Selecting the right website colours and fonts is one of the first steps to building a site that feels welcoming, easy to use, and memorable.
Your choices create the first impression for every visitor, influencing everything from how trustworthy your site feels to whether someone enjoys the browsing experience. When you pick cohesive website colours and thoughtfully paired fonts, you help your audience focus on your message rather than feeling lost or distracted.
A cohesive colour scheme and font set help your site look organised and professional. Consistent branding can increase revenue because it builds repeat recognition and trust. Start by picking two or three main colours. These are your “brand colours.”
Think of them as your website’s signature. If you’re not sure how to begin, tools like Adobe Colour or Coolors help you choose colours that work well together.
Typography is just as foundational. Limit your site’s fonts to two or three.
Typically, pick one font for headlines and another for body text. This prevents the visual clutter that occurs when too many competing fonts crowd the page. At Tresseo, we always suggest testing your chosen fonts in various sizes and page layouts to keep your design accessible and visually balanced.
About one in 12 men and one in 200 women experience colour blindness.
That means your choices need to serve people who see colours differently. High-contrast text and backgrounds help everyone read comfortably.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) recommend a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for regular text (W3C). For example, black or dark blue text on a white background works well; avoid placing light grey text over pastel backgrounds, as this makes it difficult to read.
Font choice impacts accessibility, too. Sans-serif fonts like Arial and Verdana are easier to read online compared to ornate or cursive styles. Keep text size at least 16 pixels for body content. Templates provided by popular web hosting platforms, such as WordPress and Shopify, often include accessible defaults—use these as a starting point.
In addition, consider how colour and type choices appear across different devices. Responsive web design ensures your website adapts fonts and colours to screens of all sizes—phones, tablets, and desktops.
It might be tempting to pick current colour trends or use fancy fonts to make your site stand out. However, continually chasing trends can leave your website looking dated as styles change. A visually cluttered site with too many colours or type styles can overwhelm visitors and drive them away.
Don’t use clashing or low-contrast colour combinations, such as bright yellow text on a white background. Not only does this strain the eyes, but it can also cause frustration. Tresseo recommends creating a small “style guide,” documenting your website colours and fonts for future reference, which helps prevent accidental mismatches as your site grows.
Readable content is the heart of user experience. Don’t use all uppercase letters for sentences or paragraphs—this makes scanning information difficult. Studies have shown that readers recognize lowercase letter shapes more quickly than all caps.
Hierarchy is another aspect to consider. Headings, subheadings, and body text should be both visually and structurally distinct. Use larger, bolder fonts for headings, and lighter weights for body text. This is similar to using street signs and house numbers—when they look clearly different, it’s easier for visitors to know where to look.
Finally, avoid tiny font sizes or compressed line spacing. Give text room to breathe by using appropriate spacing between lines and generous margins around each content block.
Key Takeaways
Thoughtful choices of website colours and fonts set the stage for a pleasant, easy-to-navigate experience. By sticking to a consistent palette, focusing on accessibility, and resisting the urge to overload your design with trendy or clashing elements, you invite users to stay and engage.
Just as a well-organised home invites guests to feel comfortable, a consistent and readable website helps visitors spend more time absorbing your content. Start simple and build on a steady foundation; your future visitors will thank you.
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