08-17-25
Last week, I was reviewing a sleek interface design when something made me stop mid-scroll.
The designer had picked this stunning, personality-packed display font for their main headings. It had style. It had flair. The kind of type that makes you lean in.
They used that same font everywhere. Buttons. Body copy. Navigation. Form fields.
What started as a bold choice quickly turned into visual noise.
Even the most beautiful typeface will fight against your layout if it’s not cast in the right role.
Fig. 1
Every Font Has a Job to Do
Here’s what a lot of designers miss: Fonts carry psychological weight.
Display fonts are performers. They’re built to stand out, add character, and spark emotion. Think of them as the lead actor on a stage.
But when your lead actor is also handling the set design, running the lights, and doing wardrobe changes… the show falls apart.
This doesn’t mean you should avoid personality fonts. It means you need to use them intentionally.
Font 1: The Personality Font
Use this for:
Font 2: The Workhorse Font
In the example I mentioned, the display font was perfect for headlines. But pairing it with a solid system font—Inter, Roboto, or SF Pro—would’ve added clarity without losing character.
When you get the balance right, three things happen:
This isn’t about playing it safe.
It’s about placing your bets where they’ll have the biggest payoff.
Because the best designs don’t just look good.
They know exactly what job each element is there to do.
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