Colour Secrets Your Rental Website Designer Didn't Tell You

Imagine how boring the Internet would be without colour.  Visualize how lifeless a website would appear in black and white.  What would you think about Google’s corporate logo, for example, if the colour were removed? Would their brand have survived?  Would people have become attached to the brand in the same way if did not contain colour? Would the company have been as profitable without colour?

The answer to all of these questions is probably no.  Google’s brand without colour would have lost that personality that made them attractive. Their fun, cutting edge and innovative personality would not have shone through the screen, making it harder for us to identify their personality. 

In the case of apartment rental websites, colours play an important role in creating a personality for a landlord’s company and their rental apartments.  A warm and inviting website will create emotional appeal for the product, thus attracting renters. Since most renters are looking for a warm, safe, comfortable, well maintained environment to live in, they will be searching for a product that best suits their needs.  Using colour in the website’s design can help illustrate the desirable traits of the product, thus resulting in a more results driven website.

Let’s take a look at how red, green, yellow, orange and blue colours can impact the overall emotional impression of a renter while viewing a rental website. 

 

The Colour Red In Rental Website Design

TIP: USE RED WITH CAUTION

Red is a powerful colour.  We see red in stop signs, traffic lights, fire trucks and many other things that require our attention.  Red draws attention because it makes things appear stronger, brighter and more noticeable. 

The colour red has its place in apartment rental website design, as it can be used to attract attention to various text, images or advertising.  Many advertisements online will use red to draw users to the “click here” or “buy now” hyperlinks.

While bright red should be used with caution on a rental website, deep red can come off as warm and inviting, and when used correctly it can elicit elegance.

Bright Red: excitement, intensity, sexy
Deep Red: Comfy, elegant, warm

Did You Know…Students who were shown bright red prior to an exam had lower test scores than a control group, suggesting the bright colour has an impact on concentration.

 

Examples of Red Apartment Rental Websites:

 

 

The Colour Green In Rental Website Design

TIP: GREEN IS GREAT FOR RENTAL WEBSITES

The colour green can be seen all around us. Leaves, grass and vegetables are all green and the colour is often thought to symbolize nature, health, growth and renewal. In recent years green has also begun to symbolize a dedication to the environment, with many companies choosing to implement green initiatives into their businesses.

Green is a great colour to incorporate into any apartment rental website, as it is soothing, relaxing and calming.  It’s also easy for the eye to take in, as the retina doesn’t need to adjust itself to see it – the perfect remedy for eye strained renters looking for apartments online.

Green is also a great colour for buttons on a website, as many designers have reported that they received more clicks and visitor attention when they changed their call to action buttons to green.

Light Green: Tranquility, calmness, relaxation, revitalization
Dark Green: Reliability, dependability

Did You Know…The retina of the eye needs to adjust to see colour.  This adjustment can often cause eyestrain on a computer.  Green is a restful colour because the retina does not need to adjust to see it.

 

Examples of a Green Apartment Rental Website:

 

 

 

The Colour Yellow In Apartment Website Design

TIP: USE YELLOW WITH CAUTION

The sun, flowers, light bulbs all have one thing in common…they’re yellow.  Yellow is a bright, cheerful and warm colour.  Websites that use yellow are often ones that are trying to stimulate their audience.  When used in moderation, yellow can attract attention to objects, but if overused there can be a loss of communication.

Yellow is a colour that is very hard on the eyes.  That’s probably why most people do not stare at the sun or a light bulb for too long.  For this reason, yellow should be used moderately in rental website design.  Renters are already staring at a computer screen for a length of time and seeing a prodominantly bright yellow website may cause them eye strain, resulting in the abandonment of the website.  Landlords should use bright yellow with caution. 

Light yellow however is great for adding to the warmth of a website, perfect for showcasing apartments.

Light Yellow: Cheerful, warm
Bright Yellow: Blinding, stimulating, energetic

Did You Know…Bright yellow can cause a sense of anger and frustration in people after a prolonged period of exposure.

 

Example of a Yellow Apartment Rental Websites:

 

 

 

The Colour Orange In Apartment Website Design

TIP: ORANGE IS GREAT FOR RENTAL WEBSITES

Orange is a warm and vibrant colour that is a mix of red and yellow, so it’s no surprise that orange also demands attention. Dark orange, when used as a foreground colour, can be great at highlighting important information on a website.  This type of colour is often used for buttons or headings. 

Light orange is a great colour for rental websites, as yellow-orange can often look warm and inviting, like the flickering of a candle.  This type of colour is great for creating an overall background of a website.

Light Orange: Comfort, warmth,
Dark Orange: Enthusiasm, celebration

Did You Know…Orange can often be associated with bargain shopping or affordability.  Think of sites like Amazon.ca.  However, Home Depot has been able to use the colour effectively to stand out in the marketplace.

 

Examples of Orange Apartment Rental Websites:

 

 

The Colour Blue In Apartment Website Design

TIP: USE BLUE WITH CAUTION

Blue is all around us.  It’s the colour of the sky and of the water and most of us wear blue in our clothing (blue suits and blue jeans for instance).  The colour promotes tranquility and relaxation, so it is no wonder that men prefer it as their overall favorite colour.

Blue is a very common colour selection for website design.  Dark blue is most often used in corporate websites, as it is seen to represent confidence, dependence, trustworthiness and commitment.  Similarly, blue is a popular colour choice for rental website design. 

Blue is a colour to use with caution, as overuse of blue in a website's design can result in a website that appears cold and detached, but balancing blues with other accent colours including, green, orange, cream and white, as well as images and photography, can help the site to appear warmer and more inviting - the perfect recipie for a rental website.

Light Blue: Tranquility, calmness, serenity, relaxation
Dark Blue: dependability, seriousness, integrity, trustworthiness

Did You Know…Studies show weight-lifters are able to handle heavier weights in blue gyms.  In fact, most atheletes perform better around the colour.

 

Examples Of Blue Apartment Rental Websites: