Color Palettes

Desert color palettes

Deserts have a warm, bright palette: sands, reddish rocks, gray-green cacti and skies that are deep blue or pink at sunset. Places like the Atacama, Sonoran and Sahara deserts inspire these 12 palettes for homes, brands and photography.

Dunes

Sands in different shades for backgrounds and gradients.

Cactus in Bloom

Cactus green with pink flowers.

Atacama

Reddish rock and blue sky from northern Chile.

Sonoran

The saguaros and earth of the Sonoran Desert.

Desert Sunset

Pinks and violets of the evening sky.

Starry Night

The clear skies of the desert.

Adobe

Mud-brick building, warm and natural.

Sage and Sand

Softer, ideal for modern interiors.

Oasis

Sand with water and palm trees.

Red Canyon

Intense reds of canyons and mesas.

Salt and Sky

White salt flats with blue sky, like Uyuni or Atacama.

Sahara

Golden dunes with a deep blue.

Tap a color to copy its hex code. The pencil icon opens the palette in the editor so you can change it.

Pair warm tones with a blue

Deserts are almost all sand and rock, but the sky is intense. A deep blue as an accent makes earth tones stand out.

Use sand gradients

Several shades of sand, from lightest to darkest, create depth without adding new colors. It works on websites and walls.

Grayish plants, not bright greens

Desert plants are sage green or grayish green. A bright green breaks the mood; choose muted tones.

Colors in these palettes

Old laceWheatLinenCamouflage greenAntique whiteSiennaPeach puffLight salmonBlush pinkPlumBlue blackDelft blueTanEcruNudeOatmeal

Frequently asked questions

What colors are in the desert?

Sand, beige, terracotta, ochre and rust red, with the sage green of cacti and the blue or pink of the sky.

What is desert style in home decor?

It's an interior style inspired by the desert: sand and terracotta tones, natural materials, ceramics, cacti and lots of light.

More palettes: Places

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