Color spectrum combination of colors. Cool cheat sheet for color combinations
Selecting a color scheme is quite a responsible task. The combination of colors in design has always been one of the main tasks. Be sure to pay attention to color combinations, it's important!
The color scheme should not strain or irritate you in any way, but, on the contrary, restore the harmony lost during the day. Choosing a color scheme begins with deciding what you really want from a color design. This is the only way you can choose the optimal color combination.
The “hottest” color is orange. The coldest is blue, always associated with cool water and ice. Moving from blues through greens and yellows, the colors warm up, hold a “high temperature” in red, burgundy, brown and some shades of pink and purple, and then “descend” again to the cold through lilac and blue. However, the presented gradation is very arbitrary, since the boundaries between cold and warm are barely perceptible. For example, lime is more of a yellow color, but is a cool color. Conversely, deep, rich purple can be either warm or cool, depending on whether it is dominated by red or blue.
And yet, it is warm or cold palettes that can transform a room. So, for example, in order to expand the walls of a small room, it is advisable to use not just light, but light, cold tones.
Conversely, warm shades will help make an overly spacious and therefore empty room more comfortable. They will also add a little sunny mood if there is not enough natural lighting and fluorescent lamps are used. Whereas a richly lit room with large windows can be “dressed up” in cool colors.
The color schemes of kitchen interiors are particularly wide. If you are decorating a kitchen, you should take into account that rich warm colors - orange, grass green, egg yellow - increase appetite, while blue and white help to keep yourself within limits and eat food in moderation.
The bedroom - be it a corner for relaxation from the harsh everyday life or the very embodiment of romance - also requires a special approach. In the first case, it is better to paint it in cool colors that take you far from the problems that need to be solved. In the second, of course, the first roles belong to red and all its various shades, or any other color that you like and belongs to the warm range. This color will allow you to quickly restore strength, as if transferring its energy and warmth to you. Color combination rules
Of course, there are trendy color combinations for every season. But when you select color combinations, you should still rely on the color combination table and your own feelings.
There is no right color combination, only a good color combination.
In order to select color combinations, there are several approaches. The first type is plain
The color range varies within the main color, it only becomes darker or lighter. For example, dark blue, blue, light blue. However, a room decorated in this way can be slightly diluted with “splashes” of a different color that does not attract too much attention. For example, a room in blue and blue tones can be complemented by white and light sand. The second type is harmonious
If you want variety, but not so radical as to talk about contrasts, “paint” the room with a harmonious combination of colors. The most winning examples of color combinations that can be safely combined with each other:
- For red: pink - purple and orange - egg yellow
- For orange: red - pink and egg yellow - yellow
- For yellow: orange - egg yellow and lime - light green
- For green: lime - light green and aqua - blue
- For blue: green - sea green and lilac - purple
- For purple: blue - lilac and pink - red
The third type is a game of contrasts
For lovers of original and bright design - a game of contrasts. Each color on the palette has its own “antipode”:
- Red Green
- Orange - sea green
- Egg yellow – blue
- Yellow – lilac
- Lime – purple
- Light green - pink
Even if it seems to you that you don’t react to color in any way (you don’t care at all what color the objects around you are), your eye catches its slightest shades (up to one and a half million!), and your subconscious and genetic memory record all the color “messages” .
As a result, being in a certain color scheme of rooms invisibly guides your emotions and actions.
“Unfavorable” colors and color combinations
Red – creates nervous tension (can even cause hypertension).
Black (and also purple) “eats up” space.
Brown (including wood-like finishes) - causes melancholy and can lead to depression.
Gray - sadness and despondency.
Blue – a feeling of cold and discomfort. Favorable colors
- Shades from yellow to green are a calm and optimistic range that relieves fatigue.
- Pastel shades from yellow to beige are “reconciling” and comfortable colors.
- Turquoise – gives a feeling of freshness (suitable for the bathroom).
- Light blue - calms, causes drowsiness - ideal for bedrooms and rest rooms, but is contraindicated in offices and work areas.
- Dark blue – “cools” space and ardor (for example, at the negotiating table), is considered a serious and business-like color.
- Yellow and orange – stimulates and tones (not suitable for a bedroom), suitable for a room with windows facing north.
- White can cause a feeling of cold and discomfort, on the other hand, a “clean sheet” is an ideal background for any design solutions. Red or terracotta as accents are invigorating and uplifting.
- Black as accents gives the interior a graphic and special style.
- Light gray in a “mix” with other colors is a business environment.
Combinations of related and contrasting colors represent the most extensive type of color harmonies. In the color wheel system, related and contrasting colors are located in adjacent quarters. These are: warm (yellow-red and yellow-green colors) and cold (blue-green and blue-red colors).
Particularly harmonious are color combinations that are located on the color wheel at opposite ends of each other. This is explained by the fact that there is a double connection between such pairs of related-contrasting colors: they consist of an equal amount of the unifying main color and equal amounts of contrasting colors. In practice, you rarely come across compositions that contain only two colors. The simplest harmonious combination of two related and contrasting colors is significantly enriched by adding a color from the tonal range of the same colors, whitened or darkened.
Also, color harmony can be formed by a combination of colors located at the vertices of an equilateral triangle inscribed in the color circle. By rotating such a triangle inside a circle, you can get any combination of colors, and it will definitely be harmonious. A successful combination of colors and paints in the interior is the key to comfort in the home.
Color combinations in clothes are a very important point when choosing a wardrobe, designing a new knitting model. Harmonious means well-matched in combination.
- The harmony of colors in clothing is based on the principle of combining related or contrasting colors. In clothing we can talk about harmonious combinations based on shades of the same color, then this is one-color harmony.
