Deep forest

A dark pine canopy with pale mint light breaking through, for a dark theme that feels natural and restful rather than technical.

calm
cool
serious

The colours

6 colours, each with a role, then the palette at work on a small page.

Pine shadebackground#0f1f19
Moss floorsurface#17302a
Birchtext#e8efe5
Fern greymuted#a2b8ab
Mint lightaccent#7fd1a0
Bark lineborder#2b4a3f

Text on background: 14.56:1 — passes AA

Spring open days

A garden worth the walk

Paths, ponds and a glasshouse full of ferns, open every weekend from April to June.

Plan a visit

New

The late tulip border

Two hundred bulbs, planted by volunteers last autumn.

A made-up page in this palette. Every text colour reaches at least 4.5:1 on its background; the heading, at 28px, may use a 3:1 pair.

Copy the idea

Take the palette with you as a brief for a person, as instructions for an AI assistant, or as design tokens: the colours, their roles and the pairs that are safe for text.

# Deep forest — palette recipe

## The idea

- A dark pine canopy with pale mint light breaking through, for a dark theme that feels natural and restful rather than technical.
- Mood: calm, cool, serious

## Use it for

- Outdoor and travel brands
- Climate and nature organisations
- Dark modes for calm apps

## Avoid it when

- The brand is bright and cheerful
- Pages are printed or read in strong daylight

## Colours

- Pine shade (background): #0f1f19
- Moss floor (surface): #17302a
- Birch (text): #e8efe5
- Fern grey (muted): #a2b8ab
- Mint light (accent): #7fd1a0
- Bark line (border): #2b4a3f

## Accessible pairs

- Birch on Pine shade — 14.6:1 (AA)
- Pine shade on Birch — 14.6:1 (AA)
- Birch on Moss floor — 12.0:1 (AA)
- Moss floor on Birch — 12.0:1 (AA)
- Mint light on Pine shade — 9.4:1 (AA)
- Pine shade on Mint light — 9.4:1 (AA)
- Bark line on Birch — 8.3:1 (AA)
- Birch on Bark line — 8.3:1 (AA)
- Fern grey on Pine shade — 8.1:1 (AA)
- Pine shade on Fern grey — 8.1:1 (AA)
- Mint light on Moss floor — 7.7:1 (AA)
- Moss floor on Mint light — 7.7:1 (AA)
- Fern grey on Moss floor — 6.7:1 (AA)
- Moss floor on Fern grey — 6.7:1 (AA)
- Bark line on Mint light — 5.4:1 (AA)
- Mint light on Bark line — 5.4:1 (AA)
- Bark line on Fern grey — 4.6:1 (AA)
- Fern grey on Bark line — 4.6:1 (AA)

## Principles

- Pine shade fills about 70% of the screen and moss floor about 20%, for cards
- Birch for all reading text, fern grey for secondary details
- Mint light marks buttons, links and progress, around 5%, with pine shade text on buttons
- Never use mint light for long passages of text; it glows
- Separate panels with bark line borders rather than shadows

Design with the "Deep forest" palette.

The idea: A dark pine canopy with pale mint light breaking through, for a dark theme that feels natural and restful rather than technical.
The mood: calm, cool, serious.

It suits:
- Outdoor and travel brands
- Climate and nature organisations
- Dark modes for calm apps
It is a poor fit when:
- The brand is bright and cheerful
- Pages are printed or read in strong daylight

Use these colours, each in its role:
- Pine shade (background): #0f1f19
- Moss floor (surface): #17302a
- Birch (text): #e8efe5
- Fern grey (muted): #a2b8ab
- Mint light (accent): #7fd1a0
- Bark line (border): #2b4a3f

Set text only in these colour pairs (text on background); use the ones marked (AA large) only for text at least 24px, or 18.66px bold:
- Birch on Pine shade — 14.6:1 (AA)
- Pine shade on Birch — 14.6:1 (AA)
- Birch on Moss floor — 12.0:1 (AA)
- Moss floor on Birch — 12.0:1 (AA)
- Mint light on Pine shade — 9.4:1 (AA)
- Pine shade on Mint light — 9.4:1 (AA)
- Bark line on Birch — 8.3:1 (AA)
- Birch on Bark line — 8.3:1 (AA)
- Fern grey on Pine shade — 8.1:1 (AA)
- Pine shade on Fern grey — 8.1:1 (AA)
- Mint light on Moss floor — 7.7:1 (AA)
- Moss floor on Mint light — 7.7:1 (AA)
- Fern grey on Moss floor — 6.7:1 (AA)
- Moss floor on Fern grey — 6.7:1 (AA)
- Bark line on Mint light — 5.4:1 (AA)
- Mint light on Bark line — 5.4:1 (AA)
- Bark line on Fern grey — 4.6:1 (AA)
- Fern grey on Bark line — 4.6:1 (AA)

Follow these principles:
- Pine shade fills about 70% of the screen and moss floor about 20%, for cards
- Birch for all reading text, fern grey for secondary details
- Mint light marks buttons, links and progress, around 5%, with pine shade text on buttons
- Never use mint light for long passages of text; it glows
- Separate panels with bark line borders rather than shadows

Apply the idea and the rules above; do not copy any existing website.

:root {
  --color-background: #0f1f19;
  --color-surface: #17302a;
  --color-text: #e8efe5;
  --color-muted: #a2b8ab;
  --color-accent: #7fd1a0;
  --color-border: #2b4a3f;
}

Download brief (.md)

Accessible pairs

Every pair of colours that is readable as text, strongest first. AA pairs (4.5:1 or more) work at any size; AA large pairs (3:1 or more) only for text of 24px, or 18.66px bold.

Text on background	Contrast	Level
Birch on Pine shade	14.6:1	AA
Pine shade on Birch	14.6:1	AA
Birch on Moss floor	12.0:1	AA
Moss floor on Birch	12.0:1	AA
Mint light on Pine shade	9.4:1	AA
Pine shade on Mint light	9.4:1	AA
Bark line on Birch	8.3:1	AA
Birch on Bark line	8.3:1	AA
Fern grey on Pine shade	8.1:1	AA
Pine shade on Fern grey	8.1:1	AA
Mint light on Moss floor	7.7:1	AA
Moss floor on Mint light	7.7:1	AA
Fern grey on Moss floor	6.7:1	AA
Moss floor on Fern grey	6.7:1	AA
Bark line on Mint light	5.4:1	AA
Mint light on Bark line	5.4:1	AA
Bark line on Fern grey	4.6:1	AA
Fern grey on Bark line	4.6:1	AA

Where it fits

Use it for

Outdoor and travel brands
Climate and nature organisations
Dark modes for calm apps

Avoid it when

The brand is bright and cheerful
Pages are printed or read in strong daylight

Principles

How much of each colour to use, and where.

Pine shade fills about 70% of the screen and moss floor about 20%, for cards
Birch for all reading text, fern grey for secondary details
Mint light marks buttons, links and progress, around 5%, with pine shade text on buttons
Never use mint light for long passages of text; it glows
Separate panels with bark line borders rather than shadows