Totally agree, I'm pretty bad with colors, so I started with monochrome palate and just before the launch (or even during the launch) I decided to change it to bright orange #fe6400 (save as HN navbar), I thought it would be more attractive, but it's more annoying for eyes. As you said in HN they've made tiny bar and I mead full header :D I will think about colors. Maybe you can suggest good website that have caml colors that not annoys you and you can spend a lot of time there?