- Harmony can be built on a combination of close colors, i.e. adjacent colors of the color wheel, for example, yellow and yellow-orange, orange and red-orange.
- Harmony can be built on contrasting colors. This means that colors are selected from adjacent sectors of the color wheel. Colors located at an angle of 90° in adjacent sectors combine best with each other. Another type of contrasting harmony is combinations of colors that are at an angle of 180° to each other in the color wheel.
The main colors are considered to be 4 pure colors: yellow, red, blue, green. All others are considered intermediate (yellow-red, yellow-green, green-blue, blue-red).
Pairs “yellow-blue” and “red-green” are considered additional, contrasting combinations. Colors can be arranged in the form of a circle with axes: “yellow-blue”, “red-green”.
There are 3 types of color combinations: related, related-contrasting, contrasting.
Contrasting are combinations of opposite quarters of a circle (the angle between them is 180°), 44 combinations in total.
Related-contrasting are combinations of colors from two adjacent quarters of a circle (the angle between them is less than 180°), 36 combinations in total.
- these are the intervals from a given color to the next main one. Related are yellow and any of the intervals - yellow-red (but not pure red).
Color harmony is understood as color balance in harmonizing colors and quantities of the main colors (pure yellow, blue, red and green).
Related colors with equal lightness and saturation will be harmonious if they have the same number of primary colors.
Harmonious in related-contrasting color tones will be all pairs of colors located at the ends of chords parallel to the layers connecting the main colors (since they contain an equal number of main and additional colors).
Based on these harmonious pairs, more complex multi-color harmonies can be constructed. In this case, three rules must be observed:
1. To two harmonizing related-contrasting colors, a third can be added - the main color, related to them, of weakened saturation. For example, yellowish-red, yellowish-green and yellowish-white colors can be balanced by the same yellowishness.
2. To two harmonious related-contrasting colors, you can add a third and fourth, balanced with them. For example, a harmonious combination of orange and yellow-green can be complemented by purple and blue.
3. You can create harmonies of related and complementary colors. For example, the harmony of yellowish white and leafy green can be complemented by purple.
Unfavorable combination of colors in the interior
Black and purple tones make the space compressed and depressing.
Brown color causes a depressive mood and melancholy.
A red background is unnerving and can increase blood pressure.
Gray coloring brings despondency, depression, and sadness to the environment.
Blue color irritates with a feeling of cold.
The colors in the decoration are the main thing if you correctly understand the psychological characteristics of the household: lifestyle, habits and needs. People choose their living environment according to their color tastes, not fashion trends. This speaks of the growing culture of modern man. Any combination of colors in the interior it should be beautiful, comfortable and of high quality - and all this in equal measure. And most importantly, it is intended for a specific family.
Suppose a person visited Bali, saw how people live there, gained new color impressions, returned - and wanted to remake everything into a “tacky jungle”. And tomorrow I went to, say, America - and again wants to change everything into a fashionable psychedelic range. This can continue indefinitely. However, a color project is like a painting: sometimes you can’t “improve” it, you can only ruin it.
Magic combination of colors in the interior
In the color palette, each paint has its own pole, thanks to which the interior becomes bright, fantastic or unusually stylish. Helps create contrast combination of colors in the interior table antipodes:
Orange and marengo.
Blue and yellow (yolk).
Violet (indigo) and lime.
Pink (flamingo) and light green.
Gently yellow and lilac.
Green and fiery red.
If you are a fan of futuristic variety, but want to avoid sharp contrasts and imbue the interior with an elegant atmosphere, then choose color harmony from classic combinations.
Gray - with blue, blue, yellow, green, black, red, pink.
Purple - with yellow, light green, golden, orange.
Lilac - with chestnut, gray, light purple.
Pink – with burgundy, brown, gray.
Green - with black, gray, red, orange, burgundy, yellow.
Brown - with pink, yellow, golden, beige, gray.
Blue - with gray, red, gold, burgundy.
Blue - with orange, red, light purple and blue.
Color mimicry
An exquisite color composition is an integral part of our life - its colors, rhythm, dance. Created according to the laws of cosmic beauty combination of colors in the interior transfers its energy to a person. Communication with color calms you down, helps you relax and forget about troubles.
Color is just like people: it can saturate a house with feelings, has a temperament, inspires sympathy and antipathy, and imitates the owner. At the same time, the truth of harmony lies precisely in the concept, the favorable fusion of colors.
White and sand backgrounds, stones and marble create a welcome coolness.
Bamboo-colored furniture will be held in high esteem when using a “patio” design.
Rooms, abodes of red shades and striped blue and white nuances, enclose the world inside the house and catch bright lighting on all the walls.
Terracotta connects the spaces in and out, internal and external. Inside it can be wrapped in the color of ceramics, outside – with oak doors.
To some, monochromatic colors seem boring monotony, while others are attracted to the traditional combination of colors in the interior, thanks to which the home interior retains its unique appearance, sings its own song, spins and invites you to a waltz. But all these are nothing more than different ways of self-expression. Therefore, if you want to connect with the interior, make it part of your story, just paint the house in your style.
The main tool for constructing various color combinations is. It not only gives information about color: primary, secondary colors; cold, warm shades, but also allows you to geometrically find a successful pair (or triad, teprada and more) for each color. However, effectively creating color combinations is not limited to this tool, although it has great benefits. Pure combinations selected according to the principle of a circle can even frighten with their absurdity; to bring them to the “mind”, it is worth resorting to the concept of contrasts, as well as using neutral, complex colors.
Creating and adapting color combinations
All color combinations constructed using the color wheel are . In most cases, they are already balanced in , although there is no resonance in light-dark, bright-pale.
The main adaptation parameter will be deepening the main color, adding contrast in light and brightness.
