Selecting an Appropriate Color Scheme

Selecting an appropriate color scheme is quite an art. Colors are powerful communicators of emotion and mood. Some colors suit specific topics better than others (warm vs. cool or sophisticated vs. loud palettes). They can also convey a time period (think of the 60s colors).

What mood does the color scheme at this site create?
http://ledzeppelin.com/
How about this site?
http://www.sarahmclachlan.com/
What do the colors on the sites instantly tell us about the two singers' styles?

What do you think about these colors for a dentist? Do the colors communicate "modern" or "too lively"?
http://www.atkinsdentistry.com/

Colors also have symbolic and cultural significance. For example, red is for danger, dynamism and heat, blue for calm, harmony and cool, etc. Some cultures have different color associations from Western countries, for example, white is the color of mourning in some Asian countries. For some light relief, try this quiz:
http://www.officeprinting.xerox.com/appnotes/education/
Do you agree with their answers?

You shouldn't overlook the importance of fashion and trend in your choice of colors. Some colors are "the color of the moment" and will appear outdated very quickly. For this year's color trends, check out this web site!
http://www.fashiontrendsetter.com/content/color_trends.html

Lastly, remember that some of your site visitors might have a color vision deficiency of some kind. Read this article for more information:
http://www.sitepoint.com/