← All UI styles

Bauhaus Primary

Red, blue, yellow and black in flat geometric blocks — no other colors exist.

FlatretroDesign educationCultural productsBold brand systems

Construction · Flat

Color and position do all the work. No gradients, no shadows, no edges that pretend to catch light.

Every style renders this same screen, so the only thing changing between two of them is the style. The component above is the file below, running.

Prompt

Design this interface in the Bauhaus Primary style. Flat geometry in the three primaries plus black, arranged on a strict grid. Circles, squares and triangles carry meaning; nothing is shaded.

Build every surface the Flat way: Color and position do all the work. No gradients, no shadows, no edges that pretend to catch light.

Use exactly these values: background #f5f2ea, surfaces #ffffff, text #111111, secondary text #4f4f4f, accent #d62828 with #ffffff on it; corner radius 0/0/999px; 2px solid borders; no shadows of any kind; Helvetica Neue for body at 15px, line height 1.4; 8px spacing grid, generous breathing room; labels in uppercase with wide letter spacing.

Never: gradients or shading; secondary colors; decorative type; soft shadows.

Dark mode uses background #111111, surfaces #191919, text #f5f2ea, accent #ff5252 — the same style, not an inverted one.

The numbers in this prompt are printed from the tokens below, so it cannot drift from what the specimen renders.

What carries the look

  • three primaries plus black
  • flat geometric blocks
  • strict grid
  • no shading

What this style refuses

  • gradients or shading
  • secondary colors
  • decorative type
  • soft shadows

The refusals are the half that keeps generated interfaces from converging — a prompt that only says what to add gets the default look.

Tokens

Palette

RoleLightDark
Background#f5f2ea#111111
Surface#ffffff#191919
Border#111111#f0f0f0
Text#111111#f5f2ea
Muted text#4f4f4f#a3a39d
Accent#d62828#ff5252
On accent#ffffff#1a0000

Shape and type

Radius0 / 0 / 999 px
Border2px solid
Shadownone
DisplayHelvetica Neue
BodyHelvetica Neue
Monoui-monospace
Type scale11 · 12 · 15 · 17 · 24 · 36 px
Weights400 / 700 / 800
Line height1.4
Tracking0em
Spacing8px grid · roomy
Surfaceflat
Accentblock
Separatornone
Labelsuppercase
Blurnone

Measured contrast — body 16.88:1 light, 16.88:1 dark; secondary text 7.32:1 and 7.45:1. Every pair clears WCAG AA in both themes, checked on each build.

Specimen · Specimen.tsx

import type { CSSProperties } from "react";

/**
 * Vibary · Bauhaus Primary
 *
 * Red, blue, yellow and black in flat geometric blocks — no other colors exist.
 *
 * One complete product screen, rendered from the token object below —
 * the same screen every other Vibary specimen renders, so the style
 * is the only variable. Self-contained: React only, no CSS file, no
 * assets, no chart library.
 *
 * `theme` defaults to following the system setting; pass "light" or
 * "dark" to pin one.
 */

export const TOKENS = {
  "material": "flat",
  "color": {
    "light": {
      "bg": "#f5f2ea",
      "surface": "#ffffff",
      "border": "#111111",
      "text": "#111111",
      "muted": "#4f4f4f",
      "accent": "#d62828",
      "accentText": "#ffffff"
    },
    "dark": {
      "bg": "#111111",
      "surface": "#191919",
      "border": "#f0f0f0",
      "text": "#f5f2ea",
      "muted": "#a3a39d",
      "accent": "#ff5252",
      "accentText": "#1a0000"
    }
  },
  "radius": {
    "sm": 0,
    "md": 0,
    "lg": 999,
    "pill": 999
  },
  "border": {
    "width": 2,
    "style": "solid"
  },
  "shadow": {
    "level": "none",
    "value": "none"
  },
  "type": {
    "family": {
      "display": "\"Helvetica Neue\", Helvetica, Arial, \"Liberation Sans\", sans-serif",
      "body": "\"Helvetica Neue\", Helvetica, Arial, \"Liberation Sans\", sans-serif",
      "mono": "ui-monospace, \"SF Mono\", Menlo, Consolas, \"Liberation Mono\", monospace"
    },
    "scale": [
      11,
      12,
      15,
      17,
      24,
      36
    ],
    "weight": {
      "body": 400,
      "strong": 700,
      "display": 800
    },
    "lineHeight": 1.4,
    "tracking": 0
  },
  "space": {
    "unit": 8,
    "density": "roomy"
  },
  "effects": {
    "surface": "flat",
    "accentStyle": "block",
    "separator": "none",
    "labelCase": "upper",
    "blur": 0
  }
};

