"Inspired by the crisp hues of the Arctic, Alchemist's Orchid melds that serene coolness with soft purples and pinks for an enchanting, pastel-infused palette — now optimized for visual accessibility."
A versatile color palette crafted for any terminal emulator or editor, with astigmatism-friendly design and anxiety-reducing color psychology.
- 🔬 Astigmatism-Optimized: Reduced saturation on high-intensity colors to prevent halation blooming
- ☀️ Light Mode: Essential for users who experience discomfort with dark interfaces
- 📜 Sepia Mode: Warm tones for extended coding sessions
- 📊 WCAG AA Compliant: All color combinations pass accessibility standards
- Arctic Inspiration: Hints of cool, muted blues against a dark backdrop
- Pastel Twist: Gentle pinks and purples bring a soothing, magical vibe
- Anxiety-Reducing: Purple and pink tones backed by color psychology research
- Cross-Platform: Use in Windows Terminal, iTerm2, VSCode, Hyper, or any theme-aware application
- High Contrast & Legibility: Dark background balanced by bright, clear foregrounds
- Astigmatism-Friendly: Optimized saturation levels to reduce halation effects
- Three Modes: Dark, Light, and Sepia variants included
Optimized for reduced halation with lower saturation on accent colors.
| Element | Hex | Description | Saturation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Background | #2E3440 |
Deep Arctic Night | - |
| Foreground | #E5E9F0 |
Soft Snowfall | - |
| Cursor | #D9A8DD |
Alchemical Catalyst | 40% |
| Pink | #E8A4CC |
Pastel Bloom | 60% |
| Green | #A3BE8C |
Frosted Fern | 28% |
| Yellow | #DFCA9A |
Golden Dusk | 52% |
| Blue | #81A1C1 |
Nordic Sky | 34% |
| Purple | #C89BD0 |
Mystic Rune | 36% |
| Cyan | #8FBCBB |
Glacial Stream | 25% |
Higher saturation for visibility on light backgrounds.
| Element | Hex | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Background | #FAFBFC |
Frosted Glass |
| Foreground | #2E3440 |
Deep Arctic Night |
| Cursor | #B266B2 |
Orchid Heart |
| Pink | #C41585 |
Deep Bloom |
| Green | #4D7028 |
Forest Fern |
| Yellow | #8A6000 |
Amber Dusk |
| Blue | #2D6299 |
Ocean Depth |
| Purple | #8839AA |
Royal Rune |
| Cyan | #1D7A78 |
Deep Stream |
Warm tones for extended sessions and reduced blue light.
| Element | Hex | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Background | #F5F0E6 |
Warm Parchment |
| Foreground | #3B3228 |
Aged Ink |
| Cursor | #A35BA3 |
Dusty Orchid |
| Pink | #B52080 |
Rose Thorn |
| Green | #4A6A28 |
Sage Leaf |
| Yellow | #806000 |
Antique Gold |
| Blue | #2E5E8A |
Vintage Indigo |
| Purple | #7B3399 |
Plum Wine |
| Cyan | #1A6B69 |
Patina |
Astigmatism affects ~50% of the population. When viewing dark interfaces, pupils dilate, causing the irregularly-shaped cornea to create a "halation" effect where light text appears to bleed into dark backgrounds.
Our solution:
- Reduced saturation on high-intensity colors (Pink: 100% → 60%)
- Avoided pure black (#000) and pure white (#FFF)
- Provided light and sepia alternatives
Our purple/pink palette is backed by research:
- Pink: Tranquilizing effect within minutes; reduces anxiety and aggression
- Purple: Decreases amygdala (fear center) activity
- Blue: Associated with calm and security
- Green: Easiest color for human eyes to perceive
Read the full research report →
See apps/windows-terminal/README.md for detailed steps.
Quick install:
- Open Windows Terminal settings
- Copy the contents of your preferred theme from
apps/windows-terminal/ - Paste into the
"schemes"array - Set your profile's
"colorScheme"to"Alchemist's Orchid v2.0 Dark"(or Light/Sepia)
Coming soon! Contributions welcome.
Coming soon! Contributions welcome.
Import the hex values into your preferred configuration. All three palettes are available in JSON format.
The palette is designed with flexibility in mind:
- For dark mode users with astigmatism: Try increasing font size and line height
- If halation persists: Switch to Light or Sepia mode
- For OLED displays: Consider Light mode — OLED's perfect blacks can intensify halation
All color combinations meet WCAG AA standards (4.5:1 minimum contrast ratio).
| Mode | Main Text | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Dark | 10.26:1 | AAA |
| Light | 12.06:1 | AAA |
| Sepia | 11.05:1 | AAA |
Pull requests, variations, and issue reports are welcome!
Especially seeking:
- VS Code theme implementation
- iTerm2 configuration
- Vim/Neovim colorscheme
- JetBrains IDE theme
- Accessibility testing feedback
- Research Report - Deep dive into color psychology and accessibility
- Changelog - Version history
- Windows Terminal Setup - Installation guide
Released under the MIT License.
"A colorscheme should make your eyes rest, not work."
Made with 💜 for developers who care about their eyes