Palette · retro · warm · vibrant

Retro Sunset

Seventies-inspired amber, rust and cream — nostalgic warmth for brands with personality.

Copy as

Building with shadcn/ui?

Install Retro Sunset as a real theme — light and dark, OKLCH tokens, every colour pair measured, DTCG export.

Get the theme →

Usage system

Everything you need to wire this palette into a real project, not just the colors.

CSS variables
:root {
  --color-bg: #FFF6EA;
  --color-surface: #FFEFD9;
  --color-primary: #E8743B;
  --color-accent: #C9456B;
  --color-text: #3A2417;
  --color-muted: #9C7A5E;
}
Tailwind config
// tailwind.config.js
module.exports = {
  theme: {
    extend: {
      colors: {
        bg: '#FFF6EA',
        surface: '#FFEFD9',
        primary: '#E8743B',
        accent: '#C9456B',
        text: '#3A2417',
        muted: '#9C7A5E',
      },
    },
  },
};
SCSS variables
$color-bg: #FFF6EA;
$color-surface: #FFEFD9;
$color-primary: #E8743B;
$color-accent: #C9456B;
$color-text: #3A2417;
$color-muted: #9C7A5E;
DESIGN.md for AI agents

Paste into Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, v0 or Lovable before you ask for UI, or fetch it directly from /d/retro-sunset.md. Colors, contrast ratios and the rules an agent must follow, all computed from this palette.

# DESIGN.md — Retro Sunset

> Design context for AI coding agents. Paste this file into Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, v0 or Lovable
> before asking for UI, or commit it at your repo root as `DESIGN.md`.

- **Source:** [Retro Sunset on CSS Crème](https://csscreme.com/themes/retro-sunset)
- **Default mode:** light
- **Tags:** retro, warm, vibrant
- **Install as a real shadcn/ui theme:** `npx shadcn@latest add https://csscreme.com/r/retro-sunset.json`
- **Fingerprint:** `fnv1a-5b6fcb08` — a hash of the token set below. It changes only when a token changes.
- **Verify this copy:** call the MCP tool `verify_design_md` with `{ "id": "retro-sunset", "fingerprint": "fnv1a-5b6fcb08" }`
  at `https://csscreme.com/mcp`, or refetch https://csscreme.com/d/retro-sunset.md. A stale copy is worse than none: an agent will follow it faithfully.
- **Also available as:** [DTCG tokens](https://csscreme.com/d/retro-sunset.tokens.json) for Tokens Studio / Figma Variables · [agent rules block](https://csscreme.com/d/retro-sunset.rules.md) for CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md or .cursor/rules

Seventies-inspired amber, rust and cream — nostalgic warmth for brands with personality.

---

## Semantic color roles

Six roles carry the identity. Everything else in this file is derived from them.

| Role | Hex | OKLCH | Use it for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `bg` | `#FFF6EA` | `oklch(97.7% 0.019 75.3)` | page background |
| `surface` | `#FFEFD9` | `oklch(95.9% 0.034 76.0)` | cards, panels, popovers |
| `primary` | `#E8743B` | `oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7)` | brand actions: primary buttons, links, focus rings |
| `accent` | `#C9456B` | `oklch(58.4% 0.169 6.5)` | secondary emphasis only, never a second primary |
| `text` | `#3A2417` | `oklch(28.4% 0.040 51.1)` | body and heading text |
| `muted` | `#9C7A5E` | `oklch(60.5% 0.058 60.8)` | secondary text, borders, disabled states |

## Full token set (shadcn/ui, both modes)

Colors are OKLCH (Tailwind v4 / shadcn native). Brand colors are identical in both modes by design:
only the neutrals move, and they keep their hue, so light and dark read as the same design system.

