How I choose my colors: 3 very different ways

I don't have one process for choosing colors. I have three. And they couldn't be more different from each other.

  • Sometimes the theme comes first and the colors follow naturally.

  • Sometimes a palette lands in my hands and becomes the starting point for an entire collection.

  • And sometimes the colors simply arrive (I'm not sure how else to say this): in the shower, half asleep, occasionally in dreams.

Here's how all three actually work in practice.

1. The theme comes first

When I start a new collection with a clear concept in mind, some colors are almost automatically part of it. If I'm planning a safari collection for kids' apparel for instance, I know immediately: I want yellow, brown and grey in my palette.

From there, I use Claude to build the full palette around those anchor colors. My prompt looks something like this:

I'm building a color palette for my pattern collection. My core idea for the collection is [core idea] and my mood keywords are [mood words]. Create a balanced 8-color palette for this collection. For each color provide a name and the HEX code. Include the following colors: [colors]

I check the color palette to see if it matches my personal style.

Sometimes I change individual colors or adjust the saturation levels.

But this process saves me hours of experimenting and keeps the palette cohesive from the start.

2. The palette comes first

As pattern designers, we naturally collect color palettes. Pinterest, design challenge briefs, inspiring images... they are everywhere.

And sometimes, just looking at a palette sparks a collection idea.

I had exactly that experience with my "Charming Chintz" mini collection. I had a palette from a past pattern challenge that I really liked. But something felt slightly off. A few colors didn't quite work together (for me and my personal style).

So I reworked it, simplified it and removed what didn't work.

Original palette:

My version:

And from that refined palette, the whole collection grew. The palette led the way:

3. The colors come to me

This one is harder to explain. But it's real.

I have a strong, almost physical relationship with color. Sometimes combinations just appear in my mind. In the shower, half asleep, or occasionally, I actually dream in hex codes.

That's exactly how my "Birdsparty" collection started. I dreamed these four colors:

When I woke up, I immediately saw colorful birds. I added a sunny yellow, a few neutrals and some saturation variations.

The whole collection followed naturally. Playful, funny birds and imperfect blenders.

I don't fully understand where these combinations come from. I think my brain absorbs color constantly (from real life, from things I've seen) and processes it quietly in the background.

Whatever the explanation is, it works every time.

Color is, where a collection starts to feel alive. But it's only one piece of the puzzle.

If you want to build your next collection with this kind of intention (from theme to color to finished, cohesive result), the Collection Flow System guides you through every step.

Take a look here.

HEY, I’M NICI...

... a surface pattern designer living somewhere between creativity and chaos.

I create gentle tools and thoughts for creatives who love ideas, aesthetics and intuition, but also crave clarity and structure.

Through Museflow, I explore how AI can support creative work in a very human way.

If you enjoy calm workflows, thoughtful systems and creativity without pressure, you're in the right place.

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Nicole Gabriel

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