What color( composition)s qualify good UX for a wiki, or any similar informative site?

Question

I have a wiki site I use for gathering and sharing knowledge and information. It has a completely built-up and detailed theme that is very similar to the design of the original Wikipedia (it's called Flannel Ocean if anyone knows it) - the choice of my decision was its well-known shape that provides transparency and doesn't alienate users.

Though, all those white and very mild pale colors feel very featureless and blank for me. I desire to grab attention, to make the site much more appealing by new color choices.

What should I consider during the selection of colors? Do general tips I've got in other art fields (e.g. be very careful with using colors of high saturation, etc.) apply here?

Answer 1

First of all use the color wheel of course. Subsection colors using a regular shape ie a shape with equal sides (equilateral), be it 3, 4, 5 etc.

Next consider what you're trying to convey, and to whom. Different colors have different meanings in different cultures as well, but generally speaking any color that saturates the screen in a section creates a craving for it's complimentary in the eyes of users. The more they watch that section the more they'll crave it. So using complimentary colors on top of each other for reading sections is wise eg. a cream background and a dark gray for text.

Also consider the aftertaste you want to leave users. It's important to make the theme comfortable. So don't use something people aren't comfortable using over and over eg. A dark dingy website with closed views isn't something inviting for people to read on.

Answer 2

Just a different approach... A) Typography has also been effective to generate fun and visual variation in any composition.
B) White space : Leaving extra breathable rooms for separations of content, also creates stunning effects C) Color: Try monochromatic color schemes, but restrict yourself to 3 colors preferably...

I hope this is inspiring