2026 design trends: imperfect by design, local flavour and the return of craft

Between late 2025 and early 2026, three major design tool makers published reports on where design is heading: Canva’s third annual Design Trends report, Adobe’s tenth year of Creative Trends, and Figma’s State of the Designer 2026 survey.

Their methods differ. Canva combines platform search data with a survey, Adobe looks at real campaigns and search behaviour, and Figma surveyed designers directly. Yet the conclusions are strikingly similar: when AI makes producing images very easy, value shifts to emotion, human character and deliberate detail.

All three companies sell design tools, so their reports carry a commercial angle. Even so, they reflect the behaviour of very large user bases.

Canva published its report in December 2025, based on design and search activity on its platform, input from its Designer Advisory Board, and a survey of 1,000 creators in the US and Brazil. Cat van der Werff, Canva’s Executive Creative Director, described 2026 as the year of Imperfect by Design.

Leading trends include blends of real and surreal imagery (searches for “liminal” and “uncanny” rose 220%), lo-fi and early-internet nostalgia (searches for “lo-fi aesthetic” rose 527%), messy scrapbook-style layouts that feel honest, and stripped-back design as a response to digital burnout.

Canva also named country-specific trends, such as a revival of cultural motifs in India and a DIY zine movement in Mexico. In the survey, 80% of creators said 2026 is the year they regain creative control, and 77% called AI an essential partner in their work.

Adobe announced four trends for 2026: All the Feels, content that engages several senses; Connectioneering, storytelling that connects people through shared emotion; Surreal Silliness, strange and playful imagery; and Local Flavor, which showcases the colours, textures and voices of specific places authentically.

Adobe’s blog says searches for keywords related to these trends rose 150% from 2024. PPC Land’s summary notes that Local Flavor emphasises working with local creators so that stories belong to the communities they depict, rather than being interpreted by outsiders.

Adobe’s trends also lean on emotion. PPC Land notes that the report cites outside research suggesting emotional factors drive most consumer decisions. Whatever the exact share, the practical point is that work which makes people feel something tends to be remembered, while purely promotional visuals are easy to scroll past.

Figma worked with research firm NewtonX to survey 906 digital designers across several regions. It found 91% say AI tools improve their designs, 89% say they work faster, and designers who use AI are about 25% more likely to be satisfied at work.

When asked what craft means, designers named visual polish (58%), thoughtful problem solving (47%) and clear, intuitive UX (36%). Designers whose leaders prioritise design excellence were twice as likely to feel good about their work.

The picture is not AI replacing craft, but AI freeing time for the details that make work different.

Local Flavor is a direct opportunity for Thai brands. Well-designed Thai typography, real photos of places and people, and colours and patterns rooted in local culture are hard for stock images or generic AI output to copy, and they keep a brand from blending into look-alike work.

But imperfect does not mean careless. Work that looks raw or handmade on purpose still needs structure, clear hierarchy and readability, especially on websites where customers need to find information and buy.

Also, do not chase every trend. The right trend is one that fits your brand’s personality. Brands that sell trust, such as clinics or financial services, might borrow only certain elements, like warmer real photography, rather than changing their whole visual system.

Start with small changes on the pieces customers see most often.

Trends change every year, but a well-built brand system lasts. Use trend elements in campaigns and social content, and keep your core identity stable.

• Replace generic stock images on your website with real photos of products, people or places.
• Check that the Thai fonts in your brand system are readable on mobile and fit your brand personality.
• Use AI to sketch ideas and make test versions, but let a designer make the final call.
• Choose one or two trends that suit your brand and apply them consistently.
• Work with local creators or photographers in the areas where your customers live.