Green Web Design

As more consumers become ecology conscious, companies are providing "green" products and services that reflect a concern for preserving our planet's precious resources. Traditionally, green was synonymous with dowdy. However, the new green products are design driven, with as much visual appeal as their more traditional counterparts. How can web design best meet the marketing needs of the new, design oriented green market?

One approach can be seen in our web design for YUMIANDLAURIE.COM, a manufacturer / retailer of designer label organic blankets. Yumi & Lauri designer textiles are both green and fashionable. Our challenge as web designers, was to marry sophisticated design with visual cues that suggest the green benefits of their line.

Here are a few of the strategies behind our successful design of yumiandlaurie.com.

1. Give it texture.
Web design can often feel sterile and harsh. For this design we added subtle elements of texture to the pages. Texture adds warmth and personality to the web design. It suggests a tactile quality and depth seen in recycled papers. The key is not going overboard with the use of this design element. The subtlety conveys just the right amount of texture without robbing the web pages of style.

2. Use colors seen in nature.
Typical web design color palettes are often oversaturated and cold. We chose colors that mimic what is seen in nature. Warm colors that engage the eye and heart. In this case, we used a monochromatic colors that fade into the background, providing an elegant and quiet backdrop for the product.

3. Use clean layouts with classical white space proportions.
Clean, uncluttered layouts suggest elegance and and tasteful design. By choosing classic typefaces, and careful use of white space and proportion, we have successfully married good design with eco-friendly sensibilities.

In closing, good green web design is a balancing act. As more designer labels promote the green benefits of their products, web designers will need to skillfully marry diverse marketing objectives for the new green market.