I majored in 2 things in college: computer science and fine art. Being an art major tore me apart- it was only when I had taken my design capabilities to the limit that I achieved anything at all; and in my studies, I was forced (kicking and screaming) to study color theory. Little did i know how crucial this knowledge would be to me now- it’s a cornerstone to design. I’m bursting with design now- which I rarely have time to explore- and it’s based in the colors in my head, expanding every day through my naturual environment. Crazy old Mike you say? Spend a little time with me and the idea of color.

The World Wide Web is awash with sterile design solutions. Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Dell, Microsoft, and countless others are virtually indistinguishable from each other (similar layout, similar color scheme). Though one might say that this uniformity makes web browsing easier by virtue of a standardized interface, the reality is such sites create mundane experiences for their users and fail to make a positive connection with their audience.

One easily remedied cause of such drab design is color. Perhaps no other design element has as much influence on how we feel in a space (a website, a home, etc.) as color. Colors can instantaneously change our moods and alter our opinions. They can make us comfortable, put us in a state of awe, or get us excited. In the case of interface design, color combinations found in nature are especially useful. From complex web applications to informative “brochure-ware” sites, naturally occurring color combinations have the potential to distinguish (by helping create a more memorable website), guide (by allowing users to focus on interactions), engage (by making page layouts comfortable and more inviting), and inspire (by offering new ideas for color selection).

My PR guy needs content doing this, my CEO needs the font doing that, my team wants to know where that code is; and yet I’m staring out the window of my mind. I see design elements like a Ray Charles song painted on a CSS palette. Thank god I have a blog to ramble on late at night. I’ll spare you the intellectual prison of a developer with too many ideas and not nearly enough lifetimes, and skip right to the bold words now…

Distinguish

As we go through our lives, we quickly forget about events that are routine and mundane. We tend to save our memories for unique experiences or events with which we had an emotional attachment. It’s no different as we go through the web. When all websites look the same, it’s quite easy to drop them into the “been there, seen that” bin. And once you consider how fast we move through websites, it’s probably even easier.

Therefore, any opportunities websites have to be distinct shouldn’t be squandered. If your site stands out, chances are web users might give it more time or thought when they arrive. They might even remember it and come back. There’s probably no better opportunity to make a favorable impression than with color. People have an immediate response to color: they get excited, they get happy, or they get bored.

A unique palette based on colors found in nature can get you out of the World Wide Web color rut and help create a more memorable website. The soft colors are subtle enough to work as background, yet distinct enough to separate information areas of the site.

But before you go applying “prairie tones” to your design, remember your color selections need to be appropriate for your audience. Because color communicates so effectively, it’s important to make sure that it says the right thing.

Guide

Colors found in nature are often less saturated and more pleasing to the eye than their artificial counterparts. As a result, they allow users to focus on interactions, and not be distracted by overly bright hues. When you attempt to focus on the information in a layout with very saturated hues, your eye consistently returns to the bright colors. In contrast, blues and yellows create a balance that allows the images, navigation, and content to come forward. (This is especially useful for pages that have lots of content.) The strongest visual elements are the most useful ones: navigation menus and featured content, not background colors. Perhaps this occurs because of our familiarity with nature’s color combinations. We are used to backdrops composed of blues, yellows, and grays because we see them every day.

This phenomenon becomes especially important in web-based applications where users can interact with an online service for hours or days at a time. Having a palette that does not fight for a user’s attention allows them to focus on their work and on important information. Of course, color isn’t all you need to create a great web experience; structure, interaction, layout, and more need to work together to create usable and useful websites and applications- or so the PR guy who usually wants to kill me says. But color is an important part of the equation and shouldn’t be ignored.

Engage

Color combinations found in nature are especially useful for addressing another design consideration: emotional response. Usability is vital for easily getting users from Point A to Point B, but it takes personality to create enjoyable experiences that people want to repeat and share.

Consider a palette that is bleak and intimidating vs. a naturally occurring color palette that is more approachable because of its warmer, more inviting colors. For the clericals who must repeatedly use this online program, a less intimidating interface can engage them and provide a more comfortable setting within which they can work.

Inspire

Color combinations found in nature also provide a wealth of inspiration. The diversity of the natural world continually offers new ideas and approaches to color selection. For instance, the colors used to encourage tourism in the city of Dublin are not the orange, green, and white of the Irish flag you might expect. Instead, they come from a naturally occurring color combination on the Irish coast. This combination is both lively and attractive, making Dublin seem fun and expansive. It’s a shame this color scheme was not carried through to the Dublin website, which is much less vibrant and engaging. Aye, I’m just that damn Irish.

All that said, naturally occurring color combinations are not a silver bullet. Sometimes, you might want to inspire “shock and awe” in your audience. In which case, colors that never occur together in nature (and therefore seem uncomfortable) could be your best bet. Other times, your favorite shade of corporate blue could be just what your audience is looking for. But when it comes to extended or complex interactions and unique ideas, color combinations found in nature are a valuable weapon to have in your arsenal.

Filed under: Design, Web Development