Complementary Color Palette
Two complementary colours sit opposite each other on the colour wheel, 180 degrees apart. This is the harmony of maximum contrast: blue and orange, red and green, purple and yellow.
Example palette
Deep blue#0F4C81
Steel blue#3E7CB1
Neutral#F2F2F2
Amber#E8A33D
Terracotta#B05C1E
Hex codes ready to copy
Why complementary contrast works
The eye reads these two hues as opposites, which creates an immediate visual vibration. That is why call-to-action buttons so often use the complement of an interface’s dominant colour: they stand out without needing to be bigger.
Getting the ratio right
The 60-30-10 rule is your friend: 60% dominant colour, 30% neutral, 10% complement reserved for accents. Used in equal amounts across large areas, two complements fight for attention and tire the eye.
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