Web site design for Estate Agents - Colour Theory

Web designers at Resource Techniques explaining some basics on Colour Theory. Colour theory is a diverse and complicated subject, only through studying colour can people know why exactly some colours go together and why some colours look hideous.

Colour Wheel

Firstly let's look at the Colour Wheel. As many Estate Agents will remember from their school days, the colour wheel was original designed by Isaac Newton and has continually been developed and scrutinised.

In colour theory, there are 3 primary colours and 3 possible sets of primary colours. One possibility is Red, Blue, Yellow, another is Red, Blue, Green and the last possible set is Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow. Traditionally Cyan, Magenta and Yellow (and Black) are used in printing whereas Red, Blue and Green are used my most electronic devices such as TV and film. Even your computer monitor uses the primary colours of Red, Green and Blue.

If you were to mix one of the three primary colours with another primary colour in the same colour wheel, you would get a secondary colour and then mixing a primary and secondary colour would then create a tertiary colour. Using this system your computer monitor is able to create the whole spectrum of colours.

Colour meanings

Each culture has applied different meanings to various colours. Below are the colours and their meanings or possible emotive response in the western world:

• Red - Passion, love or anger. Red is used to stand out from the crowd which means that it is great at drawing attention. The Colin Bibra website uses red to draw the user's attention to property search, which is exactly what the web designers and Estate Agents want!
• Orange - Happiness, Hope, Vitality. Orange is an unusual colour to use in website design but works perfectly in the Robert Williams website animation.
• Green - Nature and the environment. Green is mean to be peaceful and associated with the world outside. The Penyards website and the Belgarum website uses green fantastically.
• Blue - Calm, trust and water. Blue is great for creating a calm and professional feel to the website. Dart and Partners and West Coast Properties are a great example of this.
• Grey - Grey is a neutral colour that is used to highlight or make other colours stand out. Julian Reid website is a fantastic example of this, the green plants and blue logo and property really catch the eye.
• Purple - Creativity, Royalty and Wealth. Purple is an unusual colour for an Estate Agent website design but the indication of wealth and luxury means that it is perfect for Hirch Way & Ambler website and the Paul Twyneham & Co website.
• Black - Elegance and sophistication. Black is used well in the Rendells website and the Mayfair website.
• White - Purity, Cleanliness, virtue. White is a great colour to outline and make other colours standout such as in the Chinneckshaw website and the Anne James website.

Troy Stanley, CTO of Resource Techniques comments on colour for Estate Agent website design, 'These are only a few of the basics of colour. Our web design team for Estate Agents has a better eye, knowledge and experience than anyone I've met.