What fall's top colors can teach you about branding & design

Tawny Port

This rich, velvety hue is perhaps the most classic of the fall colors. It’s evocative of seasonal foods such as ripe figs and simmered beets and conveys luxury, warmth, and elegance. Reds are the attention-getters of the color family, having long been thought to produce a physiological attraction in viewers. But the muted blue tones in Tawny Port add a sophistication and make it an excellent choice for a statement background, or as an accent color paired with other fall neutrals such as gray, Navy Peony, or, for an uber-romantic combination, Ballet Slipper.

Ballet Slipper

The advent of Millennial Pink, also known as Tumblr Pink, catapulted pink hues into ubiquity years ago, reclassifying them as a lifestyle staple. Ballet Slipper is a soft, fresh take on pink that exudes playfulness and charm, while still working like a neutral. It is a great option for when you need to create contrast, as with text overlay on a color background, but want something more exciting than white or gray. Pair with the bolder colors of the fall palette, such as Marina, Shaded Spruce, Tawny Port, Grenadine, or Autumn Maple for an on-trend contrast. Check out a couple examples below:

Shaded Spruce

Shaded Spruce is just about the dreamiest green we ever did see. Greens convey vitality and growth, and this blue-tinged shade delivers the protective, sheltered comfort of an evergreen forest. Use it as a background to set the mood, or as a more subtle motif throughout your visual content to help convey serenity or endurance. As a bonus, this deep green is a wonderful tie-in for the holiday season without being over-the-top. We love how it pairs with a vibrant red:

Or with subdued greys or hues in the same green family:

Grenadine

This lively red gets its name from the brightly colored cocktail mixer derived from pomegranate juice. It is a powerful, exciting, and confident hue that will bring text and images to the foreground. It’s an effective choice for encouraging people to make quick decisions, as with calls to action such as “buy now” or “click here.” It also a great choice for adding a splash of drama by applying it as a finishing touch to important details, as a figurative (or literal) cherry on the top of your graphic cake, such as the images below.