| Token | Light | Dark |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `--background` | `oklch(97.7% 0.019 75.3)` | `oklch(19.6% 0.018 74.4)` |
| `--foreground` | `oklch(28.4% 0.040 51.1)` | `oklch(96.6% 0.002 17.2)` |
| `--card` | `oklch(95.9% 0.034 76.0)` | `oklch(26.8% 0.028 75.4)` |
| `--card-foreground` | `oklch(28.4% 0.040 51.1)` | `oklch(96.6% 0.002 17.2)` |
| `--popover` | `oklch(95.9% 0.034 76.0)` | `oklch(26.8% 0.028 75.4)` |
| `--popover-foreground` | `oklch(28.4% 0.040 51.1)` | `oklch(96.6% 0.002 17.2)` |
| `--primary` | `oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7)` | `oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7)` |
| `--primary-foreground` | `oklch(15.2% 0.009 285.3)` | `oklch(15.2% 0.009 285.3)` |
| `--secondary` | `oklch(96.4% 0.028 74.3)` | `oklch(24.2% 0.024 71.9)` |
| `--secondary-foreground` | `oklch(28.4% 0.040 51.1)` | `oklch(96.6% 0.002 17.2)` |
| `--muted` | `oklch(96.4% 0.028 74.3)` | `oklch(24.2% 0.024 71.9)` |
| `--muted-foreground` | `oklch(60.5% 0.058 60.8)` | `oklch(70.9% 0.010 62.5)` |
| `--accent` | `oklch(58.4% 0.169 6.5)` | `oklch(58.4% 0.169 6.5)` |
| `--accent-foreground` | `oklch(100.0% 0.000 89.9)` | `oklch(100.0% 0.000 89.9)` |
| `--destructive` | `oklch(62.6% 0.193 23.0)` | `oklch(62.6% 0.193 23.0)` |
| `--destructive-foreground` | `oklch(15.2% 0.009 285.3)` | `oklch(15.2% 0.009 285.3)` |
| `--border` | `oklch(85.1% 0.031 69.0)` | `oklch(35.6% 0.014 71.6)` |
| `--input` | `oklch(85.1% 0.031 69.0)` | `oklch(35.6% 0.014 71.6)` |
| `--ring` | `oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7)` | `oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7)` |
| `--chart-1` | `oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7)` | `oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7)` |
| `--chart-2` | `oklch(58.4% 0.169 6.5)` | `oklch(58.4% 0.169 6.5)` |
| `--chart-3` | `oklch(90.1% 0.180 109.2)` | `oklch(90.1% 0.180 109.2)` |
| `--chart-4` | `oklch(62.7% 0.211 5.9)` | `oklch(62.7% 0.211 5.9)` |
| `--chart-5` | `oklch(63.3% 0.158 27.1)` | `oklch(63.3% 0.158 27.1)` |
| `--sidebar` | `oklch(96.9% 0.026 76.8)` | `oklch(23.3% 0.023 75.1)` |
| `--sidebar-foreground` | `oklch(28.4% 0.040 51.1)` | `oklch(96.6% 0.002 17.2)` |
| `--sidebar-primary` | `oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7)` | `oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7)` |
| `--sidebar-primary-foreground` | `oklch(15.2% 0.009 285.3)` | `oklch(15.2% 0.009 285.3)` |
| `--sidebar-accent` | `oklch(96.4% 0.028 74.3)` | `oklch(24.2% 0.024 71.9)` |
| `--sidebar-accent-foreground` | `oklch(28.4% 0.040 51.1)` | `oklch(96.6% 0.002 17.2)` |
| `--sidebar-border` | `oklch(85.1% 0.031 69.0)` | `oklch(35.6% 0.014 71.6)` |
| `--sidebar-ring` | `oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7)` | `oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7)` |

**What is measured and what is derived.** The six roles are the source. `chart-*` and `sidebar-*` follow
fixed rules over them (chart-1 = primary, chart-2 = accent, chart-3/4 = primary rotated ±40°, chart-5 = the
midpoint of primary and accent; sidebar maps onto surface, border and primary). `shadow-*` is the foreground
colour at a fixed opacity per step. None of those is a measurement, and an agent should treat them as
defaults it may override, unlike the six roles, which it may not.

