Flat design – the design community just can’t stop talking about it.

And feelings are strong. Most designers either can’t get enough of this trend, or absolutely hate it.

I am somewhere in the middle. Good design is about creating something useful that works. If the answer is designed in the fashion of flatness, so be it. But the trend may not work for all projects, so it should not be forced.

So let’s examine what makes something flat. There are five pretty distinct characteristics. Here’s a look at each, plus an introduction to “almost” flat design.