One of the most fun, and important, steps in the visual branding process is creating a color palette. The selection and usage of color speak volumes about a brand. Colors convey personality, mood, emotion, and even status. In today’s post, I’m sharing how brands can create an upscale, high-end identity through the use of sophisticated color palettes.
What makes a sophisticated color palette?
Before we dive in and look at some example palettes, let’s consider what makes a color palette sophisticated. Sophistication implies elegance, class, and luxury. In a business context, it also implies exclusivity, high-quality services or products, and premium pricing. If you want to create an upscale brand identity for your business, there are many ways to convey sophistication, but a great place to start is with your color palette.
While there are no hard rules when it comes to color, sophisticated color palettes tend to have the following traits in common:
- Neutral shades. Natural colors that don’t lean too masculine or too feminine have wide appeal. While it never hurts to incorporate a bit of color, the majority of the palette should be neutral.
- Muted tones. Elegant color palettes tend to incorporate muted shades, as opposed to bright, vivid pops of color.
- High contrast. Contrasting darker colors with lighter shades gives the palette a bit of edge and intrigue.
Color palette examples
Keep scrolling to view 10 curated color palettes for upscale brands. These color schemes are perfect for brands that offer high-ticket, premium services or products, such as interior designers, photographers, e-commerce brands, hotels, restaurants, and more.
Color palette #1
Neutral color palette hex codes (top to bottom):
- #d9d2cc
- #f2f1ef
- #d9b18e
- #a67564
- #723e31
Color palette #2
Elegant green color palette hex codes(top to bottom):
- #192231
- #404a42
- #c0b283
- #eddbcd
- #f4f4f4
Color palette #3
Red and pink color palette hex codes(top to bottom):
- #f3ece4
- #d9b6a3
- #d88b79
- #a71f13
- #a7382d
Color palette #4
Blue neutral color palette hex codes(top to bottom):
- #02000d
- #07203f
- #f1d2b6
- #d9aa90
- #a65e46
Color palette #5
Gold color palette hex codes (top to bottom):
- #d9b061
- #d9c4a9
- #d8d0c5
- #8d6f57
- #3f0d0c
Color palette #6
Luxury color palette hex codes (top to bottom):
- #dfe5f3
- #557373
- #272401
- #f2efea
- #0d0d0d
Color palette #7
Dark color palette hex codes (top to bottom):
- #a6445d
- #021c41
- #142f40
- #d89b65
- #bf835f
Color palette #8
Green and pink color palette hex codes (top to bottom):
- #c09bac
- #314021
- #617246
- #0c0d07
- #d8c6ba
Color palette #9
Blue color palette hex codes (top to bottom):
- #bde8f1
- #819fa7
- #5b6e74
- #f2f2f0
- #0d0d0d
Color palette #10
Sophisticated color palette hex codes (top to bottom):
- #f2f2f2
- #d9d9d9
- #0f1b27
- #bfafaf
- #0d0d0d
Where to find more color inspiration
Looking for more color palette inspiration for your brand? Head on over to my color palettes board on Pinterest. As a brand and web designer, I spend a lot of time browsing and curating color palettes, fonts, mood boards, and other visual inspiration.
If you’re having trouble figuring out where to even begin when it comes to creating a color palette for your brand, I recommend you start by creating a mood board–read this post to learn more about mood boards and grab some free templates you can use to get started with today.
Need a hand creating the perfect color palette and visuals for your brand? I specialize in crafting sophisticated brands and websites for small businesses. Click here to learn more about my services and schedule a free discovery call.
Related posts:
- 10 pastel color palettes for warm and friendly brands
- 10 modern color palettes for your brand and website
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