And any combination can be smoothed out by adding a neutral shade to it: gray or beige.
You can make the combination deeper by adding to any of the colors its lighter or darker shade or one that is nearby on the color wheel (similar color(s)).
Monochrome color combination
If you use one color in a composition, then its shades should be both dark and light; this gives volume, depth, and richness to the color scheme.
Combination of additional colors
Complementary colors are tones that are opposite each other on the color wheel. Combinations of additional colors of the first and second order (primary (first order): red, yellow, blue; second order: orange, purple, green) are too flashy, shrill, due to which they seem vulgar, and doubts also creep in about the possibility of their use . However, such color combinations are shades of the third order: red-orange, purple, blue-green, chartreuse, etc. etc., look more attractive due to the reduction in “sharpness”.
Let's try to reduce the intensity of the colors of the first and second order: darken, add a mixture of other shades, while maintaining the main undertone. Thus, we will get softer combinations, which, by reducing intrusiveness, will reveal their best side. If we add contrast in lightness and saturation to this combination, then the number of variations of an attractive combination will increase several times.
Combination of extremely distant pairs
Such pairs are also found using the color wheel. They are less punchy than complementary colors, but still fall into the dramatic category. The contrast in light and brightness of tones will be more relevant for them than for additional ones, as well as the addition of similar and monochromatic shades.
Adding neutral or monochromatic (lighter or darker) shades to the combination allows you to achieve contrast in lightness, leaving the primary colors of equal “strength” of brightness and lightness (darkness). More precisely, the emphasis will be on the main combination, but the balance in brightness and contrast will be at its best.
Combination of similar colors
Similar colors are colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel.
Such combinations are similar to monochrome ones with the only difference that they use shades not of one tone, but of derivatives of this color. The presence of light and shade in such combinations will be a very important point for achieving expressiveness and balance.
Warm and cool color combinations are close to similar combinations.
You can also find out which colors are warm and which are cold by looking at the color wheel by dividing it into two parts: between green and purple. Yellow-red colors will be warm colors, and green-blue-violet colors will be cool colors. Such combinations, which do not go beyond the limits of cold and warm colors, will be considered cold and warm, respectively.
The light-dark contrast in such combinations will be very important to avoid blandness.
Triads and more complex combinations
Like combinations of complementary colors, such combinations may not seem attractive at first glance, however, in practice they are also rarely used in their “naked” form.
Triads and more are complex combinations, they have room for creativity. In one such combination, you can use almost all available contrasts (considering that the balance of warm-cold shades has already been established).
Unlike paired combinations in triads, 1 color is dominant, all other shades are well-designed, enhancing the central tone. Most often this is a “spot” significantly framed by other shades: bright and contrasting.
As we can see: the basis for creating color combinations is a color wheel (which you can purchase and always have with you), but there are also techniques to make them better.
Color combinations beyond the color wheel
The combinations selected according to the color wheel are emotional and impressive, but the colorist’s original “teacher” was nature and some combinations that were painfully familiar and “welcome” for the psyche were chosen by her. You can
So, a combination of orange + green - flowers, citrus fruits, sunset tones, greenery. Blue (blue) + green – sky, meadows, forests. Yellow + blue (cyan) – sun, sky. Fuchsia + green - flowers, greenery. Fuchsia (purple) + red – sunset tones. Pink + green – flowers, greenery. Cool + warm pink – sunset color scheme. Purple + blue (light blue) – sunset, sea. Yellow + green – flowers, citrus fruits, greens.
These are combinations of bright colors that leave a vivid impression in the human mind.
Natural combinations with brown color
The basis for soft combinations of a natural character is brown. It is neutral (like a darker shade of beige). Brown color is varied and has a wide range of shades. Combinations with these shades are very diverse, but have a common similarity: all selected shades should be devoid of piercingness: complex and viscous. The task of such combinations is to bring peace, calm and balance to our lives.
Combination with black and white
Black and white, like brown, are neutral shades and, but unlike the previous color, combinations with it have an increased contrast, sometimes very far from natural.
Both black and white are cool shades. They both highlight primary colors (they can be added to any range on the color wheel), but the effect of their presence is different. Black concentrates the color, narrowing the space, while white, on the contrary, expands it, brightening nearby shades.
The combination of colors in the interior is the basis of the design of premises and especially living spaces.
Everything depends on how the right color and shade is chosen in the room! Will it be comfortable, how often will you have to clean it, and will you even want to sleep, eat, or dance?
Therefore, it is extremely important to understand the basic principles of interior color, even if you have started a turnkey renovation from the most eminent metropolitan designer.
We'll talk about them today.
Psychology of color: why this and not otherwise?
It is a well-known fact: our brain receives up to 70% of information through vision.
We distinguish objects by shape, size and...color.
We like some colors, but we categorically reject others. We want to surround ourselves with some, and see others as rarely as possible.
Why is that?
From a physics perspective, color is nothing more than light waves of varying lengths. Their effect on our brain triggers characteristic reactions in it.
This impact is purely individual, but has more or less general trends. In practice, this means that the same color (light wave) can be perceived as different shades by different people.
Remember, in product descriptions on AlieExpress it is often stated that the color may differ from the actual color, depending on your monitor settings?
It's the same with the eyes.
If we dig deeper, it turns out that light waves influence not only how we “think” about them at the moment of perception, but also how we relate to them. There are colors that seem larger, more intense, more saturated to us. They are usually called “warm”. Others, on the contrary, seem smaller, calmer, more inconspicuous to us. They are called “cold”.
This feature of color perception can be advantageously used to create the interior of small rooms.
From a psychological point of view, each of us is a walking set of cliches and personal experiences that subconsciously generates associations. It is through associative thinking that psychology explains the sympathy of different people for different colors.
