STYLE GUIDE

Cozy Game UI

Warm pastels, chunky borders, and wholesome vibes inspired by Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, and the coziest farming sims

01

Color Palette

Soft pastels gathered from a sun-dappled farm at golden hour. Sage greens from the garden patch, warm peach from the orchard, sky blue from a cloudless afternoon, and butter yellow from fresh-churned cream.

Sage Green
Sage Pale#DDE9D8
Sage Light#B5D4AC
Sage#8CB580
Sage Deep#5E8A52
Warm Peach
Peach Pale#FCEAE3
Peach Light#F7C4B2
Peach#F2A68B
Peach Deep#D97B5C
Sky Blue
Sky Pale#DDF0F8
Sky Light#AEDCEF
Sky#7EC8E3
Sky Deep#4DA8CC
Butter Yellow
Butter Pale#FDF6DD
Butter Light#F9E8A2
Butter#F5D76E
Butter Deep#D4B13F
Berry Purple
Berry Pale#F2E4ED
Berry Light#DDBAD3
Berry#C88DB5
Berry Deep#A06990
Wood & Earth
Parchment#FFF8ED
Wood Light#E8D5B7
Wood#C4A67D
Wood Dark#8B6E4E
Soil#4A3728
02

Typography

Patrick Hand brings friendly, hand-lettered warmth to headings -- like signs hand-painted for a village shop. Nunito provides round, readable body text. VT323 adds pixel nostalgia for stats and labels.

Display

Patrick Hand / 48px

Welcome Home!

Heading 1

Patrick Hand / 36px

Sunny Farm

Heading 2

Patrick Hand / 28px

The General Store

Heading 3

Patrick Hand / 22px

Seed Catalogue

Body

Nunito 600 / 16px

The morning dew sparkles on the cabbage patch as your cat stretches lazily by the front door. Another beautiful day on the farm.

Body Light

Nunito 400 / 16px

The fishing pond glimmers under the afternoon sun. A gentle breeze carries the scent of wildflowers from the meadow.

Caption

Nunito 700 / 13px

Inventory · Tools · Crafting

Pixel Text

VT323 / 20px

HP: 100/100   Energy: 85/120   Gold: 3,450g

Pixel Large

VT323 / 28px

LEVEL UP! Spring Year 2
03

Spacing System

Built on a 4px base unit, like a pixel grid. Cozy games use generous padding -- elements should feel cushioned and comfortable, never cramped. Think of each UI panel as a little room with plenty of breathing space.

4px
xs
8px
sm
12px
3
16px
md
24px
5
32px
lg
48px
7
64px
xl
96px
9
?

Pixel-Perfect Tip

Align everything to the 4px grid. Like placing tiles in a cozy farming game, consistent alignment creates that satisfying "snap into place" feeling.

04

Buttons

Chunky, satisfying buttons with thick borders and that signature "pressed down" shadow -- just like tapping a menu option in your favorite cozy game. They bounce on hover and sink on click.

Primary Variants

Utility Variants

Sizes

With Icons

Button States

Hover lifts the button up with a deeper shadow. Clicking pushes it down, reducing the shadow -- mimicking a physical button press.

05

Forms

Form fields styled like game input boxes -- parchment backgrounds with inset shadows that feel like writing on old paper. Wood-colored borders and chunky focus rings keep things cozy.

* This will appear on your mailbox
06

Cards & Panels

Game-inspired containers for content. From wood-framed menu panels to inventory slots and dialogue boxes, each style evokes a different part of the cozy game experience.

Standard Cards

The Garden

Plant seeds, water your crops, and watch your farm flourish through the seasons.

The Kitchen

Cook hearty meals, bake pies, and brew potions from your freshly harvested ingredients.

The Workshop

Craft tools, build furniture, and upgrade your farmhouse with collected materials.

Wood Panel (Game Menu Style)

Today's Tasks

Check in with your daily farm chores and village errands. Every completed task earns you friendship points and useful items.

Water crops Feed animals Ship produce

Seasonal Calendar

Spring brings new seeds to Pierre's shop and festivals to the town square. Check the calendar for upcoming events and birthdays.

Inventory Slots

🌱
Turnip
x24
🍒
Cherry
x12
🌿
Herb
x8
🍨
Cookie
x3
💎
Gem
x1
+
Empty

Dialogue Box

Mayor Lewis

"Welcome to Pelican Town! Your grandfather would be so proud to see you taking over the old farm. If you need anything, just ask!"

Item Tooltip

Golden Watering Can
Tool - Rare
A beautifully crafted watering can that waters a 3x3 area at once. Conserves precious energy on long farming days.
Range: 3x3
Energy: -4
Sell: 2,500g
07

Alerts & Notifications

Gentle pop-up notifications styled like in-game messages. Each type uses a matching pastel from the palette with chunky borders and pixel-art-inspired icon badges.

i

New Season Started!

Spring has arrived on your farm. New seeds are available at Pierre's General Store. Don't forget to check the community board for seasonal requests.

Harvest Complete!

You harvested 24 pumpkins and 12 cranberries. Your shipping bin is ready for pickup. Total earnings: 4,200g.

!

Storm Warning

A thunderstorm is forecast for tomorrow. Your crops will be watered automatically, but make sure your animals are safely inside the barn.

Energy Depleted!

You've run out of energy for today. Head home and get some rest, or eat a snack to recover. Passing out costs you 1,000g in medical fees!

08

Progress & Stats

Game-inspired progress bars and stat badges. Track your farming level, friendship hearts, and seasonal goals with warm, satisfying visual indicators.

Progress Bars

Farming Level Lv. 7
Friendship 6 / 10 Hearts
Energy 85 / 120
Community Center 42%

Badges

Default Farmer Artisan Angler Miner Forager

With Pixel Icons

Growing Blooming Harvesting
09

Design Principles

The core values behind this cozy game aesthetic, distilled from the warmest farming sims and life simulators.

01

Warmth First

Every color, shadow, and border should radiate warmth. No harsh edges, no cold grays. Think sunlit afternoons and firelit evenings.

02

Chunky & Tactile

Thick borders, deep shadows, and rounded corners make every element feel like a physical object you could reach out and touch.

03

Pixel Nostalgia

Blend pixel art sensibilities with modern comfort. VT323 stats, grid-aligned spacing, and subtle pixel textures honor retro roots without feeling dated.

04

Joyful Feedback

Buttons bounce, cards lift, and focus rings glow. Every interaction should feel rewarding, like the satisfying "ding" of a level-up.