Start with a neutral foundation. Backgrounds, surfaces, and text need dependable neutrals that work in both light and dark modes. Define steps that cover subtle distinctions—muted panels, elevated cards, disabled text—without forcing teams to invent new grays. Establish contrast thresholds up front to ensure readable combinations, then automate checks in your component library.

Next, separate semantic from brand color. Semantic colors communicate meaning: success, warning, error, info. They must read correctly even when brand themes change. Brand color expresses identity: primary accents, links, and highlights that carry the voice of the product. Treat them as layers: semantics for clarity, brand for character. Document which elements use which layer so choices remain consistent across screens.

Build scales, not single swatches. Each color needs tints and shades for states—hover, active, focus, disabled—and for different contexts like charts or banners. Tokenize these steps so they can be reused across components and adapted to different gamuts, from sRGB to Display P3. Provide guidance for overlays, translucency, and blending on photos or video.

Consider perception. Neighboring colors influence one another; small text on colored backgrounds can vibrate; red on black behaves differently than red on white. Prototype real screens and test with users in varied environments. Simulate color vision deficiencies and check contrast in both themes. Color that passes in theory can fail in glare, motion, or stress. Pair critical states with icons and copy so meaning isn’t carried by color alone.

Theming deserves special care. Provide light, dark, and high-contrast variants that share semantics but adjust luminance and saturation for comfort. Audit illustrations and icons so they adapt without losing meaning. For data visualization, reserve a distinct categorical set and build a diverging scale for values above and below a midpoint; don’t reuse UI colors that already carry interface meaning.

Process matters as much as palette. Keep a changelog of color tweaks, capture rationale, and run visual regression tests to catch unintended shifts. Invite marketing and product teams into reviews so brand aspirations and product needs meet in the middle. Color is one of the fastest ways to modernize a product—but only when it’s deliberate.