Deep, near-black wine red — authoritative and rich
Crimson
#B01020
rgb(176, 16, 32)
Bold dark crimson — direct and uncompromising
Scarlet
#DC2626
rgb(220, 38, 38)
Pure vivid scarlet — the palette's action color
Coral
#F87171
rgb(248, 113, 113)
Warm light coral — softened red with energy
Blush
#FEE2E2
rgb(254, 226, 226)
Near-white pale blush — clean background tone
Scarlet Letter is a tight, purposeful red scale built around the midpoint of pure scarlet — the most universally recognized and intense form of the color. From the near-black depth of Wine through bold Crimson and vivid Scarlet, the palette softens through warm Coral to a near-white Blush that functions as a clean background within the same hue family. It's a complete, self-contained design system in five steps.
Pure Scarlet (#DC2626) is the palette's pivot point — vivid enough to use for CTAs, alerts, and highlight elements without becoming harsh. Wine and Crimson provide the depth needed for typography, borders, and dark UI panels, while Coral and Blush open up space for softer interfaces, cards, and hover states.
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This palette excels in scenarios where clarity and confidence matter: e-commerce platforms, news and media sites, sports branding, and consumer product packaging. Red communicates urgency and energy without ambiguity, and the clean progression of this scale makes it easy to apply consistently across a full design system — from the heaviest anchoring elements to the lightest decorative accents.
The Blush tone at the light end is particularly useful in UI design, where a pure white background might feel too clinical. Using Blush (#FEE2E2) as a page or card background maintains the warmth and energy of the red family while keeping the interface approachable and easy to read. Pair it with Wine for text and Scarlet for primary interactive elements for a cohesive, polished result.
