2021 UI Design Trends: Bright Colors, Rounded Corners, Light Gradients and More

Design trends are a macro concept; interpreting their surface expressions can guide real‑world projects.

Meiyou is more than a tool—it aims to provide a new lifestyle for women, covering health management, problem solving, entertainment, and e‑commerce.

The app can be divided into four functional categories: tools, social, e‑commerce, and mother‑baby .

By analyzing mainstream applications in these four areas from major index platforms, we summarize the 2021 design trends related to Meiyou.

1.1 Bright Saturated Primary Colors

The internet industry now competes for user time; countless apps must attract users instantly.

Brand colors depend not only on the product but also on competition; high saturation and brightness help stand out.

Many popular apps (e.g., Alipay, Taobao) have increased color saturation and brightness to appear more vibrant.

Analysis shows most app primary colors trend toward high brightness and high saturation . Mother‑baby products tend toward moderate saturation, reflecting a softer aesthetic.

Overall, brighter and more saturated colors can attract attention, but designers should balance with product characteristics.

1.2 Large Rounded Cards

Sharp objects feel unsafe; rounded rectangles are common in devices like computers and tablets.

Research shows that sharper angles are perceived as more prominent, so rounded corners feel warmer.

Apple’s Big Sur increased corner radius from 10px to 20px; Windows 10 concepts also feature rounded corners, indicating this trend will continue.

Card design integrates information, clarifies page structure, and enhances interaction across all industries.

Since iOS 13, modal panels use a card style with depth effects, widely adopted in Apple’s native apps.

1.3 Light Gradients

Soft, lightweight gradients are gaining popularity for their simple yet pleasant visual atmosphere.

They can serve as backgrounds or page fills, delivering good visual effects.

Examples include pages in Kaola, Taobao, Xiaohongshu, and video platforms Tencent and Youku.

1.4 Frosted Glass

Frosted glass uses background blur to simulate real glass, offering strong translucency and layered depth.

Different colors and opacities produce varied effects; icons and images can also adopt this style, enhancing visual hierarchy.

Overuse may cause visual fatigue, so its long‑term trend remains to be seen.

1.5 Warm Colorful Icons

Series of colorful icons should use lower saturation to avoid visual fatigue, conveying calm and softness.

Common treatments include:

Same‑color overlay with transparency

Low‑saturation solid or subtle gradient

Light gradient main body with same‑color light background

1.6 3D Graphics

High‑resolution mobile screens enable finer visuals; modern front‑end frameworks support detailed graphics with lower load times.

3D adds spatial perception without aiming for photorealism; simple shapes and vivid colors enhance design impact.

3D icons and UI elements are expected to appear more frequently, though overuse may affect information efficiency.

1.7 Data Visualization

In the big‑data era, visualizing data through charts clarifies complex information, merging aesthetics with functionality.

Various industry examples demonstrate effective data visualization.

2.1 Privacy Protection

Big data accelerates tech and societal progress but raises ethical privacy concerns.

In China, the upcoming Personal Information Protection Law highlights the need for privacy focus.

Examples of privacy‑aware design:

Alipay blurs payment QR codes and adds prompts to protect financial assets.

Ele.me uses encrypted virtual numbers for phone calls.

Baidu’s incognito browsing protects search information.

2.2 Intelligence

With internet and big data, apps should feel intelligent by remembering user choices and showing progress.

Examples:

Ele.me remembers “need utensils” selection for future orders.

Learning platforms display last study time to track progress.

2.3 Life‑like Design

Beyond emotional design, “life‑like” design brings everyday language and relatable content to users.

Examples include daily wallpapers with poetic sentences in Mint Health, and casual health tips in Dingxiang Doctor.

Conclusion

Trends are cyclical and perpetual; while we cannot predict the next breakout design, we can anticipate potential directions and embrace change before it arrives.

Volume indicates popularity, direction indicates trend; Apple’s design shifts often signal visual innovation for the industry.