## Typography

- **Headings:** Clash Display
- **Body:** Cabinet Grotesk

## Shape and rhythm

- **Radius:** `14px` (the `--radius` token; derive smaller/larger from it, do not invent new values)
- **Spacing scale:** 4px base · 4 / 8 / 12 / 20 / 32

## Contrast, measured

Computed from the tokens above in light mode, not asserted. Ratios are WCAG 2.1 relative luminance.

| Pair | Foreground | Background | Ratio | Verdict |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Body text on page background | `#3A2417` | `#FFF6EA` | 13.58:1 | AAA |
| Body text on card | `#3A2417` | `#FFEFD9` | 12.88:1 | AAA |
| Muted text on page background | `#9C7A5E` | `#FFF6EA` | 3.66:1 | AA large text only |
| Button label on primary | `#0b0b0f` | `#E8743B` | 6.54:1 | AA |
| Button label on accent | `#ffffff` | `#C9456B` | 4.62:1 | AA |

## Rules for the agent

These are constraints, not suggestions. Each one is checkable against the tables above.

1. **Use only the tokens listed here.** Do not introduce a hex value that is not in the token table. If
   you need an in-between shade, mix two existing tokens rather than inventing a new hue.
2. **`#E8743B` (primary) is the only call-to-action color.** One primary action per view. `accent`
   is for secondary emphasis and must never be styled as a second primary button.
3. **Never restyle brand colors between light and dark.** Only neutrals change mode. A theme whose
   primary shifts between modes is a different theme.
4. **Respect the radius token.** Every corner derives from `14px`. Mixed radii across a view is
   the most common tell of generated UI.
5. **Stay on the spacing scale.** 4px base · 4 / 8 / 12 / 20 / 32. No arbitrary pixel values.
6. **Do not drop below the contrast ratios above.** If a combination you need is not in the contrast
   table, compute it before shipping it. Text under 4.5:1 fails AA.
7. **Headings in Clash Display, body in Cabinet Grotesk.** Do not add a third family.
8. **Use the semantic role, not the raw color.** Write `var(--primary)`, never `#E8743B`, so the
   theme stays swappable.

