ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Old-World Glamour Returns to Digital Design as Flat Minimalism Loses Its Edge

architecture-design · 2026-09-30

According to FAD Magazine, the trend in digital product design is shifting away from the minimalistic aesthetics that characterized the 2010s. Now, design elements such as gold accents, rich jewel tones, and serif fonts reminiscent of 1920s hotel lobbies are making a comeback, especially on platforms like online live roulette that embrace Art Deco influences. The previously popular flat design, chosen for its technical advantages like quicker loading times, became overly common, resulting in a lack of app distinction. The current trend emphasizes bolder colors, luxurious gold details, and more artistic typography. Additionally, motion design is progressing, featuring slower transitions in gaming interfaces, highlighting the need for visual differentiation among platforms.

Key facts

  • Digital design is moving away from flat, sans-serif minimalism toward gold accents, jewel tones and serif typography
  • The aesthetic draws on 1920s hotel lobbies and mid-century supper clubs
  • Online live roulette platforms are cited as a case study, adopting Art Deco-adjacent gold-on-black identities
  • Flat design won initially for faster load times, clean screen scaling and removal of skeuomorphic clutter
  • Minimalism became so universal it stopped differentiating banking apps, productivity tools and streaming platforms
  • Recurring elements include emerald, burgundy and sapphire tones plus gold metallic accents in borders and icons
  • Motion design shifted toward slower, deliberate transitions such as unhurried wheel spins and theatrical card reveals
  • Luxury fashion e-commerce, high-end hospitality apps and some premium streaming platforms have adopted similar cues

Entities

Institutions

  • FAD Magazine

Sources