Mastering UI Design Colors: 3 Essential Rules for Beginners

Choosing the right colors for various elements is one of the most important aspects in UI design. Factors like contrast and harmony have to be considered.

Here are three simple rules that will help you with color usage.

Rule #1: Use less colors

Too many different colors can distract the user. Limit your color platte to maximize your results.

• Stick to a primary color

• Add a secondary color only if necessary

• Stick to one gray tone.

Rule #2: Start with a minimal palette

Most small projects don’t need a full fetched design system with 10 different shades for each color.

• Define gray tones: Headings, Body, Border

• Define primary color: Brand-500 & Brand-50

• Define usability colors: Success, Warning, Error

Rule #3: Expand when necessary

Most important UI components can be designed with 4 colors. Expand your palette when necessary.

• Create shades of colors

• Shades should cover a wide range of the spectrum

• Use different shades while maintaining contrast

Example: Apply palette to components

Now, you can create most elements with your base palette. Here is an example.

• Apply gray tones to headings, paragrahs, and borders

• Apply brand colors to buttons and highlights

• Ensure contrast between your UI elements