type Palette = typeof TOKENS.color.light;

export type BauhausPrimarySpecimenProps = {
  theme?: "system" | "light" | "dark";
  /** Scopes the custom properties; only matters if you render two. */
  scope?: string;
};

function vars(palette: Palette): string {
  return [
    `--sp-bg: ${palette.bg}`,
    `--sp-surface: ${palette.surface}`,
    `--sp-border: ${palette.border}`,
    `--sp-text: ${palette.text}`,
    `--sp-muted: ${palette.muted}`,
    `--sp-accent: ${palette.accent}`,
    `--sp-accent-text: ${palette.accentText}`,
  ].join("; ");
}

/** Fixed content: identical in every specimen, on purpose. */
const NAV: readonly { label: string; path: string }[] = [
  { label: "Overview", path: "M3 9.5 9 4.5l6 5V15a1 1 0 0 1-1 1h-2.5v-4h-5v4H4a1 1 0 0 1-1-1z" },
  { label: "Orders", path: "M4 5h10l-1 9H5zM7 5V3.5h4V5" },
  { label: "Customers", path: "M9 9a2.6 2.6 0 1 0 0-5.2A2.6 2.6 0 0 0 9 9M3.6 15.4c0-2.4 2.4-3.8 5.4-3.8s5.4 1.4 5.4 3.8" },
  { label: "Reports", path: "M4.5 15V8M9 15V4.5M13.5 15v-4.5" },
  { label: "Settings", path: "M9 11.4A2.4 2.4 0 1 0 9 6.6a2.4 2.4 0 0 0 0 4.8M9 2.6v1.4M9 14v1.4M15.4 9H14M4 9H2.6M13.5 4.5l-1 1M5.5 12.5l-1 1M13.5 13.5l-1-1M5.5 5.5l-1-1" },
];

const STATS: readonly { label: string; value: string; delta: string; up: boolean }[] = [
  { label: "Revenue", value: "$48,290", delta: "+12.4%", up: true },
  { label: "Orders", value: "1,284", delta: "+3.1%", up: true },
  { label: "Refunds", value: "42", delta: "-1.8%", up: false },
];

const BARS: readonly { day: string; value: number }[] = [
  { day: "M", value: 0.42 },
  { day: "T", value: 0.61 },
  { day: "W", value: 0.38 },
  { day: "T", value: 0.74 },
  { day: "F", value: 0.93 },
  { day: "S", value: 0.55 },
  { day: "S", value: 0.29 },
];

const ROWS: readonly { name: string; meta: string; state: string; amount: string }[] = [
  { name: "Kyoto Print Co.", meta: "Invoice 2841", state: "Paid", amount: "420.00" },
  { name: "Aurora Supply", meta: "Invoice 2839", state: "Pending", amount: "186.50" },
  { name: "Northwind Studio", meta: "Invoice 2836", state: "Overdue", amount: "678.00" },
];

const SWITCHES: readonly { label: string; on: boolean }[] = [
  { label: "Auto-pay invoices", on: true },
  { label: "Email receipts", on: false },
];

/**
 * The material: how this style paints an element, as opposed to what
 * color it paints it. This is the part that makes Flat
 * a different design language rather than a different theme —
 * Color and position do all the work. No gradients, no shadows, no edges that pretend to catch light.
 */
const MATERIAL = {
  "surface": {
    "background": "var(--sp-surface)",
    "boxShadow": "none"
  },
  "button": {
    "background": "var(--sp-accent)",
    "color": "var(--sp-accent-text)",
    "boxShadow": "none",
    "border": "none"
  },
  "switchOn": {
    "background": "var(--sp-accent)",
    "boxShadow": "none",
    "border": "none"
  },
  "switchOff": {
    "background": "color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-text) 18%, transparent)",
    "boxShadow": "none",
    "border": "none"
  },
  "knob": {
    "background": "var(--sp-accent-text)",
    "boxShadow": "none"
  },
  "navActive": {
    "background": "color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-accent) 14%, transparent)",
    "boxShadow": "none"
  },
  "bar": {
    "background": "var(--sp-accent)",
    "boxShadow": "none",
    "border": "none"
  }
};