The color that some people associate with something good and pleasant, for others it evokes only the worst memories.
Let's take red for example: some associate it with strawberries and summer holidays, while others associate it with blood and a hospital.
Associations can be strengthened if the colors are in combination - green with red or white with red.
Compare:
Sometimes associations are so strong and subconscious that our brain acts out wishful thinking. Remember the epic with the ill-fated dress, the color of which was guessed by the entire global virtual community? Same thing.
It is important to remember about the psychological background of the influence of color when choosing a color palette for the future interior. The designer should be aware of your preferences and (especially!) what is categorically unacceptable for you (it is not at all necessary to go into detail why). It is also worth discussing this issue with the other occupants of the room or apartment if you do not live alone.
This also has its advantages.
For example, the interior of a bedroom can and should (!) be done in a color scheme that has a relaxing and soporific effect on you. Most often, this is exactly how a light beige color palette affects a person. But there may be exceptions: if you can only sleep in complete darkness and silence, give preference to a bedroom interior in dark colors.
Bright rich colors can provoke appetite, so they are appropriate to use in the kitchen interior. But a strict black and white color scheme stimulates brain activity, which is why it is most often found in office interiors.
The choice of color and even shades for the interior is also important because in many ways it is the color that can become the main argument in choosing a stylistic solution. A dark range of natural colors is typical for a loft, and a light white-lavender color scheme is typical for Provence. Bright and rich colors will look appropriate in an interior in high-tech, eclectic, fusion, pop art styles, and natural wood shades - in classic, country, eco.
It often happens that in the wake of a trend, it becomes fashionable to decorate the interior in a certain style or in a certain color. But don't forget that in the pursuit of fashion you can easily lose yourself. What everyone likes may be an inappropriate and uncomfortable solution for you. And the interior is not like a dress; you can’t change it in half an hour. So is it worth the risk?
Color wheel and rules for its use in the interior
Attempts to explore and systematize colors were first made by Newton. It was he who compiled the first color circular model, which was based on the 7 colors of the rainbow.
Surprisingly, but true: Goethe became Newton’s follower in the study of colors and drawing up the color wheel. And not some random namesake of the great poet, but the author of Faust personally. We will not rummage through the milestones of his biography and find out whether he entered into mystical deals for the sake of this discovery, but we will simply be grateful for the fact that it was Goethe who identified 3 basic colors - blue, yellow, red - in the process of mixing which the remaining (secondary) shades appear : green, orange, purple and all their variations.
The universal circular model of color, better known as the color circle or Itten’s circle, is a color scheme that uses primary colors, secondary and tertiary, that is, those that were formed by mixing the first two.
The Itten circle is a must have for every novice colorist, but many eminent designers do not part with it even with rich and intense experience in creating interior design.
The color wheel is a lifesaver for those who do not naturally have the talent of a colorist. The basic rule for choosing colors that are ideally combined with each other is this: combine with each other either colors from the same sector (relevant for a monochrome apartment interior) or from the same intensity range (relevant for a polychrome apartment interior). We will talk about the types of color combinations in the interior below.
Table of color combinations in the interior
For the laziest or most unsure of their taste, designers have developed entire tables of color combinations.
The point of these tables is not to bother and just use shades that are already perfectly matched to each other.
The most common color combination tables are the Pantone Color Institute palettes. Every year, it is this organization that chooses the main color of the year and develops entire catalogs of shade combinations for it.
(You can read more about the main color of 2018).
Pantone tables look like this:
Competitors in the field of creating color combination tables are various paint manufacturers (for example, DULUX). This has a huge advantage, since by choosing the right basic color you can easily find the perfect pair for it. As they say, in the same place, at the same hour.
If you tend to take inspiration from images, a more creative option is to use color schemes based on photos.
It is believed that if a picture looks harmonious, then all the colors in it fit perfectly together.
Whether this is true or not, you can check with visual examples:
Principles and types of color combinations in the interior
There are several key color combination schemes.
Analogue color combination in the interior
A combination of several similar shades, smoothly flowing into each other.
On the color wheel it looks like this:
As a rule, such combinations are often found in nature and are recommended for decorating “calm” spaces in an apartment (bedroom).
Complementary (contrasting) combination of colors in the interior
Combination of contrasting shades. In the color wheel, such shades are located in opposite sectors. This combination works best in a bathroom or washroom, where there is little room for using a multi-component color scheme, but the muted shades do not play a significant role.
Triadic color combination in the interior
The combination of three shades is considered a classic and the basis of the basics of color. It is used in most living spaces in the apartment - in the living room, in the bedroom, in the kitchen.
The color wheel uses a triangle to combine three shades. It may be equilateral or not. In the second case, the third shade is usually used as an accent shade.
Combination of four or more shades
Polychrome interiors are most often used for children's rooms. They are bright, rich, multi-layered, which is due to the characteristics of the child’s psyche and child’s worldview. In the color wheel, shapes such as square, rectangle and other polygonal shapes can be used as a scheme.
12 popular colors in interior design
White
The purest and lightest color, which is often used in interiors as the main color or as a binder for other shades. One of the basic colors of the Provencal style. A few years ago it was very popular “in its pure form,” but today designers increasingly agree on the need to combine it with bright, saturated shades.
Grey
It became popular in interior design not thanks to the famous “50 shades,” but solely because of its depth and versatility. Characteristic of loft, high-tech, minimalism, industrial styles. It became popular after raw concrete textures came into fashion. Pairs perfectly with bright warm shades.
Black
Black is a classic. Suitable for almost all interior design styles. Along with white, it goes with all shades. Often used as an accent color, but in recent years there has been an increasing trend towards choosing it as the main color of the interior. It is quite practical for decorating a bedroom and living room, but in rooms with water (kitchen, bathroom, toilet) difficulties may arise due to white soap stains on black surfaces. Not recommended for use in children's rooms.
