Designing for Readability
Sam Okoro
Pulse Team
Great content deserves great presentation. When we designed the Pulse blog, readability was our north star. Every typographic choice, every spacing decision, every color contrast was evaluated through the lens of "does this make reading easier?"
We chose Lexend for body text because it was specifically designed to improve reading proficiency. Research shows that certain letter shapes and spacing patterns reduce visual noise, making text easier to process. For a blog, that's exactly what we want.
Typography That Breathes
White space isn't empty space — it's breathing room. We set our line height to 1.7, giving each line enough vertical space to be distinct without feeling disconnected. Paragraph spacing creates natural pause points that help readers absorb information in digestible chunks.
Our headings use Space Grotesk, a geometric sans-serif that provides clear visual hierarchy. The contrast between our heading and body fonts creates rhythm on the page, guiding readers through the content naturally.
Color and Contrast
Reading on dark backgrounds requires careful attention to contrast. Pure white text on pure black creates too much contrast, causing eye strain over longer reading sessions. We use a soft gray (#D1D5DB) for body text against our dark background, which is easier on the eyes while still meeting accessibility standards.
Our accent colors — the signature Pulse pink and teal — are used sparingly for interactive elements and highlights. They draw attention without competing with the reading experience.
Responsive Reading
A comfortable reading experience adapts to the device. On mobile, we increase relative font sizes slightly and adjust margins to maintain optimal line lengths. The goal is 50-75 characters per line, which research consistently shows is the sweet spot for comfortable reading.
Design isn't just about looking good — it's about feeling right. When typography and layout serve the content, readers can focus on what matters: the ideas.
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