Web Design

# Designing for accessibility without sacrificing aesthetics

1 May 2026 5 min read

Somewhere along the way, "accessible" became shorthand for "plain". It shouldn't be. Accessibility and beautiful, distinctive design are not opposing forces, they're the same craft, done well.

The best accessible design doesn't announce itself. It simply works, for the person using a screen reader, the person on a phone in bright sunlight, and the person who just prefers things to be clear. When you design for the edges, the whole experience gets better.

## Start with contrast, not colour

Colour is one of the first things people worry about, and one of the easiest to get right. Rather than picking shades and hoping, I work to defined contrast ratios from the start. It rarely limits the palette, it just means the palette has to earn its place.

A common myth is that accessible palettes have to be high-contrast and harsh. In practice, warm neutrals, considered accent colours, and the occasional bold moment can all pass comfortably, you just have to test as you go rather than at the end.

## Structure is design too

Headings, landmarks, and a logical reading order aren't technical afterthoughts, they're part of the composition. A page with a clear visual hierarchy almost always has a clear semantic hierarchy underneath it. When the two match, everyone benefits.

- Use real headings in a sensible order, not styled text pretending to be headings.
- Make focus states visible and intentional, not something to hide.
- Never rely on colour alone to carry meaning.

## The payoff

Accessible sites tend to be faster, clearer, and easier to maintain. They rank better, they convert better, and they're kinder to the people using them. That's not a compromise, that's just good design.

## Related reading

Design

### The case for slower, more intentional web design

Branding

### A field guide to choosing brand colours

Strategy

### Why your homepage shouldn't try to do everything

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