const SURFACE_BORDER = `${TOKENS.border.width}px solid var(--sp-border)`;
const ROW_SEPARATOR = "none";
const RING = 0.68;

export function BauhausPrimarySpecimen({ theme = "system", scope = "sp-bauhaus-primary" }: BauhausPrimarySpecimenProps) {
  const css =
    theme === "light"
      ? `.${scope}{${vars(TOKENS.color.light)}}`
      : theme === "dark"
        ? `.${scope}{${vars(TOKENS.color.dark)}}`
        : `.${scope}{${vars(TOKENS.color.light)}}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){.${scope}{${vars(TOKENS.color.dark)}}}`;

  const label: CSSProperties = {
    font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
    letterSpacing: "0.08em",
    textTransform: "uppercase",
    color: "var(--sp-muted)",
  };

  const meta: CSSProperties = {
    font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.body} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
    color: "var(--sp-muted)",
  };

  const card: CSSProperties = {
    ...MATERIAL.surface,
    borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.md,
    padding: 19,
  };

  const heading: CSSProperties = {
    font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[2]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.display}`,
    textTransform: "uppercase",
    letterSpacing: "0.05em",
  };

  const primary: CSSProperties = { ...MATERIAL.button, borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.sm };

  const pill = (active: boolean): CSSProperties => ({
    padding: "2px 8px",
    borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.pill,
    background: active
      ? "var(--sp-accent)"
      : "color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-text) 10%, transparent)",
    color: active ? "var(--sp-accent-text)" : "var(--sp-muted)",
    font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
    textTransform: "uppercase",
    letterSpacing: "0.07em",
  });

  return (
    <div
      className={scope}
      style={{
        width: 760,
        display: "flex",
        background: "var(--sp-bg)",
        color: "var(--sp-text)",
        font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.body} ${TOKENS.type.scale[1]}px/${TOKENS.type.lineHeight} ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
        letterSpacing: `${TOKENS.type.tracking}em`,
        overflow: "hidden",
        position: "relative",
      }}
    >
      <style>{css}</style>

      {/* Sidebar */}
      <div
        style={{
          width: 176,
          flex: "none",
          display: "flex",
          flexDirection: "column",
          gap: 4,
          padding: 24,
          borderRight: `${TOKENS.border.width}px solid var(--sp-border)`,
          background: "color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-surface) 70%, transparent)",
        }}
      >
        <div style={{ display: "flex", alignItems: "center", gap: 8, marginBottom: 18 }}>
          <span
            style={{
              width: 22,
              height: 22,
              borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.sm,
              background: "var(--sp-accent)",
              display: "grid",
              placeItems: "center",
              color: "var(--sp-accent-text)",
              font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.display} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.display}`,
            }}
          >
            N
          </span>
          <span
            style={{
              font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.display} ${TOKENS.type.scale[2]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.display}`,
              textTransform: "uppercase",
              letterSpacing: "0.06em",
            }}
          >
            Northwind
          </span>
        </div>

        {NAV.map((item, index) => (
          <span
            key={item.label}
            style={{
              display: "flex",
              alignItems: "center",
              gap: 9,
              height: 40,
              padding: "0 9px",
              borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.sm,
              ...(index === 0 ? MATERIAL.navActive : null),
              color: index === 0 ? "var(--sp-accent)" : "var(--sp-muted)",
              font: `${index === 0 ? TOKENS.type.weight.strong : TOKENS.type.weight.body} ${TOKENS.type.scale[1]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
              textTransform: "uppercase",
              letterSpacing: "0.07em",
            }}
          >
            <svg width="17" height="17" viewBox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" aria-hidden="true">
              <path
                d={item.path}
                stroke="currentColor"
                strokeWidth={index === 0 ? 1.7 : 1.3}
                strokeLinecap="round"
                strokeLinejoin="round"
              />
            </svg>
            {item.label}
          </span>
        ))}

