The 60-30-10 Color Rule for Balanced Design

Color can make or break a website, or any design, really.

On the web, your palette sets the tone for how visitors experience your brand.

Too much of one hue and a page can feel flat or monotonous, while too many competing colors create visual noise that drives people away.

The 60-30-10 color rule offers a simple framework to create balance in your site’s design, helping you guide user focus and maintain consistency across pages without overthinking every choice.

How to Balance Your Color Palette

Here’s the breakdown:

• 60% Base Color: Your neutral or brand foundation. It sets the overall tone and keeps the design grounded.

• 30% Secondary Color: Adds personality and depth without competing with the base.

• 10% Accent Color: The “pop” that draws attention to key elements like CTAs.

Why it works: It creates hierarchy and contrast naturally, guiding the eye without making users work to process the layout, while also giving enough space to still have visual interest.

How to apply it:

• Use your strongest, most saturated brand color as the 10% to highlight buttons or critical CTAs.

• Make sure the base and secondary colors complement each other and don’t clash with the accent.

• Check contrast ratios to ensure accessibility, especially between text and background colors.

This isn't a hard and fast rule, and it's more than ok to break from this when you want to make an impact or create a specific vibe. Use it more as a base framework.

Why This Matters

Balanced color use doesn’t just make your site look good—it improves usability and experience. It can also just make your brand aesthetic feel more cohesive and thoughtful, giving you a more premium look.

• Guides User Focus: Accent colors highlight the most important actions.

• Builds Brand Cohesion: A consistent palette creates trust and recognition.

• Boosts Accessibility: Proper contrast ensures your content is easy to read for everyone.