Are decorative design elements going out of style?

Sep 14, 2012

A few days ago Netmagazine published Big question: are decorative design elements going out of style? where they ask a number of prominent digital designers their view on skeuomorphic design. The day before the Fast Company design blog had Will Apple's Tacky Software-Design Philosophy Cause A Revolt? These two excellent pieces got me thinking about my views on what essentially amounts to mimicking the look of a real world objects in digital design elements.

While I get that the use of these visual metaphors creates an understanding of the use of an interface for the end user I do find an over dependence on this troubling. I - for example - have refused to use the default Notes app in iOS on my iPhone and iPad because of the fake legal pad look and the terrible typography. The Fast Company article notes that even at Apple there is growing discontent about the insistence on this design approach.

What are your thought about this?