Do you have a preferred color scheme for websites? I always seem to work royal blue in mine. When that just won't work with the logo, I tend to use the darkest possible colors that will. I just don't do pastels well.

It really depends on the website. If the subject matter requires the use of graphics, I tend to build around the graphics. I try not to stick with particular colorschemes, although I'd admit I seem to have a preference for earth tones.

Good point, Hunter! I also build a site around the pictures and graphics. However, I do stick with particular color schemes and I do try to avoid "surprising contrasts" Oh yeah... this too: http://www.gocomics.com/foxtrot/2006/09/19/

 

It all depends on the website. The colour scheme has to stem from the company logo and and graphical design that has come before the website like brochureware and leaflets etc. The website has to refer to the provious printed matter and relate to it. So I find that every website is different in colour schemes because of that. I don't have a palette of colours that I always use as that would never work.

I belive the colors used on a site should vary depending upon each individual site. The colors you use will be impacted by your particular audience. The purpose of the site can also have some impact on what colors you will be using. You may want bright colors for one site, while wanting slightly darker colors for others.

Always using the same colors, if you design sites for others, is going to place you in a rut. Your portfolio will start to look like variations on a theme with nothing fresh and new to offer.

 

Eskymo pointed out that you can't always create a completely new look. People need brand identity. If every piece of letterhead and business card and signage for a business is red and black, your standard green on green sitework won't mesh.

 

For sites that I design from scratch I tend toward a darker border with a lighter color background so the text can pop out. My theory is that the dark border will force their focus into the lighter area of the webpage.

 

I did break that mold with one site and went for the "soothing and airy" look. I think it's working and should appeal to some but it isn't my favorite. But then, it isn't all about me, is it?

I of course gear my sites towards my clients, but when I'm given free reign (no oddly coloured logo to work with, etc), my sites tend to be navy blue and maroon. I have no idea why, it's just where my head goes first and sometimes it's a struggle to stop myself and try something new.

My husband generally prefers royal blue in there somewhere. He claims it "exudes security" and people will tend to "trust" the site more.

 

I like variety. There are bright, garish colours that I avoid, but in general I will use any color that seems to "fit" the person or company for whom I'm designing.

Always using the same colors, if you design sites for others, is going to place you in a rut. Your portfolio will start to look like variations on a theme with nothing fresh and new to offer.

 

Eskymo pointed out that you can't always create a completely new look. People need brand identity. If every piece of letterhead and business card and signage for a business is red and black, your standard green on green sitework won't mesh.

 

That's a good point! Brand identity should be reflected by one's online presence as well. Besides creating a new look might not work if the colors used for the design "bother" or transmit the wrong message. Web design is an art and although are many so-called web designers in the world, there are only a few able to master colors.

That’s a good point Pamil! I used blue on my website because blue calms the mind and makes it more receptive. I noticed now that people are using a lot of white as backgrounds. There was a time when people used a lot of white on black and that was hard to read..some also use gray on black and although it looks stylish, you are going to lose a whole generation of baby boomers and they are the ones with a whole lot of money if it’s a selling site!

i don't have my own website and i plan to focus right now on my blogs. but right now, since i'm still in the process of learning stuff in adobe photoshop and in html, i download free templates for my blogs.

 

but once i make my own,i plan to have just a white background and black headings which are kind of like sketches or doodles like karen cheng's blog: http://www.karencheng.com.au/ then i could put some blue and orange doodles or drawings on the side. while the black and white scheme is simple, i think it would kind of highlight the colored pictures i usually post on my blogs.

I really like sites that have a lot of black or dark grey but with a white backgroud for the text. I also like some dark red as an accent. My next choice in color schemes would be a medium but not bright shade of blue.

 

I like the appearance of sites that have a colored background but it's really hard to read the text, in my opinion.

I really like a lot of contrast in a site which I think I will include for my site next time. But it really depends on what message, vibe or feel you want to have or portray about yourself. I might just change it up a bit for next time. Although, an acquaintence nailed me when he said it felt like “bold, poised tranquility” which is the best description me and the message/feeling I wanted to portray.

Well it depends on the niche that I am doing. Some niches I would use black background or something dark while others I would use mostly white or sometimes blue.

I tend to use relaxing colors on my sites. I'm not sure when I started doing that, just looked over a few one day and realized they were all in warm blues or soft lavenders. I agree with staying away from most of the pastels other than lavendar though. They tend to hurt the eyes, putting too much contrast in and making the text hard to read.

When designing a site choosing colours always depends on the demographic. Personally the colours I personally find appealing at the moment are soft blues, pinks and purples - very pastelly colours... though this will probably change next week depending on my mood, i think you mood definitely influences on how you design.

Do you think we should be watching teen fashion when designing a website geared toward teens then? I was thinking about that and discussing it earlier today with the guy who does the xgen sites. He mentioned that he watches fashion trends to design a site that meets the need of the teen demographic. Cool planning?

I just wanted to put everyone onto: Adobe Labs colour scheme chooser.

 

See this thread here: http://www.webdesignerforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=399

 

I tend to try and stick with pastel colours and greys, i don't use black much at all!