This family of trends shatters the traditional notions of harmony and balance that are supposedly the hallmarks of good design. These trends deliberately put contrast and clashing elements into the forefront, which always attracts the attention of users tired of sifting through stagnant categories. But in these juxtapositions, a kind of pseudo-balance is achieved of competing elements coming together into a compelling visual statement. Designers can explore the ways color, form, even stylistic eras can come together to create dynamic compositions. References to this trend abound in pop culture, as artists such as M.I.A. and Lady Gaga push the boundaries of traditional mindsets.
Western design has effectively permeated the global aesthetic culture. You can go to any country in the world and see either the influences of Western design, or the objects of Western design themselves (iPhones, cars and SUVs, Nike sneakers, glass skyscrapers, Coke cans, high heels and sport coats, bicycles, sunglasses,...
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In keeping with the Juxtaposition category’s deliberate fusion of disparate ideas, this trend focuses on the union of both form and material, and past and present. This one-two punch of clashing design elements and design eras tickles our creative minds in all the right places. Using this method, we see...
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The 2000’s is the decade that designers, in all industries and categories, rediscovered texture. As Minimalism moved through the aesthetic landscape, highly simplified, clean, understated forms became predominant. However, to offset the potential visual boredom these simple shapes can suffer from, designers sought to break them up with the juxtaposition...
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In keeping with the theme of the Juxtaposition category, this trend highlights the use of an intense color accent to contrast with a more muted primary color palette. The result is an immediate first-read dissonance that makes the accent color really pop as a vibrant element in an otherwise orderly...
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Black and White are classic, fundamental colors. Different hues may come and go, but these two can always be counted on to bring both freshness and familiarity to a design. In this context, the two colors are set upon each other with maximum contrast, achieving a kind of yin-yang effect....
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In keeping with this category’s theme of mashing disparate concepts together, here we see stylistic motifs from two distinctly different visual eras juxtaposed together. This method first appeared at the Milan furniture fair in the mid 2000’s. The most common combination so far has been more Baroque/Victorian themes with modern...
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