Whether it’s web or print, the design trends for 2014 is to get simplified.

Perhaps everyone is getting tired of bigger, brighter and better (well, maybe not better) but trends in 2014 are taking on a more streamlined look. From flat design to concise content, the goals is to make things easy to read, easy to grasp and, most importantly, easy to convert. Less shiny equals less distraction. So what are we seeing?

Flat design | Simply put this means bye-bye beveled edges, gradients, shadow and reflection

Responsive | Marketers have been saying this for a long time. Website and emails need to look good on different screen sizes. Taking a second look at what your are pushing out from your desktop, laptop, tablet and phone is more important than ever.

Infographs | Why does this trend make a holdover from prior years? Easy to read and make your point.

Typography | This is one of our favorite trends. A picture says a thousand words but typography can turn your words into so much more.

In short, the visuals are becoming easier on the eye. But when you are working on developing your brand, keep in mind that easy on the eye doesn’t mean easy to design. Copywriters and designers need to master the art of editing, good organization and getting to the point quickly.

(Speaking of trends, the color block above is Pantone’s Color of the Year: Radiant Orchid.)