The subject of working with a limited color palette — and what 'limited' actually means in practice — is worth unpacking because the advice 'use a limited palette' can mean many different things.

A three-color palette (primary, secondary, black): the most extreme constraint. Forces color mixing strategy but can feel graphically flat without careful management.

A five to eight color palette: the most practical creative range. Enough colors for a full value and temperature range, limited enough to force harmony decisions.

A restricted hue palette (all neutrals plus one accent): creates a specific aesthetic gravity. The accent color is powered by the neutral context.

A restricted saturation palette (all muted except focal accents): creates a naturalistic mood. Nothing demands attention; selective saturation emphasizes.

The advice to use limited palettes is really advice to make deliberate palette decisions before starting rather than adding colors reactively. The specific palette matters less than the deliberateness of the choice.