Pastel colors have deep roots in design history, from the rococo interiors of 18th-century France to the mid-century modern palettes of the 1950s. In both eras, pastels signified refinement, gentleness, and a deliberate step away from the bold and the heavy. They were the colors of leisure, of spaces designed for comfort rather than productivity.
On the web, pastel design emerged as a counterpoint to the flat design movement of the early 2010s. While flat design stripped away texture and shadow, it often relied on bold, saturated colors. Pastel web design kept the simplicity but softened the palette, creating interfaces that felt less like tools and more like environments.
The rise of wellness culture, mindfulness apps, and self-care brands in the late 2010s cemented pastel as a digital aesthetic in its own right. Apps like Headspace and Calm used pastel palettes to signal safety and tranquility. Today, pastel design continues to evolve, blending with glassmorphism, neumorphism, and kawaii influences to create ever-softer digital experiences.