Website Brand Standards
Melton Norcross & Associates: Website Color Guide
This guide explains the color palette for the new meltonnorcross.com: why we chose these colors, what each one does, and the rules that keep the site consistent, readable and on-brand as it grows.
1. Why These Colors
Commercial clients hand Melton Norcross money they are owed, often in difficult situations. The website has to communicate authority, trust and professionalism within seconds. It also has to feel modern, and it has to support the firm’s growth beyond oil & gas into other industries.
The palette does this with three ideas:
- A clean black-and-white foundation. This is the language of modern professional firms. It is confident, uncluttered and lets the content, photography and architecture video do the work.
- Navy for trust. Deep navy is the most widely used color in finance and legal services because it signals stability and credibility.
- Gold for distinction. Gold signals value, results and a premium level of service. It also carries a subtle nod to the energy industry without limiting the firm to it, and it ties the website to the gold in the Melton Norcross logo.
2. The Palette
The website uses eight colors, organized into foundation colors, brand colors and supporting accents.
Foundation
White
#FFFFFF
Primary background for most of the site.
Parchment
#F4F3EE
Warm alternate background to separate sections.
Black
#000000
Headings, header, footer and dark sections.
Graphite
#2D2D2D
Body text on light backgrounds. A softer black that is easier on the eyes for long reading.
Silver
#B3B3B3
Body text on dark backgrounds, such as the footer.
Brand Colors
Deep Space Blue
#142C4A
The main brand accent. Used for feature sections, hero overlays and key moments that should feel trustworthy and established.
Dark Goldenrod
#C68A1D
The highlight. Used for buttons, icons, divider lines and small labels. Ties the site to the logo.
Supporting Accents (Use Sparingly)
Classic Crimson
#D62839
For moments that need urgency or emphasis: bold headlines, an occasional section background, or a high-priority button.
Sage
#606D5D
A calm, neutral accent available when a design needs variety without adding another bold color.
3. The 60-30-10 Rule
Designers use the 60-30-10 rule to keep a site balanced. One color dominates, a second supports it, and a small amount of accent color draws the eye to what matters. When everything is colorful, nothing stands out.
60% White & Parchment
30% Black & Graphite
10%
| Share | Colors | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|
| 60% | White, with Parchment for separation | Page backgrounds, content areas, cards. Parchment alternates with white when sections need visual separation. |
| 30% | Black and Graphite | Headings, body text, the header and footer, and dark feature sections. |
| 10% | Navy and Gold (plus Crimson and Sage, rarely) | Navy for larger accent sections and hero overlays. Gold for icons, divider lines and highlights. Buttons use the brand colors (Gold, Navy or Black), with Crimson or Sage only when the design calls for it. |
The result is a site that reads as modern and clean at first glance, with navy and gold appearing deliberately, so every use of brand color carries weight.
4. How Each Color Is Used
Text
| Element | On light backgrounds (White, Parchment) | On dark backgrounds (Black, Graphite, Navy) |
|---|---|---|
| Headings | Black | White |
| Body text | Graphite | Silver (or White for short, important text) |
| Text links | Chosen per section, based on the design, background and importance of the link | Chosen per section, based on the design, background and importance of the link |
| Emphasis headlines | Crimson (bold and large only) | Gold |
Buttons
Buttons are the preferred way to present important actions, such as “Submit a Claim” or “Contact Us,” because they stand out more than a text link.
- Primary buttons: Gold background with Black or Navy text. Never white text on gold.
- Secondary buttons: Navy or Black background with White text, or an outlined style.
- High-priority or urgent buttons: Crimson background with White text, used sparingly.
Sections and Backgrounds
- White is the default for every section.
- Parchment alternates with white when neighboring sections need separation, for example testimonials after a services grid.
- Black or Graphite for the header, footer and bold feature sections.
- Navy for standout sections such as the hero video overlay, key statistics or a closing call to action.
- Gold as a full background only for small elements such as buttons, badges or a slim callout bar, never an entire section.
- Crimson as a background only for an occasional short, high-impact section.
- Sage as an optional quiet background or detail when a design needs variety.
5. The Rules
Do
- Keep white as the dominant color on every page.
- Use Black or Navy text on anything gold.
- Use Silver or White for text on dark backgrounds.
- Separate navy and black sections with a white or Parchment section.
- Use buttons for the most important actions.
- Keep Crimson text bold and large.
Don’t
- Put white text on gold, or gold text on white.
- Stack a navy section directly against a black one.
- Use Crimson for small body text or large areas.
- Use gold, crimson and sage together in the same section.
- Introduce colors outside this palette, including blue buttons or accents.
6. Built for Readability
Every text-and-background combination in this guide has been checked against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). WCAG measures contrast as a ratio: 4.5:1 is the minimum for regular text, and 3:1 for large, bold text. Higher is easier to read. This matters for visitors on phones in bright sunlight, older readers and people with low vision, and it is also a signal of quality to search engines.
| Combination | Contrast | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Black headings on White | 21:1 | ✓ Excellent |
| Graphite body text on White | 13.8:1 | ✓ Excellent |
| Graphite body text on Parchment | 12.4:1 | ✓ Excellent |
| Silver text on Black / Navy / Graphite | 10:1 / 6.7:1 / 6.6:1 | ✓ Passes |
| Gold text on Black / Navy / Graphite | 7.1:1 / 4.7:1 / 4.6:1 | ✓ Passes |
| Black / Navy text on Gold | 7.1:1 / 4.7:1 | ✓ Passes |
| White text on Crimson | 5:1 | ✓ Passes |
| White text on Sage | 5.5:1 | ✓ Passes |
| Crimson text on Parchment | 4.5:1 | Bold, large text only |
| White text on Gold (or Gold on White) | 3:1 | ✗ Not used |
7. Website Settings
These colors are saved as global colors in the website theme, so every page pulls from the same palette and a change in one place updates the whole site.
| Theme setting | Color |
|---|---|
| Primary Color | Black #000000 |
| Secondary Color | Dark Goldenrod #C68A1D |
| Heading Text | Black #000000 |
| Body Text | Graphite #2D2D2D |
| Body Text – Dark BG | Silver #B3B3B3 |
| Navy | Deep Space Blue #142C4A |
| White / Parchment | #FFFFFF / #F4F3EE |
| Crimson / Sage | #D62839 / #606D5D |
Prepared by Blue Carrot Creative for Melton Norcross & Associates, LLC · September 2026