How Important is Color Scheme?

[Melos]

How do you chose what color to make your website? 

It seems that many professional websites and forums, like this one, use blues and greys.  Granted, hot pink and chartreuse would be inappropriate and put people off. 

I like using a color wheel to come up with combinations - http://wellstyled.com/tools/colorscheme2/index-en.html

This is also a good site where people actually create color schemes and rate them - http://www.colourlovers.com/index.cfm

[OneofaKind]

Interesting posting.


There are actually whole books written about the use of colour in business.

Blue is specifically rated very highly as a business colour.

[ninikins]

I love the colour wheel link - thanks

I think colour plays a really important role. Colours can instantly set a modd for a business. blues and greys are definitely the best ofr serious business sites. For something "serious" yet "modern" I like dark greys teamed with one bright colour such as lime green or pink.

[Business Brian]

Another point to note about colours is their psychological impact on the viewer - ie, the concept of warm colours, cool colours, aggressive colours, etc.

[solar]

I think it's crucial to consider contrast. If a page is hard to read, I'm gone..
Another aspect is text size. If it's too small, again i'm gone looking for another page.

I don't want to have to WORK at reading a page or be offset by bright colors that make it uncomfortable to read.

[4silverstrea]

I agree with you 100% Brian. I think that young designers don’t get it sometimes..form should follow function and we are here to serve not just design. If a design doesn’t meet the objective business-wise, then what is the point of designing at all!? We are not in this to contemplate our navels, are we?:-)

[4silverstrea]

I read somewhere that most of the successful logos for businesses are blue which I find really interesting since blue has a calming effect on the brain. I think every artist should learn the psycholgy of color. Revising your business colors can either break or breathe life into a business.

[Melos]

That is interesting that there is actually evidence that blue is the most successful logo color for business.  I have definately noticed a trend for websites about business - hey, like this one! - to be blue.

[sweet_mayhem]

Another point to note about colours is their psychological impact on the viewer - ie, the concept of warm colours, cool colours, aggressive colours, etc.

yeah, that's certainly one of the main things business owners pay careful attention to.  the same goes in designing the physical locations of their businesses as in eating establishments and the like.