What do you imagine when you think of spring? Maybe you picture newborn chicks and baby bunnies. Or maybe you see the first daffodils blooming.
Spring is a season of rejuvenation, so fittingly, spring colors can revitalize your designs with fresh, new energy. But what exactly are spring colors? As it turns out, they’re more than just pastels!
Spring Color Palettes
Prepare to be inspired by these beautiful spring color palettes. Hex codes are included if you want to use the colors in your next design.
1. Lilac
Names: Eggplant, Mountbatten pink, Mauve, Wheat, Asparagus
Hex Codes:#65495A, #A382A3, #CDB7F7, #EFDAAD, #69976E
Springtime brings fragrant flowers and buzzing bees, and this palette celebrates both. The gentle purple of lilac blooms pairs with pastel yellow and green to create a beautifully simple color scheme.
Although this is a softer palette, it has a subtle dynamism that makes it a great choice for a variety of designs. Yellow and purple are complementary shades, so they create a contrast that’s sure to captivate your audience.
2. White Hibiscus
Names: Moss green, Olivine, Beige, Jasmine, Satin sheen gold
Hex Codes:#88A075, #93B573, #F8F8DD, #FDE88B, #D0A34D
This gentle, balanced color scheme has a soft, calming effect. In particular, the quiet combination of sage-like Moss Green and warm Beige is perfect for a vintage-inspired, farmhouse-style kitchen.
Of course, this color palette works nicely for digital designs as well. If you’re creating a website, you might find that Beige is an ideal background color. It’s gentler than stark white, but it’s light enough that your audience should have no trouble reading text on the site. Moss Green and Olivine create a springlike effect, and if you need a few warm accents, Jasmine and Satin Sheen Gold can help.
3. Blooms and Butterflies
Names: Avocado, Asparagus, Pistachio, Fairy tale, Rust
Hex Codes:#698A3E, #75A454, #A6C87C, #FEC6E0, #C33310
Light green might be the most springlike color there is. After all, spring is the season of fresh shoots of grass and new buds on trees. This pretty palette will make you think of pink papery flowers in rolling green fields.
It’s also a color scheme that will work beautifully if you want to include multiple shades of green. For example, if you want to create a scene of rolling hillsides, you might make some darker to create the illusion that they’re further away. Fairy Tale is the perfect shade of pink for creating dreamy fields of flowers. And if you want a stronger accent color, try using Rust to add red butterflies or even a red barn.
4. Pasture
Names: Silver lake blue, Carolina blue, Moss green, Bone, Khaki
Hex Codes:#598DBE, #86ACC4, #7C9227, #E7DDC9, #A9A592
Want to feel like you’re in a green field on a sunny day? This is the palette for you. Cool colors and soft neutrals come together to create a beautifully peaceful color scheme. Because Moss Green, Carolina Blue, and Silver Lake Blue are reminiscent of grass and sky, this palette would work well in a design for an outdoor-focused organization.
5. Tulips
Names: Red (cmyk), Carnation pink, Seasalt, Aureolin, Columbia blue
Hex Codes:#F50126, #FE99C9, #F9FBFA, #FEF600, #CBDDE7
You might have seen tulips planted in your own garden or someone else’s. But have you seen them stretching in neat rows across vast fields? This fascinating, multicolored sight just might inspire you to create a spring design with bright, saturated colors.
But that being said, this palette may look more like a summer color scheme than a spring one. To keep the springlike spirit, make sure you include a good bit of soft Columbia Blue. It might help to add in some bright spring green, too.
6. Countryside
Names: Coyote, Olivine, Linen, Mimi pink, Amaranth pink
Hex Codes:#80685B, #AEBF61, #FAF2E7, #F6D1E5, #DF99B6
Delicate shades of pink combined with cream or ivory might make you think of a baby girl’s room. But especially when you mix them in with light greens, these colors are also great reminders of springtime.
The example photo is incredibly well-balanced, and its little details (like the deep green ivy and the bouquet of yellow flowers in the bike basket) give it tons of nuance. If you’re a photographer, this setting (or something like it) could be a beautiful backdrop for a portrait!
7. Creekside
Names: Verdigris, Tiffany blue, Mint green, Seasalt, Mindaro
Hex Codes:#46B5B0, #87E1D8, #C9F3E8, #F7F9F8, #FFFEA1
You often see turquoise-like blues in summer color palettes. But when you use them strategically, Verdigris, Tiffany Blue, and Mint Green can provide the backdrop for a remarkable spring design.
