Web Design Colors You Should Avoid like the Plague
Color is one of the most powerful elements in web design. The right palette can make your website feel professional, modern, and trustworthy. The wrong one? It can frustrate users, make your content unreadable, and even drive visitors away. While experimenting with color is part of the creative process, some combinations are universally considered poor choices in web design. Let’s break down the worst offenders and why you should avoid them.
1. Red and Green
While red and green are complementary on the color wheel, they create tension when placed side by side on screens. The two hues often clash, making text and graphics difficult to read. Additionally, this combination poses accessibility challenges: people with red-green color blindness (the most common type) may struggle to distinguish between them.
Better alternative: Use one as an accent and pair it with a neutral like white, gray, or black.
2. Bright Yellow and White
Yellow is a high-energy color, but when paired with white, it loses visibility. White text on a yellow background (or vice versa) strains the eyes and can make important elements, like calls to action, disappear.
Better alternative: Pair yellow with darker contrasting colors such as navy, charcoal, or black to make it pop.
3. Blue and Red
Blue and red may seem bold, but on a screen they compete for attention. Together, they often create a vibrating effect that makes text appear blurry and difficult to focus on. This is especially problematic for body copy or small text.
Better alternative: Use blue with a softer accent color like gray or muted orange.
4. Neon Colors on Black
While neon pink, green, and yellow on a black background might remind you of retro arcade games, in web design it can look overwhelming and dated. Neon shades also cause eye strain when displayed on bright screens for long periods.
Better alternative: If you want a vibrant look, use neon sparingly as an accent color on buttons or icons, not as a main background.
5. Purple and Yellow
Purple and yellow are another set of complementary colors that sound good in theory but clash in practice. Both are strong colors that compete with one another, often creating a distracting and chaotic visual experience.
Better alternative: Choose one as the dominant color and use the other sparingly, or pair purple with soft grays and creams for elegance.
6. Brown and Black
Brown and black are both dark and heavy colors. When paired together, they can make a website feel muddy, dated, and lacking contrast. This combination also reduces readability and doesn’t provide enough visual separation between elements.
Better alternative: Pair brown with light neutrals (beige, tan, or off-white) or use black with crisp whites for a clean look.
7. Light Gray and White
Minimalism is a trend in web design, but light gray text on a white background is a mistake many designers make. This pairing sacrifices readability and accessibility, especially for users with vision impairments.
Better alternative: Use darker shades of gray (like charcoal) on white for a sleek yet legible design.
Why Bad Color Choices Hurt More Than Style
- Accessibility: Poor color contrast makes your site unusable for visitors with visual impairments.
- User Experience: If text isn’t readable, people won’t stay long.
- Professionalism: Distracting or outdated colors can make your brand look untrustworthy.
Color is more than just aesthetics—it’s a key part of user experience.
By avoiding these problematic combinations—like red and green, yellow and white, or neon on black—you ensure your website is visually appealing, accessible, and easy to use. Remember: the best designs aren’t about using the loudest colors; they’re about balance, contrast, and clarity.
If you’re planning your website’s color palette, test combinations on different devices, check contrast ratios, and always put readability first.
Contact Thrive Web Designs™ for a quote on a new professionally designed website!