Red
The hottest and most dynamic color. In large concentrations it can be perceived as too aggressive, so it is recommended to use it as an accent color. Suitable for modern and bold styles - hi-tech, eclecticism, fusion, pop art.
Orange
One of the most rarely used shades in interiors. In temperament and dynamics it is very similar to red. Rich shades of orange are often used in kitchens, bathrooms, washrooms, and children's rooms. For rooms such as the living room, bedroom, hallway, designers tend to choose softer and muted colors: peach, apricot, coral, salmon.
Orange as the main color is very typical for the loft style. However, only one shade of it is allowed to be used: brick.
Yellow
Sunny and cheerful - this is how you can characterize the yellow color in the interior. The most popular in the design of children's rooms.
Yellow harmonizes perfectly with both a warm palette of shades and a cold one. Visually it greatly increases the temperature of the room, so it is not recommended for decorating rooms on the south or east side of the house.
Green
A color associated with harmony, nature and tranquility. Known for its relaxing effects in general and on the eyes in particular. Recommended for decoration of educational institutions. It is believed that an interior made in shades of green helps a person to reboot, get inspired and gain a charge of vivacity and energy. Allowed in the design of ALL living spaces. Most often used in classic and eco style.
Pink
A gentle, playful and even somewhat infantile shade. Up to 90% of girls' bedrooms are decorated in it. Combines with white, gray, black, red, purple colors. Used in Provence, Rococo, Glamour, Pop Art and Art Deco styles.
Blue
Blue is the new black. Like grey, it is a deep and multi-faceted color that allows it to be used universally in all living spaces. It can be used in decorating rooms in any style, but is most typical for Provence, maritime style, eclecticism, hi-tech, art deco.
Violet
In 2018, one of the shades of purple was recognized by specialists from the Pantone Color Institute as the color of the year. Purple is quite an unusual and unusual color for decorating apartments in the post-Soviet space, and therefore is perceived as intriguing, mysterious, and creative. Characteristic for modern interior design styles. Combines with yellow, pistachio, orange, white, gray, black.
Brown
A universal color of natural wood, making it the main color of a classic interior. Considered neutral in all respects.
Beige
A softer, more subtle version of brown. Unobtrusive, pleasant, calming color. Very often used in the interior of apartments and (especially!) in bedrooms. Perfectly complements and highlights most of the shades used in the interior. Most often used as a base color in combination with grey, brown, blue or black.
The task of choosing a color scheme for a website may seem overwhelming, especially if you are not well versed in color combinations:
If everything goes well, your site will look harmonious. If not, you will get a horror movie style picture!
If you avoid using color at all on your website, it will look dull and quickly become forgotten. If you overdo it with color, the site will appear tacky.
You need to choose the right template and color palette for your future website. These two tasks can be perhaps the most difficult when creating a website.
Knowing just a few rules will make choosing colors less difficult.
After reading this article, you will learn how to:
- Choose the most suitable color for your website and personal brand;
- How to combine tones to achieve a harmonious color scheme;
- Choose the most suitable background color;
- Use color accents only where necessary.
How does color affect the perception of your website and brand?
If I ask you to think of Coca-Cola, what would be the first thing that comes to your mind? Most likely, the red Coca-Cola logo will pop up in your imagination:
It's quite difficult to think about this drink and not associate it with the color red. Red is so strongly associated with the brand that it is as important as the famous drink itself.
Red in a color scheme conveys two important messages:
- The bright red labels stand out from the rest on the soda aisle.
- Each color evokes certain emotions. When we see red, we have a feeling of excitement, love and passion on a subconscious level. These are the feelings Coca-Cola wants to evoke with its drinks:
If you choose the right color scheme for your website, you will not only make it visually appealing, but also create a memorable brand.
85% of buyers admit that the main reason for purchasing a product was its color.
Brand recognition increases by 80% when using color.
3 Steps to Using Color Correctly on Your Website
When developing a website design you need:
- Choose a dominant color for your brand;
- Choose several accent shades to create a color scheme;
- Choosing a background color to create a complete design.
1. Choosing the predominant color
Is your brand's predominant color red, like Coca-Cola? It will help evoke the necessary emotions in visitors to the resource, provokes in people a feeling of excitement, love and passion.
This color is the first thing that should come to people's minds when they think of your company. If you already have a logo, make sure it contains your brand's primary color.
How to choose the right color
It is not by chance that large companies choose this or that color scheme for their website. This is a conscious choice that is part of branding and marketing.
Each color attracts its own group of buyers, and can even influence their choice:
Red-orange, black and bright blue attract impulsive buyers. These color schemes can often be found in fast food chains, clothing stores and bargain sales.
Dark blue and turquoise attract buyers with a limited amount of money. These colors can be found in banks and large department stores.
Raspberry, azure and pink attract classic buyers. Distributed in clothing stores.
To attract the customers you want, use combinations of different colors.
We have specially created a visual infographic for selecting color schemes to make it easier for you to choose the dominant color for your brand:
What color should you use for your website?
Green represents wealth, health, tranquility and nature. This color is most easily perceived by the eyes and, as a result, relaxes. Green is the second most favorite color for both men and women.
Yellow is a symbol of youth, optimism and cheerfulness. Often used to attract attention. Yellow can also cause tension, so use it in small quantities.
Orange is associated with friendliness, excitement and creativity. Stimulates activity in people. For example, it encourages you to buy a product or subscribe to a newsletter. This color attracts impulsive buyers.