As you look from left to right, you can see that Verdigris seems to gradually fade into softer colors (excluding Mindaro). Incorporating these shades as a kind of gradient is one of the best ways to use them. As the example image illustrates, using light and shadow around a central design can add a whole new dimension.
8. Dogwood
Names: Lilac, Pink lavender, Tea rose (red), Moss green, Beaver
Hex Codes:#CFA2C5, #DDA8C4, #F2C4C6, #96A872, #8F7A65
Walking below fragrant, blooming trees is one of the best parts of spring. Of course, there are countless varieties of spring-blooming trees across the world, but Lilac, Pink Lavender, and Red Tea Rose offer a sampling of the colors you might find.
The grassy Moss Green and bark-like Beaver make this a perfect palette for creating scenes of flowering trees in green meadows. But even if you don’t use these colors for realistic designs, that seasonal association will still be there.
9. Bright Garden
Names: Imperial red, Brilliant rose, Van dyke, Canary, Yellow green
Hex Codes:#FF363A, #EE62B3, #3B2C28, #FEE30C, #81C309
Lots of people associate spring with light, pretty pastels. But there’s no rule against creating bright, vivid spring palettes. This one is a great example. Plenty of spring-blooming flowers (especially tulips) come in energetic shades like Imperial Red, Canary, and Brilliant Rose. Yellow Green comes close to the color of new plants as they break through the ground.
You don’t always need to include an earth-inspired color in a spring color palette. But this color scheme is bright enough that it needs Van Dyke as a grounding shade.
You don’t have to use a whole lot of this shade to get the grounding effect, though. For example, if you’re creating a postcard or card-style invitation, you could include a thin border of Van Dyke while including colorful flowers around it.
10. Rose
Names: Avocado, Apple green, Seasalt, Cherry blossom pink, Magenta dye
Hex Codes:#557A20, #7DA100, #F6F7F6, #E6A7B0, #C90075
Taking a stroll through a rose garden can be a relaxing way to spend a spring afternoon. Roses of course come in many different colors, but this palette includes three common ones: white, soft pink, and bright pink. It also includes Avocado and Apple Green, two shades of green that are close to the color of rose leaves and stems.
As you can see, this palette really lends itself to creating floral designs. But there’s a lot more you can do with it, too. Light green and pink are complementary, so you might try including blocks of Avocado, Apple Green, Cherry Blossom Pink, and Magenta Dye (or even a pattern) over a Seasalt background.
11. Flower Path
Names: Purple, Mauveine, Aureolin, Periwinkle, Glaucous
Hex Codes:#6B0380, #9100AA, #FBE500, #CEC6E7, #6B82D2
If you’re a fan of both bright color palettes and those that center around complementary colors, this is a nice color scheme to choose. Mauveine and Aureolin are equally vivid, so when you place them next to one another, they can really make a design come alive. The daffodils and crocuses in the above image are great examples.
Even though purple is technically a cool color, it has an energizing effect on this palette. So as a result, you might need a settling color to keep things calm. That’s where Periwinkle and Glaucous come in. These two shades are reminiscent of blue skies or (as the picture shows) blue flowers.
12. Sparrows
Names: Kobicha, Lion, Apple green, Orchid pink, Light coral
Hex Codes:#6B4923, #C6A28A, #87A230, #F1B4CB, #F97580
The sights of springtime are certainly beautiful. But so are the sounds! Birdsong fills the air as birds flit from tree to tree. And as you can see in the photo, little brown sparrows look right at home among green buds and pink blooms.
Even if you aren’t including birds in your design, the brown/pink and brown/green combinations are especially energetic. You could create a design with patterns of each, but you could also try something a little more non-traditional. Use Apple Green, Orchid Pink, and Light Coral to create flowers. Then, instead of placing them on a white or off-white background like so many designs do, put them against a background of Lion. They’re sure to stand out!
13. Hello Spring
Names: African violet, Mimi pink, Mustard, Mint cream, Light blue
Hex Codes:#A96CB1, #FED0DF, #FFD850, #E4F1ED, #A2D3E2
Spring decorations with a whimsical touch often have unusual color palettes. This one isn’t too different from the other palettes, but it’s somewhat unusual in that it doesn’t include green. (As the example illustration shows, you can add green if you wish!)
This group of colors combines pastels with more saturated shades. That might seem strange, but it’s a smart solution for busy designs like the one pictured. If every single color in this design were saturated and ultra-bright, the multiple smaller illustrations in the example images could quickly become too much. Mixing saturations will bring some colors to the forefront while letting others fade into the background.