        <span style={{ flex: 1 }} />

        <span
          style={{
            display: "flex",
            alignItems: "center",
            gap: 8,
            paddingTop: 18,
            borderTop: `${TOKENS.border.width}px solid var(--sp-border)`,
          }}
        >
          <span
            style={{
              width: 26,
              height: 26,
              flex: "none",
              display: "grid",
              placeItems: "center",
              borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.pill,
              background: "color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-text) 12%, transparent)",
              font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
            }}
          >
            MK
          </span>
          <span style={{ minWidth: 0 }}>
            <span style={{ display: "block", font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}` }}>
              Mika Ito
            </span>
            <span style={{ ...meta, display: "block" }}>Finance</span>
          </span>
        </span>
      </div>

      {/* Main */}
      <div
        style={{
          flex: 1,
          minWidth: 0,
          display: "flex",
          flexDirection: "column",
          gap: 18,
          padding: 24,
        }}
      >
        {/* Header */}
        <div style={{ display: "flex", alignItems: "center", gap: 10 }}>
          <span style={{ flex: 1, minWidth: 0 }}>
            <span style={{ ...label, display: "block" }}>March 2026</span>
            <span
              style={{
                display: "block",
                font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.display} ${TOKENS.type.scale[4]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.display}`,
                textTransform: "uppercase",
                letterSpacing: "0.04em",
              }}
            >
              Overview
            </span>
          </span>
          <span
            style={{
              display: "flex",
              alignItems: "center",
              gap: 7,
              padding: "7px 11px",
              background: "var(--sp-surface)",
              border: `${TOKENS.border.width}px solid var(--sp-border)`,
              borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.sm,
              color: "var(--sp-muted)",
              font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.body} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
            }}
          >
            <svg width="13" height="13" viewBox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" aria-hidden="true">
              <circle cx="8" cy="8" r="5.4" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="1.5" />
              <path d="M12.4 12.4 16 16" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="1.5" strokeLinecap="round" />
            </svg>
            Search
          </span>
          <span
            style={{
              ...primary,
              padding: "8px 13px",
              font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
              textTransform: "uppercase",
              letterSpacing: "0.07em",
            }}
          >
            New report
          </span>
        </div>

        {/* Stats */}
        <div style={{ display: "flex", gap: 18 }}>
          {STATS.map((stat) => (
            <div key={stat.label} style={{ ...card, flex: 1, minWidth: 0 }}>
              <span style={{ ...label, display: "block" }}>{stat.label}</span>
              <span
                style={{
                  display: "block",
                  marginTop: 3,
                  fontVariantNumeric: "tabular-nums",
                  font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.display} ${TOKENS.type.scale[4]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.display}`,
                }}
              >
                {stat.value}
              </span>
              <span style={{ display: "inline-flex", marginTop: 6, ...pill(stat.up) }}>
                {stat.delta}
              </span>
            </div>
          ))}
        </div>

        {/* Chart + ring */}
        <div style={{ display: "flex", gap: 18 }}>
          <div style={{ ...card, flex: 1.6, minWidth: 0 }}>
            <div style={{ display: "flex", alignItems: "baseline", justifyContent: "space-between" }}>
              <span style={heading}>Revenue by day</span>
              <span style={meta}>7 days</span>
            </div>
            <div
              style={{
                display: "flex",
                alignItems: "flex-end",
                gap: 7,
                height: 104,
                marginTop: 10,
              }}
            >
              {BARS.map((bar, index) => (
                <span key={index} style={{ flex: 1, display: "flex", flexDirection: "column", alignItems: "center", gap: 5 }}>
                  <span
                    style={{
                      width: "100%",
                      height: bar.value * 86,
                      borderRadius: `${TOKENS.radius.sm}px ${TOKENS.radius.sm}px 0 0`,
                      ...(index === 4
                        ? MATERIAL.bar
                        : {
                            background: "color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-accent) 32%, var(--sp-surface))",
                            border: SURFACE_BORDER,
                          }),
                    }}
                  />
                  <span style={meta}>{bar.day}</span>
                </span>
              ))}
            </div>
          </div>

