Colour Theory: Understanding It & How It Relates to Web Design

If you were looking to learn about colour theory and how to use it on your website’s design, then you’ve come to the right place.

Here we’ll give you a crash course, giving you an idea of what colour theory is and what that might mean for your website.

What is colour theory anyway?

Colour theory is a principle in design that has to do with how people visually perceive different colours, how different colours relate to one another and the influence they have on the viewer. In short, how to make the smartest colour choices to achieve a certain goal.

How will it help my website?

In terms of your website’s design, colour theory plays a huge role in the overall look of your website, as well as contributing a significant amount toward the users’ experience.

On the practical side, colours can serve to highlight important elements and let them stand out from the rest. They can also provide a sense of order to your website, allowing users to intuitively figure out how it functions.

As for aesthetics, colour theory can become more nuanced and complex. Even subtle differences in shade or intensity can have a dramatic visual impact. The concept of complementary colours is another area that takes a trained eye to become familiar with.

Moreover, colour theory can affect the mood and overall perception of your brand. For instance, reds evoke feelings of energy or danger, while blues exude trust and confidence. These different aspects represent important elements and having a good understanding of colour theory can help you address them.

How do I apply colour theory to my website design?

In simple terms, with plenty of practice. It takes time and discipline to develop an understanding and we’ve only just scratched the surface in this article. While it’s a skill that everyone can acquire, some people are naturally gifted at it.

If you find the concept a bit too elusive, start with the basics and understand how the colour wheel works. You can also look online for inspiration as there are multiple services that provide colour palette swatches for you to use right away. There are even books that go into great detail to make you a veritable expert on the topic.

No matter how you choose to practice it, the bottom line is that you’ll get better as long as you are constantly aware of its importance. Now that you have a better understanding, it should be much easier to achieve!

Wrapping up

Another option you have is to let the experts handle it! At Lemongrass Media we have an intimate knowledge of what colour theory is and plenty of experience applying it. We’re a website design agency with offices in Hertfordshire & Milton Keynes covering the Home Counties. If you need a professional agency to help you design a beautiful and functional website, get in touch with us on 0800 690 6250 or enquiries@lemongrassmedia.co.uk to see how we can help.