Discover the flexibility of Lato, a sans-serif font that can fit many different situations, as it matches well with various other fonts, each adding its own distinctive touch to the design.
Lato is a versatile sans-serif font that was created by Polish designer Łukasz Dziedzic in 2010. The name Lato means “summer” in Polish, and the font reflects the designer’s vision of a modern and friendly typeface that can work well in various situations. Lato has a classical proportion and structure, but with some subtle features that give it a warm and humanist feel. Lato was originally designed for a large corporate client, but was later released as an open-source font on Google Fonts, where it became very popular and widely used. Lato is compatible with most devices and browsers, and supports over 100 languages. Lato is suitable for many different use cases, such as web design, branding, signage, print media, and user interfaces.
Lato & Arvo (Free, Google Fonts)
Background: Lato’s understated elegance is perfectly offset by Arvo’s assertive and contemporary serifs. Arvo, a slab-serif, lends a touch of formality and structure, making for a professional yet bold statement.
Arvo is a geometric slab-serif font that was created by Estonian designer Anton Koovit in 2011. The name Arvo means “value” or “number” in Estonian, and the font reflects the designer’s interest in mathematics and geometry. Arvo has a strong and symmetrical shape, but with some quirky details that give it a lively and modern look. Arvo was designed as part of the Google Font Improvements Project, which aimed to create high-quality fonts for web use. Arvo is available as an open-source font on Google Fonts, where it has gained a lot of popularity and recognition. Arvo is compatible with most devices and browsers, and supports over 90 languages. Arvo is suitable for many different use cases, such as logos, headlines, posters, magazines, and books. Arvo is often paired with Lato, a sans-serif font, to create a contrast between the two styles.
Use Cases: Ideal for impressive presentations and editorial headings.
Suggested Industries: Law, Finance, Publishing.
Pros: Assertive and attention-grabbing for headers.
Cons: The bold nature of Arvo might overshadow subtler elements.
Lato & Biryani (Free, Google Fonts)
Background: The clear, uncluttered lines of Lato harmonize with Biryani’s uniformity and modernity. This duo exudes a sense of clarity and modern professionalism.
Biryani is a sans serif font family that was designed by Dan Reynolds and Mathieu Réguer, inspired by the style of Urdu newspapers. The font features four different widths and seven weights, making it adaptable to various layouts and screen sizes. Biryani is compatible with Latin and Devanagari scripts, as well as Urdu and Kashmiri languages. The font is suitable for headlines, captions, logos, and short texts, especially in multilingual contexts.
Use Cases: User interfaces, mobile applications, and tech startups.
Suggested Industries: Technology, Digital Services.
Pros: Modern and clean, offering seamless legibility.
Cons: Might be too simplistic for more decorative or traditional needs.
Lato & Kumbh Sans (Free, Google Fonts)
Background: Kumbh Sans provides a geometric counterpart to Lato, offering a humanistic touch with its open forms. This pairing is excellent for designs that call for a touch of warmth without sacrificing modernity.
Kumbh Sans is a relatively new font, released in 2019 by Indian Type Foundry. The font was inspired by the geometric shapes of ancient Indian architecture, especially the Kumbh Mela, a massive religious gathering that takes place every 12 years. The font aims to combine simplicity and elegance, with a hint of spirituality. Kumbh Sans is designed to be compatible with all devices and platforms, and supports Latin and Devanagari scripts. The font is suitable for various uses, such as headlines, logos, posters, or captions, and can create a harmonious contrast with Lato’s more organic curves.
Use Cases: Websites and digital marketing materials.
Suggested Industries: Hospitality, E-commerce.
Pros: Welcoming and easy to read, maintaining a friendly appearance.
Cons: May not carry enough gravitas for more formal applications.
Lato & Lato (Free, Google Fonts)
Background: Utilizing different weights of Lato can create a sophisticated monochromatic look, ensuring continuity and a strong brand identity.
Use Cases: Branding, corporate identity, and minimalist design.
Suggested Industries: Design Studios, Lifestyle Brands.
Pros: Consistency across different design elements.
Cons: Without color or texture contrast, could seem monotonous.
Lato & Libre Baskerville (Free, Google Fonts)
Background: The traditional and elegant serifs of Libre Baskerville play well against Lato’s contemporary cleanliness, striking a balance between classic and modern styles.
Libre Baskerville is a revival of the classic Baskerville typeface, designed by John Baskerville in the 18th century. Baskerville was inspired by the rationalism and neoclassicism of the Enlightenment, and sought to create a font that was elegant, clear, and refined. He experimented with different techniques of papermaking, printing, and ink-making to achieve his ideal style. Libre Baskerville is a modern adaptation of Baskerville’s work, optimized for web and screen readability. It preserves the original proportions, contrast, and serifs of Baskerville, but also introduces some subtle changes to improve its legibility and compatibility with different devices and platforms. Libre Baskerville is most commonly used for body text, especially in long-form content such as books, articles, essays, or reports.
