The importance of choosing the right colors for UI design

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User experience, or UI, design involves many processes which need to be thoughtfully planned out so that an interface would meet the needs of the target users. Each step requires deep attention to details, even if it doesn't seem too complicated. One of the time consuming but still vital stages in UI creation is color choice. Designers can spend hours picking the right color palette. In this article, we'll describe some useful tips to help designers choose colors for UI and make this process easier and more productive.

The 60, 30 10 rule is used to bring the balance into the composition, the colors should be combined in the proportion of 60%–30%–10%. This rule, or technique, came from the interior design, so it is often used in house decorating. The idea is simple, to bring the balance into the composition. The biggest part should go to the dominant hue, the third of the composition takes secondary color and 10% goes to the color which helps to make the accents. Such a proportion is pleasing to the human eyes since it allows perceiving all the visual elements gradually. Using this technique, designers can successfully combine the colors without risks of turning UI into a colorful mess.


Color contrast is an integral part of any visual composition. It brings the individuality for each UI element and makes all of them noticeable. User interfaces that contains only shades from the same color family have fewer chances to draw the user's attention. Copy content will look illegible which make user interaction almost impossible. Designers can control the level of contrast depending on the goals they want to accomplish. For example, if we need users to pay special attention to the specific UI elements, it's a good idea to apply two highly contrasting colors such as blue and red. High contrast is often used for CTA buttons design. In terms of UI as a whole composition, high levels of color contrast may not always work well. If copy content and the background colors contrast each other too much, it will be difficult to read or scan the text. That's why designers are recommended to create a mild level of contrast and apply high contrasting colors only for highlighting elements. User testing on various devices can help designers make sure about the effectiveness of their designs.

There is a field of psychology that shows the influence of colors on human mood and behavior called color psychology. It states that our mind reacts to colors while we usually do not notice it. When our eyes perceive a color, our brain gives signals to the endocrine system releasing hormones responsible for the mood and emotions. Each color has its own influence on our mind and knowing the possible reactions can help designers to convey the right message and call users to make the expected action. Designers need to keep in mind that visual emotions are different for everyone. Age and gender have a great impact on color preferences, so it's important to know the target audiences' demographics.

Each culture has its own traditions and beliefs, so before we choose the colors, we need to make sure that they will be interpreted the way we want. Sometimes, one color may have completely the opposite meanings in different countries. For example, in European countries white color signifies purity and it is often used at the weddings while in many Asian countries this color means death and sorrow. Incorrect usage can lead to misunderstandings which could cause an application to fail. By understanding the specialties of a culture's color perception, designers decrease risks of being misunderstood.

Harmony is what UI design strives for. To make users feel pleased and comfortable, designers will try to bring balance into user interface design. Color harmony is about the arrangement of the colors in design in the most attractive and effective way for users' perception. Harmonic colors contribute to a nice first impression from the website or application.

Nature is the best artist and designer in the world. Color combinations which we see in the natural environment are always close to perfect. People enjoy watching sunsets and dawns, autumn forests and winter mountains since they are full of natural color combinations. The colors used in nature are familiar to everyone and makes people feel more comfortable when using our application.

Applications depends largely upon the colors chosen for its UI. The right colors help users feel comfortable with a product. Designers can put people in the frame of mind that guides them to take action just by applying the appropriate color palette. Use color cues from what is familiar to users.