Positioning DNA
Gray remains the most versatile palette in digital design because it behaves predictably under every lighting condition. The 400-700 steps provide balanced contrast ratios that read well in screenshots, presentations, and printed decks, which is why enterprise teams rely on it for design systems.
Treat Gray as the scaffolding of your interface: build surfaces with 900-800, drop copy onto 100-200, then weave accent hues only where intent matters. Because the palette is emotionally neutral, the focus shifts entirely to hierarchy and motion.