The Role of Color in Modern Interfaces

Studies have found that since 2020, the use of color in interface design has generally decreased.

It was such a gradual change that we didn’t even notice.

Landing pages with a solid color background give me a mix of claustrophobia and the urge to run away... but I know that’s personal, because it also happens with huge footers.

To show that I actually investigate, I looked at the landing pages of brands we usually associate with vibrant colors: Lego, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola.

There were no saturated colors, the typography was very dark, lots of white and gray backgrounds, and the color mostly came from images.

But you know what? All of them, with some exceptions for dynamic elements, meet accessibility standards.

Digital Accessibility: The 20% You're Ignoring (and It Could Cost You Big)

Companies in more traditional sectors, with less branding or service-oriented, go for more conservative colors and pastel tones.

There’s also been an increase in using black backgrounds, especially in cutting-edge tech and consulting services.

In application interfaces, color is no longer the center of attention; it’s used to accentuate interface elements.

The result: soft, neutral, or monochromatic palettes are preferred.