Red symbolizes passion, excitement, energy and danger. Often used to create an urgent need for a purchase in people's perceptions. Causes strong emotional reactions. In restaurants it is used to increase appetite.
Pink is feminine, sweet, innocent and romantic. Often used in offering private services and products to girls and women.
Purple is a symbol of greatness, wealth, success and wisdom. Often present in cosmetics. It has a calming effect on people.
Blue is an indicator of reliability, security, stability, peace and tranquility. Often used by banks and large companies. Blue color is most pleasant for both men and women.
Gray in a color scheme represents neutrality, simplicity, calm and logic. It is associated with technology, production, precision, control, competence and even experience.
Black is the color of influence, luxury, experience and elegance. Often used to promote luxury goods, it is associated with professionalism, strength and precision.
Are your target audience young and energetic shoppers? Or more experienced people with solid earnings? Is your product (service) aimed more at men or women? Is it only suitable for a certain age group?
Not every color is suitable for representing your business. For example, if you sell yoga mats, purple ( wealth and greatness) and black (strength and luxury) are not the best options. Green will suit you ( health, peace), grey ( simplicity, tranquility), blue ( peace, tranquility), or maybe even red ( passion, energy).
Differences in color perception between men and women
Who is your site primarily aimed at, men or women? Or maybe both?
Bright and muted color schemes for the site
Men prefer bright colors, while women prefer muted colors.
The experiment showed that, in general, men and women react equally to light and dark shades. But it turned out that women gravitate more towards muted shades, and men - towards bright ones.
Achromatic colors
As a rule, men like achromatic colors more than women. Achromatic colors are white, black and all shades of gray.
Light and dark shades
Women prefer light shades. The reason for this is their enhanced perception of certain colors.
Women
Blue, purple, green.
Orange, brown, gray.
Men
Most preferred colors: blue, green, black.
Least preferred colors: brown, orange, purple.
By combining and using colors that appeal to men, women, or both, you can influence their subconscious perception of the brand.
According to color scheme research, both men and women like green and blue. Both of them don’t like orange and brown. If you want to attract the attention of both men and women, you need to use blue or green as the main color.
The color choice for your brand or product can also depend on the impression your customers want to make on others.
Often people buy certain products or services to make a specific impression on others.
Many decisions are a reflection of what a person thinks about himself and how he wants to appear to others. This is what will come to mind when other people think about this person:
So if you want people who love nature to buy your product, use green in your HTML color scheme. Do you want to attract people who feel young and confident? Use yellow. If you are interested in people who want to look distinguished and rich, use black.
It is now clear?
Think about your ideal target audience. How does he want to appear to other people?
Yes, it affects psychology. But you need to understand this to create a successful brand.
How to use a main color on your website
Now that you have decided on the main color of your site, you need to understand how to use it correctly. Color attracts a lot of attention, so don't try to use it everywhere you can.
Use the dominant color only in those places where you want to draw users' attention or encourage them to take a specific action.
For example, call a phone number, fill out a form, subscribe to updates, etc.
The predominant color should catch the eye, highlighting those details that you want to draw users' attention to:
Where to use the dominant color on the site?
- Logo;
- Menu tabs;
- “Call” button;
- Important information;
- Headings and titles;
- Buttons.
2. Choosing accent colors
To make your design more interesting and professional, you need to use accent ready-made color schemes for the site. They can highlight important parts of your site: quotes, buttons or subheadings.
Many people are afraid to use several colors at once because it is not always intuitive whether they go well together. People think that in order to learn how to combine them, one must not only thoroughly study color theory, but also make a lot of mistakes.
There is an easier way available to everyone. This is a color matching program that will help you choose color schemes just like the pros do!
How to use a program to select accent colors
Once you've decided on a dominant color, it couldn't be easier to choose accent colors using programs like Adobe Color CC Tool:
Here's a short tutorial that will show you how to create a color scheme in one of two ways:
- Based on predominant color
Step 1: First, find out the code for your predominant color. For example, on the site ColorPicker.com. The color code is indicated in the rectangle directly above the color palette square.
After copying the code from ColorPicker.com, paste it into the " NOT X» Adobe Color tool. Make sure you paste the code in the middle column:
Paste the code for your site's dominant color into the box IN THE MIDDLE.
Once you specify a color, Adobe Color displays it on the screen along with other complementary colors.
Step 2. On the top left side you will see a rectangle with the following color schemes:
- Consistent;
- Monochrome;
- Triangular;
- Complementary;
- Composite;
- Shades.
Choose a color scheme
Experiment with different color schemes to see which one is right for you. All colors suggested by the program go well with each other.
Step 3. Make your color scheme even more thoughtful by moving one of the color picks.
It's important not to move the short pointer located in the middle so that your dominant color remains constant:
CMS and website builders allow you to insert color codes ( HEX) to highlight any part of your site:
Copy the color codes ( HEX) for your color scheme for the site.
- Based on your favorite photo
Sometimes it’s easier to look for color solutions on the Internet and get inspired by them.
You can upload any photo you like into Adobe Color and the program will automatically generate a color scheme based on it.
Step 1. Upload a photo:
Click on the camera icon to upload an image.
Step 2. Choose one of five color moods:
- Colorful;
- Bright;
- Muffled;
- Saturated;
- Dark.
Experiment with color moods to see which one suits you best:
Choose a color mood.
Step 3: Make the color scheme even more thoughtful by moving one of the color picks across the image:
Move the pointers if you want to select other complementary colors.
Step 4. The suggested color palette is located below the image. Here's how to choose a color scheme for your web design.
To see the codes ( HEX) colors, click on the color wheel located in the upper right corner:
Click on the color wheel to see the color codes:
Copy the color codes ( HEX) for your color scheme.
