Color palette reference
Pastel palettes use softened tints rather than high-saturation color. They are useful when the interface should feel open, approachable, and easy to scan without becoming visually flat.
Pair a pastel accent with a warm or cool neutral for structure. Use one deeper companion color for links, focus states, and headings instead of darkening every swatch.
Most pastel fills are too light for white text. Reserve them for surfaces, borders, and illustrations, then test foreground text against the actual tint.
Use the visualize a palette to turn this family into an interface-ready system, or read wcag contrast for designers for the implementation decisions behind the visual output.
Editorial reviewed 2026-07-24.