50s atomic-age optimism fused with organic modernism. Starburst motifs, kidney forms, and saturated earth tones for design that is timeless.
Five saturated-but-restrained earth tones. Warm, grounded, optimistic. Drawn from nature and 1950s Formica surfaces. Hover a swatch to see the Retro Elevation interaction.
Canonical pairings — atomic-age approved
Every component uses hard-edge shadows, organic-ish rounded corners, and the Analog Switch press pattern. No gradients. No neon.
Primary — Analog Switch (hard-offset shadow + damped press)
Outline variants — Retro Elevation on hover
Size variants
Four named patterns govern every interaction in this style. Hover or click each demo panel to feel the precise mechanic.
Active: hard offset disappears + translate(4px,4px)
Mimics a retro mechanical key: shadow collapses to zero as the button physically "sinks" into the surface. No spring — pure damped precision.
Click and hold to see the shadow collapse
hover: rotate(45deg) + deepen gold color
Brass / gold decorations (starbursts, accent points) rotate slightly and deepen in hue on hover, evoking metal reflecting ambient light.
Hover to see the starburst rotate and gold deepen
hover: shadow 4px→8px + translate(-2px,-2px)
Cards lift via longer hard-edge shadow (printmaking / woodblock aesthetic) paired with a slight counter-translate — the element appears to pull away from its own shadow.
Hover the card to see it pull from its shadow
hover: bg #f5f0e1 → #efe9d3 (gentle darken only)
Cream-background surfaces respond to interaction through slight darkening only — no color shift, no flash. Avoids modern neon or high-contrast flicker that would break the period feel.
Hover each row — cream gently darkens, nothing more
A mock product catalog demonstrating the design system in context: hard-edge cards, starburst accents, Retro Elevation on hover, and Warm Dimming on list rows.
4 essential pieces
Five defining moments from post-war optimism to the moon landing. Click any year to explore the era.
New materials from wartime industry — fibreglass, plywood, aluminium — enter domestic design.
Three core pillars define this aesthetic. Warm but not nostalgic. Geometric but organic. Bold but never brash.
Utility is never sacrificed for ornament
Every decorative element — starburst, boomerang, kidney curve — has structural purpose. Chairs that look like sculpture but sit beautifully.
Saturated but never garish
Colours drawn from forest, sand, copper, and foliage. Bold enough to be expressive. Muted enough to coexist with natural materials.
Post-war belief in tomorrow
The atom is friendly. The stars are reachable. Space and generous whitespace communicate confidence — nothing is crammed or anxious.
Atomic-age star and sunburst decorations applied to card corners, dividers, and accent points.
Atom and orbital shapes for empty states, illustrations, and loading indicators.
Kidney, boomerang, and amoeba outlines break geometric rigidity with natural flow.
4px offset solid borders replace soft drop-shadows, referencing letterpress printing.
Five grounded tones: burnt orange, cream, teal, brushed gold, and charcoal.
Press mechanics that sink and shadow-collapse, mimicking vintage Bakelite switches.