Just changed my mind about using a pure black background for a website

I was designing a site for a local bakery and had to choose between a pure black (#000000) background or a very dark charcoal (#121212). I picked the pure black because I thought it would look more modern and high-contrast. After building the first version, the text felt way too harsh and the colors on the product photos looked flat and weird. I switched to the charcoal background last Tuesday and the whole design softened up. The browns and golds in the food photos now look warm and inviting instead of jarring. Has anyone else found that true black makes colors fight instead of work together?

2 comments

2 Comments

webb.stella1d ago

Switched my own portfolio to charcoal last month and it finally stopped looking like a void.

river_wright18h ago

Wait, I actually have the opposite problem. I find charcoal backgrounds can make a site feel muddy, like it's trying too hard to be soft. Pure black gives me a crisp canvas that makes my accent colors pop exactly how I want them to. Maybe it depends on the screen you're using? On my good monitor, the deep black makes everything else look super sharp and clean.