Use Cases: Print publications, e-books, and formal documents.
Suggested Industries: Literary Publishing, Academic Institutions.
Pros: Classic readability paired with modern simplicity.
Cons: The contrasting styles may not be suitable for all branding efforts.
Lato & Metropolis (Free, Google Fonts)
Background: Metropolis brings an art-deco flair to the mix, complementing Lato’s simplicity with its geometric shapes and sharp lines.
Metropolis is a modern sans-serif typeface inspired by the 1927 film of the same name, which depicted a futuristic dystopia. The font was designed by Chris Simpson in 2018 and features geometric shapes, sharp lines, and elegant curves. Metropolis is compatible with most devices and platforms, and supports Latin, Cyrillic, and Greek alphabets. The font is widely used for artistic branding, posters, and themed web design, especially in the fields of architecture and fashion, where it conveys a chic and urbane look.
Use Cases: Artistic branding, posters, and themed web design.
Suggested Industries: Architecture, Fashion.
Pros: A chic and urbane look for contemporary designs.
Cons: The distinct style of Metropolis might not be universal enough for all contexts.
Lato & Outfit (Free, Google Fonts)
Background: Outfit adds a geometric touch with its clean-cut appearance, enhancing Lato’s humanist design for a modern and streamlined aesthetic.
Outfit is a sans serif font that was designed by Kevin Richey and released in 2018. The font was inspired by the Bauhaus movement, which emphasized simplicity, functionality, and geometric shapes. Outfit has a modular structure with sharp angles and uniform strokes, creating a sleek and futuristic look. Outfit is compatible with most devices and platforms, and supports multiple languages and glyphs. The font is mostly used for logo design, headlines, posters, and banners, where it can convey a sense of innovation and sophistication.
Use Cases: Tech branding, infographics, and modern editorial layouts.
Suggested Industries: Graphic Design, Tech Startups.
Pros: Stylish and futuristic, perfect for forward-thinking brands.
Cons: Can appear too stylized for traditional businesses.
Lato & Pragmatica (Paid, MyFonts)
Background: With its pragmatic and no-nonsense approach, Pragmatica serves as a logical and straightforward companion to Lato, embodying a highly functional design ethos.
Pragmatica is a sans-serif typeface designed by Vladimir Yefimov and Olga Chaeva in 1989, based on the Helvetica design. The name reflects the font’s rational and geometric structure, as well as its intended use for technical and informational texts. Pragmatica is compatible with most modern devices and supports several languages and writing systems, including Latin, Cyrillic, Greek, Arabic, and Hebrew. Pragmatica is often used for corporate identity, signage, and print media, especially in fields that require clarity and precision.
Use Cases: Technical documentation, user interfaces, and data visualization.
Suggested Industries: Engineering, IT Services.
Pros: The pairing is practical and highly legible.
Cons: May not convey much personality for creative fields.
Lato & Sensation (Free, Google Fonts)
Background: Sensation brings in a whimsical and light-hearted feel, providing a soft contrast to the clean lines of Lato, ideal for informal and friendly communication.
Sensation is a font family designed by Alexey Frolov, a Russian type designer and graphic artist. He was inspired by the hand-lettering of comic books and cartoons, and wanted to create a font that was expressive and lively, but also legible and versatile. Sensation has four styles: Regular, Light, Bold, and Black, each with a matching italic version. The font has a rounded and organic shape, with soft curves and playful angles. It also supports a wide range of languages, including Cyrillic, Greek, and Latin scripts.
Sensation was released in 2011 as an open source font, meaning that anyone can use it for free for any purpose. It is also compatible with most devices and platforms, as it is available on Google Fonts, a web service that hosts thousands of fonts that can be easily embedded on websites. Sensation is a popular choice for web designers who want to add some personality and fun to their projects, especially for sites that target children or young audiences. It is also suitable for print media, such as flyers, posters, magazines, and books.
Use Cases: Casual blogs, children’s literature, and playful web content.
Suggested Industries: Education, Retail.
Pros: A fun and engaging contrast to Lato’s straight lines.
Cons: The casual nature of Sensation may not be appropriate for formal applications.
Incorporate these Lato pairings to create a versatile and dynamic design language that speaks directly to your audience, whether in print or on screen. Each pairing is thoughtfully selected to enhance Lato’s adaptability and appeal across a wide range of applications.
