5 Things you ought to know when designing metro screens.

The post lays out five metro design habits the author says matter most: color discipline, consistent typography, a clear split between chrome and content text, restrained use of elements with some visual energy, and inspiration drawn from fantasy interfaces in films and TV. It frames the advice as personal experience rather than a fixed formula.

Reading notes

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• Choose a canvas first, then build a small palette around a base color, keeping the total number of shades low.
• Use the secondary accent color for buttons and inputs so interactive parts are easy to read.
• Keep font sizes and casing consistent across the interface, with semantic size choices for headings and navigation.
• Balance chrome text and content text so users can tell what is touchable and what is informational.
• Reduce gradients and extra ornament, but add some decals or visual energy when the interface needs more character.
• Watch movies with strong fictional interfaces and study them frame by frame for ideas.
• Look at transit signage, HTML/CSS sites, and work by Mark Coleran for metro-style inspiration.