14. Botanica
Names: Fern green, Avocado, Amber, UT orange, Raspberry
Hex Codes:#467339, #589102, #FEBD16, #FF8701, #E1115A
This striking picture includes two of the best-known spring flowers: tulips and daffodils. But it also incorporates several other varieties to create an impossibly colorful garden.
The bright colors of this palette are ideal if you love rainbows, as they roughly capture the first four colors of the rainbow. If you want to expand this grouping of colors a bit, you can include some blue and purple flowers (or other cool-hued accents) too.
15. Ladybug
Names: Plum, Purpureus, Wisteria, Orange (web), Sinopia
Hex Codes:#923993, #9D60AB, #CCA2E2, #FFAE00, #CA3404
Nothing says springtime like soft, delicate shades of purple. This palette has a few! Plum, Purpureous, and Wisteria form a gentle gradient, but the yellowish Web Orange gives the palette an invigorating burst. Purple and yellow are complementary shades, so this bold combination is perfect for turning heads.
That being said, Web Orange isn’t the only energizing color of the bunch. Delightfully red Sinopia is perfect for drawing the eye when used in small doses. The example image is a perfect illustration: the bright red ladybug at the center of the picture really brings everything together.
16. Country Cottage
Names: Melon, Tea rose (red), Olivine, Columbia blue, Moonstone
Hex Codes:#FDB4A6, #FDC5C6, #A9BB80, #BECED7, #5EA4B6
This idyllic picture captures a truly beautiful escape: a small cottage surrounded by roses. The largely pastel color palette also works to replicate the sense of peace you might feel while looking at the picture.
But how would you go about using these colors in a design? As you can see, roses and other florals are an easy choice. If you’re willing to break up the palette a bit, you can also create some memorable, nearly monochromatic palettes.
Take Melon and Red Tea Rose. Red Tea Rose comes pretty close to being a paler form of Melon, so if you wish, you can use these two colors to create shadow-like effects. You can do the same with Moonstone and Columbia Blue.
17. Gerbera Daisies
Names: Rose red, Mulberry, Champagne pink, Air superiority blue, Asparagus
Hex Codes:#C72D5C, #DC4A93, #F6E6D9, #5EA7CC, #7CA03C
Some types of flowers seem to mimic the sun’s radiance. The flowers in the picture certainly do! Between their sunny yellow centers and their brilliant petals of Rose Red and Mulberry, they look almost electric against the Asparagus background.
Like a few other palettes on the list, this is a color scheme that can start to look summery if you aren’t careful. If you want to preserve its springlike appeal, make sure your design clearly communicates the season to your audience.
18. Easter Eggs
Names: Jasmine, Nyanza, Desert sand, Tea rose (red), Non photo blue
Hex Codes:#FEEA84, #DAEACC, #DAB297, #F8C7C8, #A2E2EB
Although the soft, chalk-like palette likely already tipped you off, the photographs in this design clearly indicate that it’s spring-related. Spring palettes don’t get more classic than this one — you have soft versions of yellow, green, pink, and blue.
These gentle colors would do well in watercolor-style designs, but you can also use them to create chalk-like backdrops like the one in the example. Don’t be afraid to be creative!
19. Walk in the Park
Names: Persian pink, Lavender pink, Fairy tale, Mindaro, Avocado
Hex Codes:#E784C6, #FEB2D9, #FDCEDD, #C4E66A, #6D9A02
Parks are beautiful all year round, but there’s something especially serene about walking in the grass beneath blooming trees. This color palette is a simple one, but it captures the most important shades in this photo: the green of the grass and the pink of the blooms.
Both the gradient of pink and the gradient of green in this picture are great for making ombre-like effects. But if you want to do something a bit different, try including each color in a striped design. The multiple shades of pink and green will make the pattern a standout.
20. Butterfly Garden
Names: Persian indigo, Tropical indigo, Russet, Tangerine, Coquelicot
Hex Codes:#3A107C, #9A7BED, #794727, #F28211, #FE480F
If you look at this palette without the context of the image, it might not look especially springlike. The combination of Russett, Tangerine, and Coquelicot makes it positively autumnal. For that reason, it might be helpful to include a light green background color if you decide to use this one.
As you can see, it’s very possible to use all of these colors to create a captivating, spring-inspired design. One interesting tactic is to keep the warm colors at the center of the design, surrounding them with purple. This is a great way to create a focal point.
The off-center approach of the example image also works well. With the flowers to the left of the image and the butterfly to the right, your audience is able to fully appreciate each.
