Welcome to Accessible Colour Schemes

Choosing a colour scheme for a website can be a challenge, but what about choosing an accessible colour scheme? By this we mean a colour scheme that provides sufficient contrast between the foreground and background colours to ensure that the text is legible. The aim of this website is to suggest some colour combinations that meet accessibility guidelines and demonstrate that website colour schemes don't have to be boring to make them accessible.

Recently added colour schemes

31st August 2008

A juicy apple

Colour block: #2f0000
#2f0000
Colour block: #a81400
#a81400
Colour block: #f48222
#f48222
Colour block: #ffe69e
#ffe69e
Colour block: #fff1eb
#fff1eb

Enough of our photos of Cornwall for a moment. This week I’ve chosen a photo of an apple from stock.xchng which has lovely rich reds, oranges and yellows.

Lovely juicy apple

Here are the accessible combinations:

1. #2f0000 and #f48222 Example 1.1 Example 1.2
2. #2f0000 and #ffe69e Example 2.1 Example 2.2
3. #2f0000 and #fff1eb Example 3.1 Example 3.2
4. #a81400 and #ffe69e Example 4.1 Example 4.2
5. #a81400 and #fff1eb Example 5.1 Example 5.2

25th August 2008

Tregeseal stone circle

Colour block: #2f445a
#2f445a
Colour block: #f6f6f6
#f6f6f6
Colour block: #414520
#414520
Colour block: #938268
#938268
Colour block: #f2ecb8
#f2ecb8

This week’s photo is of Tregeseal Stone Circle. It was a beautful sunny day in June when we walked over there.

Tregeseal Stone Circle

Here are the accessible combinations:

1. #2f445a and #f6f6f6 Example 1.1 Example 1.2
2. #2f445a and #f2ecb8 Example 2.1 Example 2.2
3. #414520 and #f6f6f6 Example 3.1 Example 3.2
4. #414520 and #f2ecb8 Example 4.1 Example 4.2

12th August 2008

Sky and cloud

Colour block: #0c0c0c
#0c0c0c
Colour block: #364150
#364150
Colour block: #919da9
#919da9
Colour block: #d4d5d4
#d4d5d4
Colour block: #ffffff
#ffffff

Carrying on with using photos for inspiration, this week’s photo is of blue sky with a fluffy white cloud.

Sky and cloud

Here are the results, cool blues and greys:

1. #0c0c0c and #ffffff Example 1.1 Example 1.2
2. #0c0c0c and #d4d5d4 Example 2.1 Example 2.2
3. #0c0c0c and #919da9 Example 3.1 Example 3.2
4. #364150 and #ffffff Example 4.1 Example 4.2
5. #364150 and #d4d5d4 Example 5.1 Example 5.2

3rd August 2008

Courgette plant

Colour block: #505016
#505016
Colour block: #e6c770
#e6c770
Colour block: #d4d19e
#d4d19e
Colour block: #3e4e05
#3e4e05
Colour block: #ffffff
#ffffff

This week’s inspiration comes from a photo of a courgette plant. This was a plant we grew in our porch last year and I must say it did much better than this year’s effort.

Courgette plant

Again, I droppered some colours from the photo and tweaked them to get some good contrast for accessibility:

1. #505016 and #e6c770 Example 1.1 Example 1.2
2. #505016 and #d4d19e Example 2.1 Example 2.2
3. #505016 and #ffffff Example 3.1 Example 3.2
4. #3e4e05 and #e6c770 Example 4.1 Example 4.2
5. #3e4e05 and #d4d19e Example 5.1 Example 5.2
6. #3e4e05 and #ffffff Example 6.1 Example 6.2

27th July 2008

Cornish granite

I was shocked to find that it’s been over a year since I’ve added to this site. How rubbish of me. Definitely time for another colour scheme!

Colour block: #48484a
#48484a
Colour block: #c6cece
#c6cece
Colour block: #ffffff
#ffffff
Colour block: #a0af7f
#a0af7f
Colour block: #263f2c
#263f2c

These colours were inspired by a photo that we took whilst on a walk by the sea near where we live. It’s some exposed granite on the cliffs at Cot Valley.

Exposed granite on the cliffs at Cot Valley, West Cornwall

I droppered some colours from the photo and then tweaked them to get some good contrast for accessibility:

1. #48484a and #c6cece Example 1.1 Example 1.2
2. #48484a and #ffffff Example 2.1 Example 2.2
3. #263f2c and #a0af7f Example 3.1 Example 3.2
4. #263f2c and #ffffff Example 4.1 Example 4.2