          <div style={{ ...card, flex: 1, minWidth: 0, display: "flex", alignItems: "center", gap: 12 }}>
            <span
              style={{
                width: 74,
                height: 74,
                flex: "none",
                borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.pill,
                display: "grid",
                placeItems: "center",
                background: `conic-gradient(var(--sp-accent) 0turn ${RING}turn, color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-text) 12%, transparent) ${RING}turn 1turn)`,
              }}
            >
              <span
                style={{
                  width: 52,
                  height: 52,
                  borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.pill,
                  background: "var(--sp-surface)",
                  display: "grid",
                  placeItems: "center",
                  fontVariantNumeric: "tabular-nums",
                  font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[2]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.mono}`,
                }}
              >
                68%
              </span>
            </span>
            <span style={{ minWidth: 0 }}>
              <span style={{ ...heading, display: "block" }}>Budget</span>
              <span style={{ ...meta, display: "block", marginTop: 4 }}>Spent $34,120</span>
              <span style={{ ...meta, display: "block" }}>Left $16,170</span>
            </span>
          </div>
        </div>

        {/* Table + controls */}
        <div style={{ display: "flex", gap: 18 }}>
          <div style={{ ...card, flex: 1.6, minWidth: 0, padding: 0, overflow: "hidden" }}>
            <div
              style={{
                display: "flex",
                alignItems: "center",
                justifyContent: "space-between",
                padding: `${19}px ${19}px 8px`,
              }}
            >
              <span style={heading}>Recent orders</span>
              <span style={{ color: "var(--sp-accent)", font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}` }}>
                View all
              </span>
            </div>
            {ROWS.map((row, index) => (
              <div
                key={row.name}
                style={{
                  display: "flex",
                  alignItems: "center",
                  gap: 10,
                  height: 52,
                  padding: `0 ${19}px`,
                  borderTop: ROW_SEPARATOR,
                }}
              >
                <span
                  style={{
                    width: 24,
                    height: 24,
                    flex: "none",
                    display: "grid",
                    placeItems: "center",
                    borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.sm,
                    background: "color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-text) 9%, transparent)",
                    font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.mono}`,
                  }}
                >
                  {row.name.slice(0, 1)}
                </span>
                <span style={{ flex: 1, minWidth: 0 }}>
                  <span style={{ display: "block", font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[1]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}` }}>
                    {row.name}
                  </span>
                  <span style={{ ...meta, display: "block" }}>{row.meta}</span>
                </span>
                <span style={pill(index === 0)}>{row.state}</span>
                <span
                  style={{
                    width: 66,
                    textAlign: "right",
                    fontVariantNumeric: "tabular-nums",
                    font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[1]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.mono}`,
                  }}
                >
                  {row.amount}
                </span>
              </div>
            ))}
          </div>

          <div style={{ ...card, flex: 1, minWidth: 0, display: "flex", flexDirection: "column", gap: 10 }}>
            <span style={heading}>Preferences</span>
            {SWITCHES.map((item) => (
              <span key={item.label} style={{ display: "flex", alignItems: "center", gap: 10 }}>
                <span style={{ flex: 1, minWidth: 0, font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.body} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}` }}>
                  {item.label}
                </span>
                <span
                  style={{
                    width: 34,
                    height: 20,
                    flex: "none",
                    position: "relative",
                    borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.pill,
                    ...(item.on ? MATERIAL.switchOn : MATERIAL.switchOff),
                  }}
                >
                  <span
                    style={{
                      position: "absolute",
                      top: 3,
                      left: item.on ? 17 : 3,
                      width: 14,
                      height: 14,
                      borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.pill,
                      ...MATERIAL.knob,
                    }}
                  />
                </span>
              </span>
            ))}
            <span style={{ marginTop: 2 }}>
              <span style={{ display: "flex", justifyContent: "space-between" }}>
                <span style={meta}>Alert threshold</span>
                <span style={{ ...meta, fontVariantNumeric: "tabular-nums" }}>62%</span>
              </span>
              <span
                style={{
                  display: "block",
                  position: "relative",
                  height: 5,
                  marginTop: 7,
                  borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.pill,
                  background: "color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-text) 14%, transparent)",
                }}
              >
                <span
                  style={{
                    position: "absolute",
                    inset: "0 38% 0 0",
                    borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.pill,
                    background: "var(--sp-accent)",
                  }}
                />
                <span
                  style={{
                    position: "absolute",
                    top: -5,
                    left: "62%",
                    width: 15,
                    height: 15,
                    marginLeft: -7,
                    borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.pill,
                    background: "var(--sp-surface)",
                    border: `2px solid var(--sp-accent)`,
                  }}
                />
              </span>
            </span>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  );
}

export default BauhausPrimarySpecimen;

Nearby styles