30+ impactful black and white websites

Color is one of the most significant elements of any design. It creates emotion, guides us through an interface, and reinforces a brand.

It’s rare that you find a truly black and white design, more often monochrome designs are dark gray, or off-white. But the effect is the same. Color is literally how we see the world — different light particles being absorbed, or emitted, give us a picture of our surroundings. So when color is missing, we start to see the world differently: textures and shapes become more apparent, and the world seems perceptibly slower. Black and white designs play on this alternate view of the world. When used well, a monochrome palette can be warm, reassuring, dramatic, and bold.

Mostly white design is minimal and restrained. Mostly black design is strong and assertive. Both ends of the spectrum are confident and positive.

Ironically, the biggest impact black and white designs have is on color. When the stage is entirely tonal, introducing a bright color almost sears it into our retinas. Adding a touch of color to an otherwise monochrome design is a powerful statement, as we’ll see…

Melanie Daveid

Ólafur Arnalds

Laure Boutmy

Code and Theory

Elite Model Management

Scheltens & Abbenes

Elbow

Flavien Guilbaud

B14

A-P & Co

Jeremy Pierre

Kurokawa Wonderland

4 1/2

Werkstatt

The Post Family

Tangent GC

Sandberg Instituut

Transistor Design

Praesens

Studio Blackburn

Yes

Dave Clark Design

Analytische Grafik

Cat Garcia Photography

Intropik

Holding Still

Pauline Osmont

Park Tavern

Rumba

Topsafe

Live Area

Pal Zileri

WXG

Folch

Paddi MacDonnell

Paddi MacDonnell is a designer and entrepreneur from Northern Ireland, follow her on Twitter.