A website palette has more jobs than looking pretty. It needs to make text readable, help buttons stand out, and feel like your business across every page. You do not need a rainbow to make an impression.
Give each color a role
Start with a main brand color, a useful accent, and dependable neutrals for backgrounds and text. Decide which color signals the main action. A limited set of roles makes future pages easier to build and keeps promotions from looking disconnected from the rest of the website.
Check contrast in real combinations
A lovely pale shade may work as a background and fail as small text. Test actual text-and-background pairs, including links, buttons, error messages, and disabled states. Do not rely on color alone to communicate an error or a selected option; add words or another visible cue.
Test with your actual content
Place your logo, photos, headings, and forms into the palette before approving it. A color that shines in an isolated swatch can feel overwhelming across a full page. Review the design on more than one screen and keep important text readable when someone zooms.
Your next steps
- Define brand, accent, background, and text colors.
- Check contrast for every important combination.
- Add non-color cues to interactive states.
- Document the approved values and usage rules.
For further guidance, see W3C’s practical accessibility tutorials.
Keep exploring
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