a whimsical, 2025-inspired color palette

color inspiration
Written By Nikki Mihalik

Happy New Year, friends! It’s the first Friday of 2025, and I’m already behind. Not stressing about it, though. I have two days of vacation left and I’m determined to enjoy them. :)

Today’s color palette is a colorful and carefree mix of poppy red, hot pink, mustard yellow, cream/ivory, and a subtle, silvery shade of blue-green akin to lamb’s ear. It’s a charming, cheerful combination that feels vintage and modern at the same time.

Need to see the colors in action?

In preparation for Lunar New Year, I started playing around with some snake illustrations. This one still needs work, but it should give you a good idea of how the colors would look together:

Happy Friday!


You can now download a free printable PDF of this color palette that includes values for print (CMYK) and web (HEX, RGB, HSL) - as well as the closest Pantone matches for coated and uncoated stock! It’s everything you need to recreate this color combo on your own.

Looking for more inspiration?

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Nikki Mihalik

Hi! I’m Nikki, the Creative Director and Principal Designer at Akula Kreative, a graphic + web + print design studio based in Houston, Texas. Over the past 11 years, I have branded hundreds of businesses, from seven-figure-start-ups to one-woman-shows. I am obsessed with design, passionate about paper goods, and love to create beautiful, intentional brands that allow busy entrepreneurs to hustle less and play more.

http://www.akulakreative.com
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