How to Use Muted Colors in Design & Branding – A Complete Guide

Last Updated:

April 8, 2025

Written by Carla Capriles & Juan Carlos Munoz

Muted colors are a powerful tool in design, bringing a sense of sophistication and balance. If you’ve ever wondered how to create a refined and modern look without overpowering the viewer, muted tones are the answer.

Muted colors are desaturated hues that create a clean, modern look while improving readability and usability. In UI/UX, branding, and Webflow development, they enhance user experience by reducing visual strain and making content more approachable.

In this guide, we’ll explore what muted colors are, how they’re used in branding and UI/UX, and how to create stunning muted color palettes for your next project.

What Are Muted Colors?

Muted colors are desaturated versions of vibrant hues, created by mixing in black, white, gray, or complementary colors. This softens their intensity, making them versatile, refined, and easier on the eyes. Instead of demanding attention like bright colors, muted tones create subtle contrast, evoke emotion, and guide users naturally through a design.

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What Makes a Color Muted?

A color becomes muted when mixed with:

Black, for a deeper, shadowed effect
White, to create a pastel or faded look
Gray, to neutralize intensity
Complementary colors, to naturally desaturate hues

For example, a bright red mixed with brown or gray becomes muted brick red—perfect for a warm, earthy vibe. Curious about how muted colors work in branding? Check out our branding services and explore color theory for more insight.

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Muted Colors vs. Vibrant Colors: What’s the Difference?

Side-by-side comparison of vibrant and muted geometric shapes on a neutral canvas — Comparison of muted vs. vibrant color palettes using abstract geometric shapes for design clarity.

Muted colors are soft, neutral, and earthy, creating a calm, elegant, and sophisticated feel. They work well in minimalist design, luxury branding, and cozy interiors, offering a refined aesthetic without overwhelming the eye.

Vibrant colors, on the other hand, are bold, intense, and attention-grabbing. They bring energy and playfulness to a design, making them ideal for pop art, sports branding, and youthful aesthetics where high visibility is key.

In branding and UI/UX, muted and bold colors are often combined for balance. A bold blue primary color can be softened with a muted blue in secondary elements to create depth and hierarchy. A bold overlay on a muted background enhances contrast while maintaining a clean, modern look.

Choosing between muted and vibrant colors depends on the message you want to convey—muted tones for a timeless, professional feel, vibrant hues for high-energy impact.

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How to Create a Muted Color Palette

Top-down flat lay of color swatches in sage, blush, charcoal, and beige with ceramic and linen textures — Muted color swatches paired with soft materials to inspire thoughtful palette creation in design.

At CC Creative, we love to balance bold colors with their muted counterparts to create depth and visual hierarchy in design. For example, if we use a bold blue as a primary brand color, we might pair it with an opaque blue in supporting elements to soften the contrast while maintaining cohesion. Sometimes, we even overlay bold colors over muted tones to create layered effects that enhance readability and focus.

Some popular muted colors include earthy tones like terracotta, olive green, and mustard yellow, soft pastels such as dusty pink, sage green, and powder blue, and cool, minimalist hues like taupe, charcoal, and desaturated navy. These tones provide flexibility and can be mixed to create stunning color schemes.

Want to craft the perfect muted color palette? Here’s how:

Step 1: Start with a Base Color

Pick a vibrant color—say, bright blue.

Step 2: Add a Touch of Gray

Slowly mix in gray to reduce intensity and soften the shade.

Step 3: Introduce Complementary Colors

Adding a small amount of a color’s opposite (e.g., muted orange for blue) naturally tones it down.

Step 4: Pair with Neutrals

Mixing muted colors with beige, taupe, or soft white creates a balanced palette.

Step 5: Test It in Your Design

Apply your colors to a website or branding layout, then tweak as needed.

For an in-depth look at color impact in design, check out this introduction to color theory and color palettes.

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Why Designers Love Muted Colors

Muted colors are the secret weapon of sophisticated design. Studies show that desaturated hues evoke trust and calmness, making them a go-to for brands that want to feel premium yet approachable. Understanding color harmony is key to using muted colors effectively in design.

Muted colors are widely used across different industries to create distinct aesthetics and enhance visual appeal.

In branding and marketing, high-end brands rely on muted color palettes for an elegant, timeless feel that exudes sophistication and trust.

For web and UI/UX design, muted tones contribute to a clean, polished look while improving readability and reducing visual fatigue, making them an excellent choice for digital products.

In fashion and interior design, soft, warm muted tones help create cozy, inviting spaces that feel harmonious and effortlessly stylish.

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Case Study: How Airbnb Uses Muted Colors

Airbnb is a perfect example of muted colors in action. Their website and app use warm, desaturated tones to feel welcoming, comfortable, and modern. This subtle color strategy reinforces their brand’s message of home and connection.

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Muted Colors in UI/UX Design

Muted colors aren’t just a trend—they’re a staple in digital experiences. Brands like Airbnb, Dropbox, and Slack rely on muted color palettes to create sleek, user-friendly interfaces. At CC Creative, we use muted tones in SaaS branding, UI/UX design, and Webflow development to enhance usability while keeping designs visually stunning.

For more on design aesthetics, check out our article on Brutalism vs. Neobrutalism in Web Design.

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Flat lay of a web wireframe sketch surrounded by muted color swatches and soft design tools — A muted-toned creative workspace featuring UI wireframes, perfect for product design and branding.

Final Thoughts

Muted colors are a game-changer in branding, UI/UX, and Webflow development. Whether you're designing for SaaS products, startup websites, or digital interfaces, muted tones create depth, hierarchy, and a polished aesthetic that users love.

Looking for a modern, muted color palette for your startup or SaaS brand? Let’s build something great together at CC Creative!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are muted colors used for?

Muted colors are commonly used in branding, UI/UX design, interior decor, and fashion to create a soft, sophisticated, and timeless aesthetic. They are especially popular in luxury branding and minimalist designs.

How do you make a color muted?

A color becomes muted by mixing it with black, white, gray, or its complementary color to reduce its intensity and make it appear softer.

What’s the difference between muted and pastel colors?

While both muted and pastel colors are desaturated, pastels are created by adding white to a color, making them lighter and softer, whereas muted colors can be darkened or neutralized by adding gray or complementary tones.

Are muted colors better for branding?

Muted colors are a great choice for branding when you want to convey elegance, trust, and professionalism. Many high-end and tech brands use muted tones for a sophisticated, modern look.

Can muted colors be warm or cool?

Yes! Muted colors can fall on both the warm and cool spectrum. Warm muted colors include burnt orange, mustard yellow, and terracotta, while cool muted tones include dusty blue, sage green, and muted teal.

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