Retro Web Design Concepts

What It Is

A side exploration of web design that deliberately ignores modern trends in favour of older aesthetics and philosophies.

The Inspiration

The early web had a different energy. Personal sites were genuinely personal. Design was often rough but authentic. Pages loaded instantly because they were just HTML and small images. There were no cookie banners, newsletter popups, or engagement metrics.

Not everything about that era was better - accessibility was often poor, and much of the design was genuinely ugly. But there was something valuable in the simplicity and authenticity that’s largely been lost.

The Concept

What would it look like to build modern sites with that spirit?

• Content first - Words matter more than animations
• Fast by default - Minimal dependencies, small page sizes
• Personal not professional - Authentic voice over polished branding
• Retro touches - Design cues from earlier eras, but accessible and functional

Why Bother

Partly nostalgia. Partly a reaction against the homogenisation of modern web design. Partly just thinking about what we’ve gained and lost as the web has matured.

Current Status

This is ideas and sketches at the moment, not completed projects. Something to play with when there’s time. Which there usually isn’t.