Have you ever visited a website or used an app and found it hard to read the text, distinguish buttons, or make out important information because of poor color choices?
This happens more than you think. Many designers and website DIYers underestimate the importance of accessible color palettes when creating digital content, but it can have a huge impact on the user experience.
In this post, I want to talk about accessible color palettes and why they matter. I’ll also share some eye-catching color schemes that not only look great, but also meet accessibility guidelines for contrast ratios.
WCAG 2.0 level AA requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
WebAIM.org
So, whether you’re designing a website, an app, or any other digital content, you’ll feel confident to create designs that everyone can enjoy.
Why Accessible Color Palettes Matter
Before I dive into our inspirational accessible color palettes, I want to discuss why accessible color palettes are crucial. Designing with accessibility in mind means making your content available to as many people as possible, regardless of their visual impairments. It’s a matter of inclusion and usability.
Let’s say you’re designing a website, and your color choices make it challenging for users with color blindness to distinguish essential elements or read the text. You might unintentionally exclude a portion of your audience, which isn’t the goal for any designer.
Using an accessible color palette for your designs ensures that your content is:
- Legible for All: A well-considered color palette enhances the legibility of your content, ensuring that text stands out against the background.
- Inclusive: By following accessibility guidelines, you can accommodate individuals with visual impairments, ensuring that your designs are inclusive and user-friendly for everyone.
- Compliant: Many countries and organizations have legal requirements for digital accessibility. Compliant color choices help you meet these standards.
Related Post: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): Make Your Website Accessible
How do I know if my color palette is accessible?
If you’re looking for an easy tool to help you determine whether your color palette is accessible, WebAIM has a super simple, color contrast checker that I love to use!
Just pop in any combination of 2 different hex code colors, and it will tell you if there is enough contrast to use those colors together for text at larger and smaller sizes.
Accessible Color Palette Examples
Now, for the good stuff!
Take a peek at some accessible color palettes that you can use in your designs or use as a starting point to develop your own color palettes. These color palettes not only meet accessibility standards for WCAG 2.0 level AA but also look stunning and can bring boldness to your designs.
Keep in mind, not all color combinations meet accessibility criteria necessarily, but to make it easy for you, I highlighted the darkest and lightest color combos that I have personally tested for accessibility + are proven to have good contrast.
Psst… if you use one of my color palettes, make sure to tag me on Instagram @thekdesignco so I can see what you made 🙂
Color Palette #1: Lavender Meadow
- Primary Color: Iris (#7855F)
- Light Color: White Lilac (#EFE6F4)
- Dark Color: Mulled Wine (#463769)
Color Palette #2: Coastal Breeze
- Primary Color: Deep Cerulean (#0077B6)
- Light Color: Sky (#BFD7EA)
- Dark Color: Night (#0A2E4E)
Color Palette #3: Vintage Charm
- Primary Color: Berry (#8B0000)
- Light Color: Romantic (#FFCCB5)
- Dark Color: Cocoa (#4F4141)
Color Palette #4: Neon Lights
- Primary Color: Cyan (#A7F3F7)
- Light: Quill (#DFE0DD)
- Dark: Gable Green (#153334)
Color Palette #5: Twilight Garden
- Primary Color: Biloba Flower (#CB9EEB)
- Light: Lavender Mist (#EAE5FF)
- Dark: Masala (#3D3232)
Color Palette #6: Tropical Morning
- Primary Color: Froly (#F88379)
- Light: Almond (#FFDAB9)
- Dark: San Juan (#354E67)
Color Palette #7: Bohemian Sun
- Primary Color: Terracotta (#E2725B)
- Light: Pot Pourri (#F0E2D5)
- Dark: Dorado (#685555)
Color Palette #8: Fiery Fusion
- Primary Color: Candy Apple (#DC143C)
- Light: Wisp Pink (#FDEDED)
- Dark: Nile Blue (#18404A)
Color Palette #9: Serenity
- Primary Color: Lilac (#C8A2C8)
- Light: Merino (#F5F1E1)
- Dark: Woodgrain (#7D6754)
Color Palette #10: Blossoms
- Primary Color: Azalea (#F5C4CB)
- Light: Spring Wood (#F7F7EE)
- Dark: Kelp (#2F4027)
Color Palette #11: Vegas Glow
- Primary Color: Daffodil (#FFA500)
- Light: Sorbet (#FFDAB9)
- Dark: Indigo (#3C395F)
Color Palette #12: Sunbeams
- Primary Color: Sunshine (#FFDB58)
- Light: Lemon Cream (#FFFACD)
- Dark: Burnt Sienna (#5B4D45)
Color Palette #13: Azure
- Primary Color: Cobalt (#0047AA)
- Light: Dew Drop (#E4F7FF)
- Dark: Midnight (#001D44)
Love these palettes but want your own custom color palette created just for you?
Creating color palettes is one of the most fun parts I get to help my clients with. Reach out about a custom brand design.
