grow, and much easier to be proud of.
Modern design techniques, especially when used thoughtfully in a platform like Squarespace, can support your business now and set you up for long-term brand strength.
Wrap-Up
Keeping pace with 2021’s best web design trends in Squarespace isn’t about blindly copying what’s flashy, but about bringing sophistication, clarity and purpose to your own brand. Tidy up and simplify where you can. Use contrast and colour with care. Let your story and images shine, and put bold, intentional type to work.
Most importantly, back yourself. No template is so rigid it can’t be nudged into something sharper with a bit of courage and attention to detail.
Want more helpful systems like this? Join Pixelhaze Academy for free at https://www.pixelhaze.academy/membership.