2016 Design Color Trends

As a web designer, one of the things I always look forward to is Pantone’s Color of the Year reveal. But to the surprise of many (myself included) Pantone actually picked TWO colors of the year for the first time. Those colors, Rose Quartz, a soft pink, and Serenity, a soft blue, are being put side by side to create this year’s primary color combo.

 

 

As usual with the winning color (or colors), you can expect to see Rose Quartz and Serenity being used frequently in the months ahead. To explain the groundbreaking decision to include two colors,The Pantone Color Institute cited picking up hints that more consumers are seeking mindfulness and well-being as an antidote to the stresses they encounter on a daily basis. In response, the combination of these two colors work together to instill a sense of peace.

 

 

But Rose Quartz and Serenity won’t be the only colors we can expect to see trending this year. New York Fashion Week also gave us a great glimpse into the colors we can expect to see shoot in popularity among the consumer market this spring and fall. Overall, the color palette for Spring 2016 will be gender neutral and considerably calm.

 

 

With only a few punches of bright color, that feeling of peace continues throughout most of the palette this year. You instantly get the sense that this color palette was inspired by nature, so it will play well on sites that are trying to achieve a more organic feel. As spring and summer transitions into fall, the colors will become a bit richer and bolder, and the colors we can expect to see this fall are a bit more playful than we have seen in years past.

 

 

So, now that we know what colors we can expect to see everywhere, how will they be used in websites?

 

Providing Vivid Contrast

Many companies are opting for very simple and clean layouts for their websites. Using the bolder colors from this year’s palette to highlight more important pieces of information will create a contrast that draws the user’s eyes directly to where you want them to look.

 

Color Blocking

Flat design continues to be a trend in the digital world. Using blocks of different colors can help to separate elements on the page while providing a contrast that makes the designs more visually pleasing.

 

Creating Monochromatic Sites

This year’s colors all establish very specific feelings. If you’re trying to create a specific feeling with your website design, take advantage of using that color and create a bold monochromatic design!

 

Making Connections

You can visually establish connections between different areas of content by highlighting them with the same colors. This is an easy way to guide a site visitor through your site.

 

Although these are only a few tips, there are many ways you could use this year’s color scheme to enhance your web design! Remember that those visiting your site are being provided an experience, and color does a lot to contribute to that. Do you plan on using any of this year’s colors on your website? How are you currently using color on your website? Make this year your year for color!