21. Delicate
Names: French mauve, Pink lavender, Isabelline, Columbia blue, Tickle me pink
Hex Codes:#DE83CB, #D7B4DC, #ECE3DE, #B0D3E6, #FA86B2
Many pastel spring palettes cover a wide range of the color spectrum. But if you want a soft aesthetic that centers around pinks, blues, and purples, this one is a beautiful choice.
It’s always wise to trust your own eye when working on a design. But the example image offers you a distinctive, visually appealing way to use each of these colors. French Mauve, Pink Lavender, and Tickle Me Pink are more closely related to one another than they are to Columbia Blue, so if you incorporate them as accents (like the example image incorporates flowers), they will have a unifying effect. Sprinkling in some Isabelline will add interest.
Then, all you need to do is create a Columbia Blue background. If you place the colorful part of the design off-center like in the example, you have a clear space to add text.
22. Wild
Names: Steel pink, Brilliant rose, Cherry blossom pink, Pale dogwood, Walnut brown
Hex Codes:#D146C6, #EA5A9A, #FAA9B2, #D0BDB2, #665644
The example picture offers a breathtaking vista of a mountain range, and this palette aims to capture its essence — from the little pink blooms to the hazy peaks in the distance.
As you can see, Pale Dogwood and Walnut brown are two neutral shades with great potential for layering. If you’re looking for some coolness to balance out the warm Brilliant Rose and Cherry Blossom Pink, consider combining these shades into a woodgrain effect and using it as a background.
23. Hillside
Names: Apple green, Lemon chiffon, Ivory, Argentinian blue, Raspberry
Hex Codes:#AAB808, #F1ECC7, #F6F4E2, #71B3E7, #E1255B
This palette takes its inspiration from a quaint spot in the countryside. You can capture the green of sunlit, rolling hills and the warm white of pear tree blossoms to truly make them your own.
You might be surprised to see Raspberry included in this palette — after all, it’s a lot brighter and higher energy than the rest of the colors. But when used carefully, Raspberry actually fits in well. Try placing Raspberry roses with Apple Green stems on a background of Lemon Chiffon or Ivory.
24. Spring Sunrise
Names: Mauveine, Steel pink, Rose bonbon, Jasmine, Carrot orange
Hex Codes:#922B99, #BB38BD, #F04599, #FED272, #F69A2F
Pink, yellow, orange, and purple make a beautiful combination that looks a lot like a sunrise (or sunset). You could certainly use the shades in this palette to create an image of a sunrise, but that’s just one of the many designs you can consider!
Regardless of how you choose to use this palette, be sure to keep an eye out for warm/cool balance. Mauveine and Steel Pink are technically cool colors, but Steel Pink comes close to high-energy electric purple. Rose Bonbon, Jasmine, and Carrot Orange are all warm colors. Depending on what you’re creating, this palette of colors might be fine on its own. But often, including more of a cooler shade can bring things back into balance.
The example image does a great job of this. The tulips are bright and engaging, but the natural backdrop of green leaves stops the design from getting too warm.
25. Bluebirds
Names: Magenta (pantone), Lavender pink, Glaucous, Dun, Yellow green
Hex Codes:#DD4E8C, #FCB7E1, #7F8CC5, #DCCBB8, #BAC953
Birdsong is the soundtrack of spring. And while birds are beautiful to hear, they also are quite striking to look at! Bluebirds are a great example. In this palette, Glaucous aptly captures the quiet, powdery blue of the bird’s feathers. The rest of the palette is perfect for building a classic spring landscape. Pantone Magenta and Lavender Pink are ideal for delicate floral designs, and Yellow Green is the color of new leaves.
This collection of colors is made up of softer shades, so it makes sense that softer styles of design would also work nicely. If you’re working on a watercolor-inspired project, this might be a great palette to use.
26. Watercolor
Names: Mint, Celadon, Sunset, Melon, Pink lavender
Hex Codes: #71B27A, #BEE1B9, #F9D69F, #F8B098, #CDACBC
Speaking of watercolor, here’s another palette that’s ideal for it. This color scheme strikes an impressive balance of warm and cool — Sunset and Melon impart a peachy glow as Mint and Celadon represent new foliage.
As you can see, this is a palette that does well in floral designs. But that isn’t the only thing you can do with it. If you need a pale striped or plaid backdrop, this well-rounded group of colors can help.
27. Pastel Dream
Names: Periwinkle, Mimi pink, Mindaro, Tiffany blue, Robin egg blue
Hex Codes:#C8CCFF, #F9D3F6, #F0F094, #84D5D4, #1FCADF
Baby pinks and various shades of robin’s egg blue might be common seasonal colors. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find new, creative ways to use them! This eclectic palette gives you all you need to get started on floral designs, abstract patterns, and more.
