Bento Boxes for Your Screens: The New 2024 UI Trend Taking Over UI Space

3 min readJan 10, 2024

Remember bento boxes? Those compartmentalized Japanese lunchboxes that neatly organize a symphony of flavours? Well, get ready for their digital cousin, the Bento UI, the hottest trend reshaping user interfaces!

What is Bento UI?

Bento UI, in essence, is a flexible grid layout system inspired by the bento box. It compartmentalizes information into distinct containers, creating a structured and visually appealing interface. Think of it as building blocks for your UI — each block holding a specific piece of content, neatly organized and easy to digest.

Why is Bento UI trending?

There are several reasons why Bento UI is rapidly gaining traction:

Focus and Clarity: In an age of information overload, Bento UI provides clarity and focus by grouping related content together. No more visual clutter! Users can easily scan and understand the information presented.
Flexibility and Responsiveness: Bento grids are incredibly flexible, adapting to different screen sizes and devices. This is crucial in today’s mobile-first world, where users expect seamless experiences across platforms.
Efficiency and Storytelling: Bento UI enables efficient information hierarchy. By prioritizing and compartmentalizing content, designers can tell a clear and compelling story, guiding users through the interface intuitively.
Visual Appeal: Let’s face it, Bento UI is simply aesthetically pleasing. The clean lines, organized structure, and playful use of negative space create a sense of order and visual harmony.

Bento UI in Action:

Bento UI is popping up everywhere, from brand websites like Apple and Spotify to e-commerce platforms like Nike and Muji. It’s even influencing app design, with apps like Notion and Figma adopting its principles.

Bento UI for You:

Ready to hop on the Bento bandwagon? Here are some tips:

Start simple: Don’t overload your Bento boxes. Keep the content focused and concise.
Embrace hierarchy: Prioritize information based on user needs. The most important stuff goes first.
Play with space: Use negative space to create breathing room and emphasize content.
Don’t be afraid to experiment: Bento UI is flexible! Explore different grid layouts and container sizes to find what works best for you.

More than just a trend, Bento UI represents a shift in how we think about interface design. It’s about prioritizing clarity, focus, and user experience. So, pack your digital bento boxes and get ready to create interfaces that are as beautiful as they are functional!

Remember:

Bento UI is still evolving, so don’t be afraid to experiment and find your own style.
The key is to use Bento principles to create interfaces that are clear, focused, and user-friendly.
With a little creativity, you can use Bento UI to create stunning and effective interfaces that will leave your users wanting more.

This is just the beginning of the Bento UI journey. So, grab your chopsticks (metaphorically speaking) and get ready to dig in!

Some Bento In Action :