Tips for Creating the Perfect Dark Website Design

PRESS RELEASE
Published March 25, 2024

Bright colors can be interesting and appealing, but they can also be tiresome, particularly in low light. Even though bright colors are frequently used first, a website with a lot of them can be difficult to read. Dark website designs are beginning to supplant brighter-colored websites among web designers. In general, dark website design is considered more sophisticated and inviting.

Clients are increasingly choosing dark-colored website designs, according to various web designers. When determining the colors to employ for your website's design, keep in mind that not all situations require a darker look. When building a dark website, it is easy to fall into a design rut, which is becoming more popular. If not used correctly, the darker colors might drastically degrade the website's usability. Nonetheless, if you follow the best practices and core design concepts outlined below, a dark website design can be effective.

Right Color Palette:

Pure colors contain no gray when they are mixed. A few examples include white and black. They are a temptation while building dark themes since designers may believe that a dark theme is simply a black backdrop with white text. However, too much contrast between the information and the background can be an eyesore.

It is recommended that you use dark gray instead of black and light gray instead of white. You can have as many shades of gray as you want. If you want to stick to your brand's identity, make the grays simil noar to the primary hue of your brand.


Use High-Quality Imagery:

In the web development process, high-quality images can improve the visual attractiveness of a dark website design. Whether it's eye-catching images, illustrations, or graphics, professionally chosen visuals may provide a captivating visual experience for visitors. Consider using photos with strong colors or subtle gradients to stand out against the black background and give visual interest to the design.


Selection of Fonts:

When it comes to dark UI, text may make or break the user experience. We should consider how to optimize (or even hide in plain sight) your text. The best way is to use opacity. Pure white fonts, on the other hand, may be unsuitable for a black or dark gray backdrop. First and foremost, pure white lettering against a dark background appears fuzzy or distorted on most devices. This phenomenon occurs as a result of an optical illusion in which the screen's white light attempts to fill the dark region. When selecting fonts, try to use dull white and light gray tones. Google recommends 38%, 60%, and 87% light gray opacity for disabled, medium-emphasis, and high-emphasis texts, respectively.


Ensure the Readability of Text:

One of the most difficult components of creating a dark website is making the content legible. Because your website aims to transmit information, ideas, or messages to users, text is a crucial component. Before you choose a dark website design, think about how you will show all of your text. Text on dark websites must avoid eye strain, which is a concern on many dark websites. Eye strain will drive users away from your website, making the gloomy design a problem rather than an assistance. Priorities first. Make sure the text's color stands out against a dark background. Yellow might be difficult to notice, whereas white or off-white can be extremely effective. Avoid layering dark hues on top of darker ones. Making the gap between paragraphs and the font sizes larger are two other ways to increase reading on a dark background. Too-closely spaced text blends in more on a dark backdrop than on a light background. Kerning and leading can also be useful in dealing with these challenges.


Use Brand Colors Wisely:

You don't have to use the same colors in dark mode to maintain brand identification. If necessary, adjust your colors to complement the dark theme. However, no severe resources are required, such as color inversion. It is best to employ the intense primary color on one or two items, such as a button or logo. Use the same primary color, but desaturated, across the interface.


Dark Website Design:

Dark website design exudes elegance more than bright websites. The dark website is perfect for artistic undertakings. Dark websites include less content and more innovative designs. Furthermore, the dark website demands white space, allowing the designer to be creative with the space. Space is used to balance out items and express a minimalist aesthetic. Because of the other textures, the white area is not visible, which improves the design. The gloomy design incorporates lighting effects that appear innovative. A design that adds style and sophistication, along with a dark background, is ideal for any project.

Embrace Minimalism:

Minimalism is essential for producing a sleek and elegant dark website design. Avoid cluttering the layout with unnecessary components or distractions, and instead prioritize clean lines, plenty of white space, and easy, clear navigation. Minimalist design improves not just the overall aesthetics, but also the usability and user experience.


Avoid Using Shadows:

The primary function of shadows in UI is to produce a little elevation effect, allowing us to readily distinguish between where the content is and what the backdrop is. In a light theme, everything goes smoothly since a white background and a black shadow complement each other perfectly. But what about with a dark theme? A black background and a black shadow will have little contrast, and you will likely think of the following two things. Unfortunately, they are rarely beneficial.

  • Do not make the shadow more intense than the background. Because the background is a dark gray and the shadow is pure black, it is easy to fall into the trap of stating, "Of course, that shadow is visible". However, unless someone makes an effort and has good eyesight, your shadow will not be noticed. Or at least not for the intended use.
  • Do not make the shadow lighter than the item. This results in an unusual UI. When have you ever witnessed someone cast light rather than a shadow? Yes, it offers some contrast, but it does not accomplish its objective.

Style Modification:

Many text-heavy websites and apps now allow you to adjust the color palette from light to dark, known as "night mode". Individuals have different favorite reading modes. However, lighting and mood often impact the choice. Although it will take more effort on your part as a designer, giving customers the option of switching between light and dark color palettes is a feature they will truly appreciate. Ensure that both versions work and that all text is readable.


Communicate Depth:

A dark design does not have to imply the use of a flat layout. We also need to help consumers understand the interface's visual structure. If shadows in dark settings are not the best option for our design, what should we do? We rely on various significant resources:


  • Use negative space to your advantage. Less is more! Because dark tones are less tiring on the eye but cause your end users to seek out bright objects, they necessitate visual resting areas, layout simplicity, and scalability. If your design appears busy in dark mode, now is an excellent time (like any other) to simplify it for both modes.
  • Use contrast and lighting wisely. Consider the background first: instead of a simple background, you can progress through a decaying landscape to lighter or richer shades of gray that bring attention to or where you want it. Furthermore, the contrast between the items will help you convey visual depth without using shadows.

Test Solution With End-Users:

The difficulty designers have with the dark mode is the inability to determine what users will see, given the diverse light circumstances and values of each potential user. This makes it impossible to predict whether they will enjoy the dark theme and how they will react. If you are not convinced, consider these additional reasons to conduct end-user testing:

  • It helps to justify a design decision.
  • It decreases the danger of product failure.
  • It helps to determine whether the product fits the user's expectations.
  • Matches business decisions with real-world applications.
  • Eliminates product flaws.
  • Allows you to see how successful users are in achieving their goals.
  • It is useful for gathering customer feedback and comments about the product.
  • It helps to understand consumers' behaviors rather than their attitudes.

Conclusion:

Creating the ideal dark website design necessitates meticulous attention to detail and an emphasis on both aesthetics and usefulness. By following these guidelines, website designers at hashlogics can create visually appealing and user-friendly dark themes that attract people and improve their surfing experience. From choosing the proper color palette and font to embracing minimalism and optimizing for accessibility, every element contributes to the design's overall success. With creativity, experimentation, and a focus on user needs, you can build a dark website design that stands out and leaves an impression on visitors.


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