To keep your finished design from looking too washed out, it can be helpful to include a few vivid non-pastels. The example image does this well. As you can see, the birdhouses have a quiet and dreamy aesthetic, but the bright leaves and the grounding stems of the vines keep the designs firmly in reality.
28. Sunroom
Names: Orange (wheel), Peach, Naples yellow, Maize, Alice blue
Hex Codes:#FD852E, #F5C096, #FBD269, #F9EB4D, #D3E0E7
Aside from soft Peach, the colors in this palette might not look especially springlike. But as you can see in the example picture, a splash or two of green can make a big difference.
Thanks to its overall warmth, this palette can be a real challenge to work with, especially if you’re designing an interior. After all, there’s a sizeable portion of interior designers who stay completely away from orange!
Unless you’re going for a loud-on-purpose design, the key to success is in carefully planning how much of each shade you use. Alice Blue is the only cool color in the group, so it’s your best bet for backdrops.
You don’t want the rest of your design to overwhelm your audience, so save saturated Wheel Orange and Maize for accents. Use softer Peach and Naples Yellow to bridge the gap between warm and cool.
29. Crocus Blooms
Names: Mauveine, Steel pink, Pear, Jasmine, School bus yellow
Hex Codes:#942BA2, #B14FC3, #C9D655, #FEE475, #FFDC3D
If you like spring color palettes but want to make sure yours is energetic enough, a color scheme with complementary colors is a great idea. This one is especially dynamic — it includes two different shades of both yellow and purple.
The result is a cheerful and vivid combination that evokes the joy of the first crocus blooms. Both Mauveine and Steel Pink can seem a bit heavy, so if that’s the case, try patterning each one with white.
30. Mountain Lake
Names: Maya blue, Uranian blue, Alabaster, Lavender (floral), Plum
Hex Codes:#86C1E9, #B8D7F3, #E4E3D6, #B87ADC, #984094
Blue water is alluring at any time of year. But there’s something especially beautiful about a blue lake surrounded by flowers in springtime.
This color palette lets you capture shimmering water and blue sky, along with the rich purples of fresh blooms. To really complete the palette’s springlike magic, consider adding a few shades of green — both the yellow-green of new buds and the cool blue-green of tulip leaves are great candidates.
Using Spring Colors in Your Design
Each season brings with it a new, exciting collection of colors. When spring rolls around, it’s hard not to be uplifted by the light, cheerful colors of new grass and bright blooms.
However, spring colors do more than just look pretty. If you’re in the advertising world, you might find they actually drive sales. People associate spring with regeneration and feeling happier. If you’re able to uplift them with a colorful ad, they may be more likely to purchase from you.
As you see above, the world of spring colors is virtually limitless. If you aren’t quite sure how to use them in your own designs, here are some suggestions to help you get started.
Don’t Be Afraid to Stray From Realism
Realistic floral patterns can make great additions to springtime designs. But if you want to reinvent this classic, try using colors in unexpected ways. For instance, you might create a floral design where the flowers have stems and leaves that are red, turquoise, and purple instead of the usual green.
If you’re in advertising, a design like this might make your brand stand out to your audience. After all, we see realistic floral designs every day. But someone will likely remember the flowers with colorful stems!
Try Different Backgrounds
In all the excitement of creating the main part of your design, it’s easy to forget an important component: the background. It’s essential to put just as much thought into your background as you do for the rest of your design — a new background can completely transform a piece.
For example, let’s say you have a simple design of three pastel pink roses in a jar. With an ivory background, the design looks quiet (and maybe even a little staid). But if you swap out the ivory background for a background of vivid teal, you create a modern and eye-catching piece.
Make Sure the Design (and the Color) Is On-Brand
If you routinely create designs for a specific company, it can be fun to mix things up during a new season. But before you get to work, take a moment to think about the style of art that best suits the brand.
For instance, if you’re creating an advertisem*nt for a business consulting firm, you probably wouldn’t want to include a cutesy design of cartoon animals. A more minimalist look would probably be more appropriate in this scenario.
Similarly, because pink can be associated with childishness, you probably wouldn’t want to make the consulting firm an ad that’s mostly pink. But because pink tends to be associated with sweet things, it might be just right for a bakery.
Let Your Designs Blossom With Spring Palettes
Spring is a time when the whole world starts to feel revitalized. Why not revitalize your designs, too?
Using different colors than normal helps you think outside of the box, and it ultimately will make you a better, more confident designer. Pick one of the palettes above and get started!
