Trends & insights
How do we adapt our brand colors for a dark theme?
Summary
Desaturate your brand colors and use dark greys instead of pure black to ensure readability and prevent eye strain.
Adapting your brand colors for a dark theme requires desaturating your primary palette to ensure readability and prevent visual vibration. Saturated colors that look excellent on a light background can become harsh and difficult to read when placed on dark surfaces. You should create lighter, pastel-like variations of your brand colors specifically for the dark theme. Additionally, avoid using pure black as your primary background color, as it can create too much contrast and cause eye strain. Instead, use dark greys or deep blues as the base background to create a softer, more professional appearance. Your design system should clearly document these color mappings to maintain visual consistency across all components. Testing these colors with real users and accessibility tools is essential to verify their effectiveness. By taking a systematic approach, you can preserve your brand identity while delivering a comfortable reading experience.