Color is where well-meaning sites go to look amateur — usually because there are too many of them, used without a rule. A system fixes that faster than taste does.
Start with three roles, not three colors
- Surface — your background and cards. Keep it calm.
- Ink — text and lines. Near-black reads better than pure black.
- Accent — exactly one color for actions and emphasis.
The 60-30-10 rule still works
Roughly 60% surface, 30% secondary neutral, 10% accent. Reserve the accent for things you want clicked. The moment it's everywhere, it stops meaning anything.
Borrow contrast, don't guess it
Aim for at least 4.5:1 contrast between text and its background. It's an accessibility floor and, conveniently, it also just looks more legible.
One confident accent beats a rainbow of timid ones.
