editorial

Playfair Display and Smooch Sans font pairing

Serif headings with a sans serif body.

Background
Issue 07 · Field notes
Stories worth reading slowly

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 Smooch Sans, while the headline uses Playfair Display. 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: Playfair Display's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Smooch Sans's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens. Smooch Sans ships in 9 weights, so you can build captions, buttons and emphasis without adding another family.

HPlayfair Display

Playfair Display is a free serif typeface designed by Claus Eggers Sørensen, added to Google Fonts in 2011. It comes in 6 weights with matching italics, and is a variable font with a weight axis.

More pairings for Playfair Display →

BSmooch Sans

Smooch Sans is a free sans serif typeface designed by Robert Leuschke, added to Google Fonts in 2021. It comes in 9 weights, and is a variable font with a weight axis.

More pairings for Smooch Sans →

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=Playfair+Display:wght@700&family=Smooch+Sans:wght@400;700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">
CSS
h1, h2, h3 {
  font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif;
  font-weight: 700;
}

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

More pairings with Playfair Display

A field guide to good ideas

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

HPlayfair DisplayBOswaldeditorial→

A classic contrast: Playfair Display's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Oswald's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

Make something people love

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

HPlayfair DisplayBDM Sanseditorial→

A classic contrast: Playfair Display's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while DM Sans's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

More pairings with Smooch Sans

Make something people love

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

HSource Serif 4BSmooch Sanseditorial→

A classic contrast: Source Serif 4's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Smooch Sans's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

Make something people love

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

HBodoni ModaBSmooch Sanseditorial→

A classic contrast: Bodoni Moda's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Smooch Sans's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

The art of saying less

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

HSmooch SansBCormorant Garamondmoderneditorial→

A modern twist on the classic: Smooch Sans keeps headings crisp and contemporary, while Cormorant Garamond's serifs guide the eye along longer lines of text.

Frequently asked questions

Do Playfair Display and Smooch Sans go well together?

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

Which font should be used for headings?

Use Playfair Display for headings at weight 700, and Smooch Sans for body text at weight 400. You can swap them in the pairing tool to compare.

Are Playfair Display and Smooch Sans free?

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