Not everything needs to be loud to feel alive

This week, I’ve been noticing a shift in how we design interfaces—away from brutal efficiency, and toward something more human. Not necessarily more playful or colorful, but more considered. Like it wants to be understood.

Airbnb’s new menu is a perfect example. The icons animate with a kind of quiet joy—nothing flashy, just intentional, tactile, and calm. Each movement feels like it belongs. Even their new iconography avoids the typical sterile uniformity. There’s character, softness, and a sense of brand in every pixel.

You can tell they spent time asking: how should this feel? Not just how should this work.

Material Design 3.0 moves similarly. Instead of rigid grids and shadows, it embraces softness, fluid motion, and personal expression. The system still holds everything in place, but it leaves room for the brand—and the user—to breathe.

What stands out to me is this: expressive design isn’t decoration. It’s a decision. A signal. A quiet way of saying we thought about how this should feel.

And that feels like progress.