editorial

Merriweather and Lexend Deca font pairing

Serif headings with a sans serif body.

Background
Issue 07 · Field notes
Ideas that travel well

Good pairings feel inevitable. Great ones set the tone before a single word is read.

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A strong pairing creates clear hierarchy while feeling like one consistent voice across every page. This paragraph is set in Lexend Deca, while the headline uses Merriweather. Numbers like 0123456789, punctuation “quotes” — and ampersands & — reveal a lot about how two typefaces get along.

Contrast, then harmony

Look for contrast in structure and harmony in proportion: similar x-heights, compatible widths and a shared sense of rhythm. Bold text and italic text should feel natural, too.

Why this pairing works

A classic contrast: Merriweather's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Lexend Deca's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens. Lexend Deca ships in 9 weights, so you can build captions, buttons and emphasis without adding another family.

HMerriweather

Merriweather is a free serif typeface designed by Sorkin Type, added to Google Fonts in 2011. It comes in 7 weights with matching italics, and is a variable font with optical size, width and weight axes.

More pairings for Merriweather →

BLexend Deca

Lexend Deca is a free sans serif typeface designed by Bonnie Shaver-Troup, Thomas Jockin, Santiago Orozco, Héctor Gómez and Superunion, added to Google Fonts in 2019. It comes in 9 weights, and is a variable font with a weight axis.

More pairings for Lexend Deca →

Use this pairing on your website

HTML — paste in <head>
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com">
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin>
<link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Merriweather:wght@700&family=Lexend+Deca:wght@400;700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">
CSS
h1, h2, h3 {
  font-family: 'Merriweather', serif;
  font-weight: 700;
}

body {
  font-family: 'Lexend Deca', sans-serif;
  font-weight: 400;
  line-height: 1.6;
}

More pairings with Merriweather

More pairings with Lexend Deca

Built for the long run

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HEB GaramondBLexend Decaeditorial→

A classic contrast: EB Garamond's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Lexend Deca's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

The future of small business

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HLibre BaskervilleBLexend Decaeditorial→

A classic contrast: Libre Baskerville's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Lexend Deca's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

A field guide to good ideas

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HLexend DecaBRoboto Slabmoderneditorial→

A modern twist on the classic: Lexend Deca keeps headings crisp and contemporary, while Roboto Slab's serifs guide the eye along longer lines of text.

Frequently asked questions

Do Merriweather and Lexend Deca go well together?

A classic contrast: Merriweather's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Lexend Deca's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens. Lexend Deca ships in 9 weights, so you can build captions, buttons and emphasis without adding another family.

Which font should be used for headings?

Use Merriweather for headings at weight 700, and Lexend Deca for body text at weight 400. You can swap them in the pairing tool to compare.

Are Merriweather and Lexend Deca free?

Yes — both are open-source fonts on Google Fonts and free for personal and commercial use.