## CSS variables

Paste into `globals.css`:

```css
:root {
  --background: oklch(97.7% 0.019 75.3);
  --foreground: oklch(28.4% 0.040 51.1);
  --card: oklch(95.9% 0.034 76.0);
  --card-foreground: oklch(28.4% 0.040 51.1);
  --popover: oklch(95.9% 0.034 76.0);
  --popover-foreground: oklch(28.4% 0.040 51.1);
  --primary: oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7);
  --primary-foreground: oklch(15.2% 0.009 285.3);
  --secondary: oklch(96.4% 0.028 74.3);
  --secondary-foreground: oklch(28.4% 0.040 51.1);
  --muted: oklch(96.4% 0.028 74.3);
  --muted-foreground: oklch(60.5% 0.058 60.8);
  --accent: oklch(58.4% 0.169 6.5);
  --accent-foreground: oklch(100.0% 0.000 89.9);
  --destructive: oklch(62.6% 0.193 23.0);
  --destructive-foreground: oklch(15.2% 0.009 285.3);
  --border: oklch(85.1% 0.031 69.0);
  --input: oklch(85.1% 0.031 69.0);
  --ring: oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7);
  --chart-1: oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7);
  --chart-2: oklch(58.4% 0.169 6.5);
  --chart-3: oklch(90.1% 0.180 109.2);
  --chart-4: oklch(62.7% 0.211 5.9);
  --chart-5: oklch(63.3% 0.158 27.1);
  --sidebar: oklch(96.9% 0.026 76.8);
  --sidebar-foreground: oklch(28.4% 0.040 51.1);
  --sidebar-primary: oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7);
  --sidebar-primary-foreground: oklch(15.2% 0.009 285.3);
  --sidebar-accent: oklch(96.4% 0.028 74.3);
  --sidebar-accent-foreground: oklch(28.4% 0.040 51.1);
  --sidebar-border: oklch(85.1% 0.031 69.0);
  --sidebar-ring: oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7);
  --radius: 14px;
  --shadow-2xs: 0 1px 2px 0px rgb(58 36 23 / 0.05);
  --shadow-xs: 0 1px 3px 0px rgb(58 36 23 / 0.06);
  --shadow-sm: 0 1px 3px 0px rgb(58 36 23 / 0.08), 0 1px 2px -1px rgb(58 36 23 / 0.08);
  --shadow-md: 0 4px 6px -1px rgb(58 36 23 / 0.09), 0 2px 4px -2px rgb(58 36 23 / 0.09);
  --shadow-lg: 0 10px 15px -3px rgb(58 36 23 / 0.1), 0 4px 6px -4px rgb(58 36 23 / 0.1);
  --shadow-xl: 0 20px 25px -5px rgb(58 36 23 / 0.12), 0 8px 10px -6px rgb(58 36 23 / 0.12);
  --shadow-2xl: 0 25px 50px -12px rgb(58 36 23 / 0.22);
  --spacing: 4px;
}

.dark {
  --background: oklch(19.6% 0.018 74.4);
  --foreground: oklch(96.6% 0.002 17.2);
  --card: oklch(26.8% 0.028 75.4);
  --card-foreground: oklch(96.6% 0.002 17.2);
  --popover: oklch(26.8% 0.028 75.4);
  --popover-foreground: oklch(96.6% 0.002 17.2);
  --primary: oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7);
  --primary-foreground: oklch(15.2% 0.009 285.3);
  --secondary: oklch(24.2% 0.024 71.9);
  --secondary-foreground: oklch(96.6% 0.002 17.2);
  --muted: oklch(24.2% 0.024 71.9);
  --muted-foreground: oklch(70.9% 0.010 62.5);
  --accent: oklch(58.4% 0.169 6.5);
  --accent-foreground: oklch(100.0% 0.000 89.9);
  --destructive: oklch(62.6% 0.193 23.0);
  --destructive-foreground: oklch(15.2% 0.009 285.3);
  --border: oklch(35.6% 0.014 71.6);
  --input: oklch(35.6% 0.014 71.6);
  --ring: oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7);
  --chart-1: oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7);
  --chart-2: oklch(58.4% 0.169 6.5);
  --chart-3: oklch(90.1% 0.180 109.2);
  --chart-4: oklch(62.7% 0.211 5.9);
  --chart-5: oklch(63.3% 0.158 27.1);
  --sidebar: oklch(23.3% 0.023 75.1);
  --sidebar-foreground: oklch(96.6% 0.002 17.2);
  --sidebar-primary: oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7);
  --sidebar-primary-foreground: oklch(15.2% 0.009 285.3);
  --sidebar-accent: oklch(24.2% 0.024 71.9);
  --sidebar-accent-foreground: oklch(96.6% 0.002 17.2);
  --sidebar-border: oklch(35.6% 0.014 71.6);
  --sidebar-ring: oklch(68.5% 0.160 44.7);
  --shadow-2xs: 0 1px 2px 0px rgb(245 243 243 / 0.16);
  --shadow-xs: 0 1px 3px 0px rgb(245 243 243 / 0.18);
  --shadow-sm: 0 1px 3px 0px rgb(245 243 243 / 0.22), 0 1px 2px -1px rgb(245 243 243 / 0.22);
  --shadow-md: 0 4px 6px -1px rgb(245 243 243 / 0.26), 0 2px 4px -2px rgb(245 243 243 / 0.26);
  --shadow-lg: 0 10px 15px -3px rgb(245 243 243 / 0.3), 0 4px 6px -4px rgb(245 243 243 / 0.3);
  --shadow-xl: 0 20px 25px -5px rgb(245 243 243 / 0.34), 0 8px 10px -6px rgb(245 243 243 / 0.34);
  --shadow-2xl: 0 25px 50px -12px rgb(245 243 243 / 0.45);
}
```