Where to place auxiliary colors
Site details highlighted in secondary colors are not the main accents. But they still stand out. For example, you can use auxiliary colors to highlight subheadings, additional buttons, dialog boxes, fill the background, etc.
Choose one or two complementary colors. If there are more of them, it will be difficult for users to focus on one thing:
Where to use supporting colors on your site?
- Active menu button;
- Subheadings;
- Highlighting secondary information.
- Selecting a background color
Have you ever had to paint the walls in your home?
If yes, then you have some experience and you know that choosing color schemes is not easy.
The color should be calm enough so that you can stay in the room for hours and the color does not overwhelm you. At the same time, you don't want the color to be dull and the room to look hospital-like.
Choosing a background color for your website isn't much different than choosing paint for your room!
How to choose the right background color
If you were choosing paint for a modern clothing store and a country house, would you choose the same color?
Obviously not. These two rooms serve different purposes.
For example, for a clothing store, it is better to use bright colors to attract customers' attention to the racks of clothes. It is necessary that the color of the walls contrasts with the color of the shelves with clothes, so that when customers enter the store, they immediately understand what to pay their attention to.
And for comparison: when you arrive at your country house, you probably plan to relax. You want the color of the walls and the design of your home to have a calming and relaxing effect.
The background color of your website depends on what you want users to notice.
Simply put, the background color directly depends on the goal you are pursuing when creating a website.
Type 1 – Resources with a lot of content or e-commerce
Have you noticed that information resources and online stores often use white or neutral color schemes for their websites?
This is all because the purpose of these resources is to promote ideas or products.
In such cases, the focus should be on the product or service rather than the website design. The background color is just a basis to make the content more visual and readable.
For information resources and online commerce, it is best to use a light background, bright dominant and auxiliary colors. The brightness of the predominant and accent colors guarantees the uniqueness of the site and allows details to stand out. At the same time, a neutral background in the color scheme for a sales website helps the user focus only on the content or products.
Type 2 – Corporate websites and services
When creating a corporate resource, one goal is pursued - promotion of goods or services.
Depending on what the purpose of your site is, the background color should be different.
Brand promotion
If you want to create a memorable company image, use different shades of the dominant color or brand color for the background.
This is because color directly affects brand recognition ( remember the example about Coca-Cola?) When you use different shades of your brand color as a background, you enhance it and make it more memorable to customers.
If the dominant color of your site is provocative, then using it as a background may negatively affect the user experience. In such cases, use shades with the lowest intensity:
Service promotion
If your goal is to draw attention to a service or portfolio of your work, use a white or neutral background color.
As with information resources, you don’t want to overload your site and distract users’ attention from the content you want to convey. By using a white or light background in the color scheme of the site, you will focus attention on the content:
Type 3 – Stylish and creative sites with lots of graphics
If you are going to create a website related to creativity ( fashion, design, restaurant business, beauty, etc.), there are no restrictions for you.
For these types of sites, there are no rules for using a background color. You can make the menu bar black to add drama. Or create a background using all the colors of the rainbow to cheer up resource visitors:
Try to always stick to one rule: Never choose a background color that makes the text on it difficult to read.
The ideal background color allows the content to stand out and blends harmoniously with the dominant and supporting colors. The right background color makes the user's experience on the site pleasant.
When in doubt, use a white or light gray background. They may not be the most inspiring, but you will be sure that your content is clearly visible.
Conclusion and results
You should not be guided by personal preferences or instincts when choosing a color scheme for your website.
Use colors that your potential audience likes, and then the resource will stay in people’s memories for a long time. This will set you apart from your competitors.
The choice of color palette should never be random. This is a set of actions that need to be taken:
- Choose the correct predominant color for the site;
- Choose the correct auxiliary colors for the dominant color;
- Select the appropriate background color.
This publication is a translation of the article “ How to Choose a Good Color Scheme For Your Website", prepared by the friendly project team
Have you ever noticed how certain sets of clothes are arranged in boutiques: trousers, shirts, dresses, jumpers, scarves? What especially attracts you to buy these particular trousers, for example? Color?
Yes, you seem to know for sure that this particular color of trousers suits you and will go with the clothes that you already have. But when you come home, you find that you chose ordinary trousers that don’t go well with anything. What's the secret?
