What is the 60, 30, 10 Rule?

Color makes the world go round, but in design, color is the make it or break it factor.

If you thought coloring within the lines is hard, try making your own color palette. It may seem like a chaotic idea, having to balance out colors and make it seem like it works, but what if we tell you there is a way to make sense of this chaos.

From interior design to the colors of your house, and even web design, the 60, 30, 10 rule can help you create a palette that catches the eye and makes the colors of your space, and website visually appealing.

The Basics

The 60-30-10 rule is a simple way to help you create a visually appealing and balanced palette. The breakdown goes like this:

60% of your palette should be dominated by the “dominant color”-the main color in your color scheme. This dominant color is the one that you want to make the biggest visual impact on your space.

30% of your palette should be comprised of the secondary color or “supporting” color in your color scheme. Supporting colors don’t have to be as bold, but they should work well with the dominant 60% of the palette. Choose one that complements without being too flashy.

10% of your color palette should be comprised of accents-things like throw pillows, picture frames, and decorative objects that have tiny splashes of accent colors in them (usually these accent colors are totally different from the other two). Accent colors are often bright and daring, but they are most effective when used sparingly-think pops rather than dabs; otherwise, they can become overwhelming or overstimulating!

The Sixty

It is simple: 60 percent of a canvas should be dominated by the dominant color while 30 percent is secondary, and 10 percent is accent or pattern. And yes, this also applies to a website.

This rule will help you determine how much to use for each hue in your scheme. It creates a balanced look that uses enough pops of secondary colors without clashing with each other and the dominant hue.

What does “dominant color” mean? The dominant color refers to the main wall color and flooring. When used at 60 percent in your palette, it will appear most often in the largest items in your space, but also as an accent on smaller items or details.

And what does “main color” mean? Typically, this will be the pale neutral counterpart on your walls: cream, white or beige tones that are slightly warm or cool depending on your preferences and existing lighting situation (cooler whites are better for fluorescent light).

A good trick here is to let existing architecture or the visual limitations like screen size dictate what you choose-if you have molding, it’ll already have its own finish which works as its own main color, so choose a shade for walls that complements it well.

The Thirty

Your supporting color should be a secondary color in your color scheme. This is the area where you can pull out your creative flair, choosing a color that will have a contrasting effect, add balance, or create visual interest.

For example, if you have an all-neutral space and want to add some colorful accents, look for one to two hues that are analogous colors (i.e., they appear next to each other on the color wheel). You’ll find that analogous colors are generally very compatible and are found in nature together. For example, think of the orange reds of autumn leaves and how they complement their green surroundings-and each other as well.

Incorporating analogous colors into your decor creates a harmonious effect because it adds variety but keeps everything within the same tonal range.

The Ten

The last color in your palette is the accent or “pop” color. This color should only be used for buttons and other small elements because it draws attention to them, making them stand out from the rest of the site. Other items that can be colored with this shade include links, banners, icons, lists, and other smaller objects. The best way to use this shade is on text or call-to-action buttons such as Sign Up or Play Now.

You could also highlight important parts of your web page with it too (like a banner). Or you can add colored borders to really draw people’s eyes to content that you want their full attention on.

Additionally, if you are using a light background then use darker shades within this range to create contrast against those lighter elements; likewise, if using darker backgrounds make sure not to go any darker than those so they don’t seem too harsh or make reading difficult!

How the 60, 30, 10 apply in web design

How do the 60, 30, 10 design rules apply in web design? They can be applied to the color palette you choose:

60% of your background

30% of your text

10% of your accents

“Accents” can include things like buttons on a website or links. The rule is a great starting point for someone designing their own website. It guides them as they’re choosing colors and helps eliminate any harsh contrasts between colors that might be hard on the eyes.

A color is a great tool for companies to convey their brand to the public and increase their reach!

Most marketing or online store websites utilize palettes to convey emotions or even elicit a response from their visitors.

A great tip for web designers is to use basic color associations to be able to convey messages or emotions that will be relayed to their visitors.

The 60, 30, 10 rule is a fantastic way to start organizing your color palette. When looking at examples of this rule in practice, it becomes clear how useful and necessary it can be.

In addition to using this rule in your design’s colors, try applying it to its textures as well! This will make your design even more interesting and dynamic when used correctly!