Tailwind v4 maps them into utilities:

```css
@theme inline {
  --color-background: var(--background);
  --color-foreground: var(--foreground);
  --color-card: var(--card);
  --color-card-foreground: var(--card-foreground);
  --color-popover: var(--popover);
  --color-popover-foreground: var(--popover-foreground);
  --color-primary: var(--primary);
  --color-primary-foreground: var(--primary-foreground);
  --color-secondary: var(--secondary);
  --color-secondary-foreground: var(--secondary-foreground);
  --color-muted: var(--muted);
  --color-muted-foreground: var(--muted-foreground);
  --color-accent: var(--accent);
  --color-accent-foreground: var(--accent-foreground);
  --color-destructive: var(--destructive);
  --color-destructive-foreground: var(--destructive-foreground);
  --color-border: var(--border);
  --color-input: var(--input);
  --color-ring: var(--ring);
  --color-chart-1: var(--chart-1);
  --color-chart-2: var(--chart-2);
  --color-chart-3: var(--chart-3);
  --color-chart-4: var(--chart-4);
  --color-chart-5: var(--chart-5);
  --color-sidebar: var(--sidebar);
  --color-sidebar-foreground: var(--sidebar-foreground);
  --color-sidebar-primary: var(--sidebar-primary);
  --color-sidebar-primary-foreground: var(--sidebar-primary-foreground);
  --color-sidebar-accent: var(--sidebar-accent);
  --color-sidebar-accent-foreground: var(--sidebar-accent-foreground);
  --color-sidebar-border: var(--sidebar-border);
  --color-sidebar-ring: var(--sidebar-ring);
  --radius: var(--radius);
  --radius-sm: calc(var(--radius) - 4px);
  --radius-md: calc(var(--radius) - 2px);
  --radius-lg: var(--radius);
  --radius-xl: calc(var(--radius) + 4px);
  --shadow-2xs: var(--shadow-2xs);
  --shadow-xs: var(--shadow-xs);
  --shadow-sm: var(--shadow-sm);
  --shadow-md: var(--shadow-md);
  --shadow-lg: var(--shadow-lg);
  --shadow-xl: var(--shadow-xl);
  --shadow-2xl: var(--shadow-2xl);
  --spacing: var(--spacing);
}
```

---

Generated by [CSS Crème](https://csscreme.com) — curated web design, decoded so you can build it.
Every value above is computed from the palette, not written by hand.
Font pairing Clash Display / heading · Cabinet Grotesk / body
Corner radius 14px
Spacing scale 4px base · 4 / 8 / 12 / 20 / 32

In context

New

Build better, faster

A card, a heading, a button and a hint of text: the palette doing real work.

Every pair, measured

Body text on the page background measures 13.58:1, which passes AAA. Below is every ink on every ground in this palette, computed with the WCAG 2.1 relative-luminance formula and reported against normal body text, which is the strictest case. 3 of 14 usable pairs reach AA or better. The failures are left in: a palette that hides them is less useful than one that tells you which two colours never to put together.

ink on groundBackgroundSurfacePrimaryAccent
Text Aa 13.58 AAA Aa 12.88 AAA Aa 4.84 AA Aa 3.15 Large only
Muted Aa 3.66 Large only Aa 3.47 Large only Aa 1.3 Fail Aa 1.18 Fail
Primary Aa 2.81 Fail Aa 2.66 Fail — Aa 1.54 Fail
Accent Aa 4.32 Large only Aa 4.09 Large only Aa 1.54 Fail —

Each cell is the ink actually painted on the ground, so you are reading the real pair rather than a swatch of it. Ratios are computed at build time from the hex values on this page; nothing here is asserted. Need the other standard? The contrast checker takes any two colours.

Under colour-vision deficiency

The six roles as they read under each simulated deficiency (Machado 2009, full severity). What to check: do primary and accent still tell apart, and does text still sit off surface? A simulation, not a measurement of anyone's vision.

Typical
Protanopia
Deuteranopia
Tritanopia
Achromatopsia

Found one you like? Pair it with a template, generate a matching background in the gradient generator, or browse all palettes.