Sterility v. Simplicity

Simple design often results in beautiful design. An effective blending of character and elegance delivered with simplicity is an art many designers strive to master, but sterility is an unfortunate side effect of shooting for such an aesthetic.

What is Simplicity?

We could get philosophical and say that simplicity is undefinable, that subjective reality is the only realm art and expression exist within (and these claims are mostly correct), but I think we’re better off at least attempting to define it in order to move on. So let’s define simplicity in design as using the least number of elements to express the most amount of information. Essentially, design sans superfluity.

Think of James Dean in his jeans, white t-shirt, and leather jacket. He exuded simplicity while cleanly avoiding sterility and ended up as an icon, or symbol (dare I say: logo) of an era. When designing we need to...