A large spectrum of typeface pairings is available, ranging from harmonious to contrasting. Harmonious means things look similar, blend well or are related by formal qualities. For example, a blue shirt with blue denim, with a small amount of color difference, would have harmony. An orange shirt with blue denim would have much more contrast. Contrast is about emphasizing the differences.
Often, pairing a sans-serif with another sans-serif might result in insufficient distinction—too much harmony, not enough contrast. Instead, for a more sophisticated typographic palette, many choose a sans with a serif. For example, a blue shirt with blue denim might appear very dull, offering up too much harmony, but an orange shirt might have too much contrast. That’s when a compromise to use an analogous color would work best, such as green or violet which are neighbors to blue on the color wheel. A little bit of contrast, but mostly in harmony. The spectrum of typeface pairing works much like a color wheel in this way.
Typeface pairs can be very harmonious, especially styles from the same family, like using Helvetica Now Regular and Bold for example. They pair well because they look very similar, with similar construction and proportions, while allowing some contrast that is needed for hierarchy in any layout. Simply put, a typeface family is designed to pair with itself; that’s why we design so many weights in a typeface. A “super family” like FF DIN or Kairos or Macklin for example, have many related styles that are easy to pair like a sans, serif, or stencil. These off-the-shelf pairings are easy to choose because the family name tells you they belong together.
Contrasting pairs can be almost anything because the focus is on how the type styles differ. Some typeface families have been designed like kits, where the family name includes both a sans and script, for instance, which creates a template for the designer to use, like Laura Worthington’s Charcuterie or Ed’s Market families. These are examples of pairs with higher amounts of contrast—they look very different from each other but create a certain mood when used together.
While contrasting pairs can be more easily selected, harmonious pairs are often harder to find and choose, often requiring some knowledge and experience with type to get good selections. While it is ultimately a subjective practice, we can follow some guidelines in choosing harmonious typeface pairs.