Table of color combinations in clothes
| Primary colors | Harmonizing colors and shades | Inharmonious colors |
| Green color, blue-green, yellow and its shades, shades of blue and blue, black. | Warm red, terracotta, orange, pink (mostly), shades of brown, olive. | |
| The color of green grass, shades of yellow, achromatic (white, black and gray), blue. | Terracotta, orange, black, purple colors. | |
| Blue, burgundy, gray, brown, light blue, shades of green. | Warm shades of red, gold, chestnut, orange, olive. | |
| Violet and lilac, blue, green, yellow-green, brown colors, white. | : red, pink, purple. | |
| Indigo, sea green, warm green, orange, blue, olive. | Violet, pink, purple, lilac. | |
| Olive, golden, gray, blue with a greenish tint, beige. | Bordeaux, chestnut, lilac, pink. | |
| Green, olive, golden, ultramarine, mignonette, lilac, gray. | : red, burgundy, pink. | |
| Greenish-yellow, violet, lilac, yellow-green, ultramarine. | Pure red. | |
| Ultramarine, pure red, dark green, sky blue, purple, violet, dark gold, olive, brown, gray. | Mignonette color, pink, lilac. | |
| Green, brown, golden. | Bordeaux, beige, pink. | |
| Bright scarlet, brown, cinnabar, violet, purple, blue, yellowish green. | Ultramarine, sky blue, golden yellow. | |
| Blue, brown, gray, chestnut, golden, ultramarine, greenish blue, dark olive, orange, green, red. | Bordeaux, beige, mignonette color, lilac, pink. | |
| Violet, purple. | Blue, yellow, orange. | |
| Brown, chestnut, red, pink, lilac, gray. | Blue, green, olive, burgundy, beige, gold, ultramarine. | |
| Brick, cinnabar, yellow. | Purple, red-violet. | |
| Blue, brown, red, burgundy, chestnut, ultramarine, gray. | Green, olive, golden, mignonette, lilac, pink. | |
| Red, brick, cinnabar, ultramarine, orange, purple, light violet. | Bordeaux, dark purple, lilac. | |
| Red, golden, orange, sky blue, olive, brown, burgundy, gray, chestnut, beige. | Yellowish-green, violet, purple, green, blue, mignonette, lilac, pink. | |
| Olive, red, gray, golden, burgundy. | Green, mignonette color, lilac, brown. | |
| Golden, yellow, orange, light green, grass green, sea water color. | Red, cinnabar, brick. | |
| Grey, chestnut, beige, mignonette, light purple, green. | Blue, olive, brown, red, burgundy, gold, ultramarine, pink. | |
| Golden yellow, yellowish green, sky blue, canary. | Purple, orange, brick, ultramarine. | |
| Green, gray, beige, ultramarine, pink, blue-green, olive, blue. | Lilac, chestnut, red, golden. | |
| Black, green, ultramarine, red, raspberry, blue, pink, beige, lilac, blue. | Brown, warm orange and yellow. | |
A little humor on the topic ;-)
How to wear blue correctly?
Blue is a universal color that combines two opposites in its spectrum: from delicate blue and turquoise to gloomy dark blue. We are accustomed to associate blue shades with light, heavenly, summer-spring, dreamy, and dark blue colors with either a boring business style, or with something like “as long as it’s not black.”
In fact, all blue colors can be extremely beneficial to decorate and complete your wardrobe. Light blue tones of clothing go well with contrasting dark blue or red, orange, and brown.
Also fresh and original, blue is combined with gray, golden glitter, and soft olive color.
Don't risk wearing blue with pink or green; such a splash of color may inadvertently make you look like a parrot.
Combination of blue and orange
The color of aqua (or simply turquoise) goes well with purple, yellow and brown; cream shades are also suitable.
Dark blue and cream color in clothes
Electric blue will complement your golden dress or light brown cream trousers. Strict blue, almost dark, the color goes well with:
People who prefer blue are strong, confident individuals. That is why it is the most advantageous color option after black in the business world.
How to use green clothes?
Green is a popular color these days. The eternal sunshine of green makes our minds dream more, strive for victory, self-control and self-confidence.
Green reminds us of youth and spring; this color of Saturn can revive any boring look and even an old, gloomy wardrobe.
Dark green color is a very good choice for business clothes; in it you will instill confidence in your interlocutors, stability and success.
For yourself, green can become a harmonious, pleasant and calming color.
Green is especially loved by red-haired people, so we can assume that green is friends with:
- orange;
- blue;
- blue;
- yellow;
- white.
Pale green will not look “too much” if you wear such wardrobe items under black or gray clothes. You should be careful when combining green and red, purple, and brown.
What to do with purple?
Purple is a mixture of red and blue, two opposites, elements. However, purple is unique for its calming effect on the human psyche, its harmonious and attractive appearance.
This color is good for women, especially creative, pregnant, romantic, young and mysterious women.
Clothing in purple colors goes well with:
- yellow;
- orange;
- white;
- with lighter or darker shades of the same purple in one look.
For a meeting it is good to match purple with black, and for a romantic walk – with white.
For fair-haired or fair-haired girls, lilac, lilac, the color of grapes or ripe plums will look especially touching, and if you are a brunette, then an almost inky color, rich blueberry, thick indigo color will look good.
To avoid overdoing purple, don't pair it with red or green.
Brown shades
Brown is the favorite everyday color after black. Clothing in this range of colors looks great as a base in your look.
You can wear brown accessories, shoes, jewelry (leather straps, bracelets, beads), and the rest of your wardrobe - according to the dictates of your soul, and you will look correct, harmonious.
The brown color depends on the texture of the fabrics in which it will be served.
It harmonizes well with leather elements - jackets, shoes, bags, straps.
Brown goes great with:
- white;
- denim, blue;
- bright blue flowers;
- creamy light tones;
- fuchsia pink, fawn, beige;
- green.
What to do with beige?
Beige color is also the base of the image. It will serve well as a tint background for bright colors: red, yellow, crimson, turquoise.
Beige, almost like white, you can wear under everything: it does not attract attention, it looks smooth and appropriate, restrained, but not as deliberately elegant as white.
Turquoise – what to wear with it?
Turquoise is the color of spring, summer and early autumn. In this color, it is important to understand what clothes can be made in this tone.
Turquoise or more mint shade
Turquoise is good in the form of light blouses, trousers, tops, dresses, scarves.
The aqua color will look good with light colors: white, yellow, golden, cream, lilac, light orange, light gray, brown.
Turquoise does not match red, pink, light green, or green.
Red – passion and challenge
Red is the king of all existing colors and shades. Associations with red are love, thirst, strength, power, challenge, emotion.
But you need to know how to combine red, because it is one of the most insidious colors: from an emphatic accent, it can slip into unceremonious vulgarity.
Red is worn with black - it's a classic, with white - it's a bold contrast. This color can be added to burgundy, green, blue, yellow.
This color is beneficial with purple, lemon, light green, but it is especially pleasant with beige or blue. The taboo applies only to the combinations red-brick, red-brown.
Bordeaux color in clothes
The color Bordeaux is a deep shade of red. Depending on what color burgundy is combined with, the image can look elegant or touching.
