Most of the Web sites online have white backgrounds. There are good reasons why this is the case, but it can also be argued that there are times when using a darker background could be a good option.
What it really comes down to when you’re considering what kind of background to use is who your potential readers are and what the Web site is going to be used for. If you want a stylish Web site that doesn’t require a lot of text, and can be improved by highlighting a few specific things on the page, a darker background might work. A photo-heavy Web site or one that logically deserves a darker looking theme are times when a dark background are fine. Just because a lot of Web sites use white backgrounds doesn’t mean they all need to.
If you decide that a darker background is for you, then there are a few things to keep in mind:
If the Web site might be looked at by people at work, you may want to consider a white background instead. If someone is trying to look at your Web site when they shouldn’t be, a darker background is more likely to grab the attention of those who the reader may not want looking over their shoulder. For these time wasters at work, a site with a white background may be one they are more likely to stay on and check out. Also, keep in mind that the majority of people prefer a white background on sites regardless of where they are.
If your demographic isn’t time wasters at work and you want to make a dark background, then make sure to leave a lot of empty space around the content. A darker Web site is more likely to look clustered if there are too many things on the page, so make sure everything is surrounded with a border of the darkness. This empty space even applies to the text on the site. Use text that is more spaced out and a larger font size if it doesn’t make everything look bad.
Also, if you’re thinking doing a solid black background, you may want to reconsider. Using a darker background doesn’t necessarily mean using a black one. A black background causes too much a of contrast and can strain the reader’s eyes. Instead of using the black background, consider using a dark grey with a text color that doesn’t stand out as much. Using a background with some sort of designs is also an option, but the solid black can be a turn off.
