The colors you choose for your website can make a big impact on how visitors perceive your brand.
Whether you're creating your own website or working with someone else, selecting the right colors is an important step in the web design process. Choosing your colors is both an art and a science and can be a lot of fun as well!
In this blog post, I'll share how I chose the colors for my website and we'll explore how to find inspiration, tips for choosing a color palette theme, online resources, and tips for accessibility.
My Website Colors: It All Started With a Paint Chip
Sometimes inspiration comes at unexpected times and places. I happened to be in the process of painting my office around the same time as I was choosing a color palette for my website. My boyfriend's aunt is a color connoisseur, and recommended the light aqua color (see photos above) for my office walls. As soon as I saw the color on the wall, I knew I wanted it to be part of my website and brand identity. You can find this color in my logo and throughout this website.
Finding Inspiration in Nature or Your Life
Nature can be an excellent source of inspiration for color palettes. Look to the changing seasons, sunsets, or the colors of flowers and plants for inspiration. Additionally, consider the colors that already exist in your brand's physical spaces or products. These colors can be used to create a cohesive brand identity across all platforms.
Introducing The Classic & Elegant Color Palette
I recently created a Classic and Elegant color palette, which is one of my favorite themes. I hope this provides some inspiration for your design! Some other themes I plan to explore are: minimalist, dark/bold, traditional, and natural/earthy. Choosing a theme and then selecting colors to fit the tone/mood of your brand can be a great starting place when deciding on the style for your website.
Note: The design above is a mockup that I created to showcase this color palette and is not for a specific company.
Tips for Choosing a Color Palette for Your Website
Consider your brand's personality and values. What emotions or moods do you want to evoke with your color choices? Think about your target audience and how they may perceive your color choices.
It's a good idea to stick with a limited color palette, ideally between 2-4 main colors. Too many colors can be overwhelming and confusing for users. Include complimentary colors that create visual contrast and work well with your background and text colors.
Use color contrast to create a clear visual hierarchy and improve readability.
Test your color choices on different devices and screen sizes to ensure they are legible and accessible.
My Favorite Online Resources for Choosing Colors
There are many online resources available to help you choose a color palette for your website. Some of my favorites include:
Coolors: Tools include a color palette generator, information on specific colors, and extracting colors from your photographs.
Canva: Explore color palette ideas, an interactive color wheel, and generate colors from your photos.
Color Hunt: Search for color palettes based on themes and seasons.
Color Palettes: Browse a variety of palettes along with beautiful photos that showcase the colors. I use this site for gathering inspiration.
Accessibility and Color
It is important to ensure that your color choices meet accessibility standards. Consider users with visual impairments who may rely on high color contrast to read text. Additionally, ensure that color is not the only way to convey important information on your website. Accessible Colors is a great tool for checking your colors for contrast accessibility.
Final Thoughts
Choosing a color palette for your business website is an important decision that can impact how visitors perceive your brand. By considering your brand's personality and values, using online resources, and inspiration from the world around you, you can create a color palette that enhances your website's design and creates a memorable experience for your visitors.