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Base style · 1990s-2000s · balanced

Y2K Chrome

Millennium-era optimism: liquid-chrome uppercase type, glossy bubbles, OS windows and sparkle stars over iridescent cyan-to-violet gradients, with pixel-font accents.

Moods
futuristic, playful, retro, bold
Suits
music, fashion, gaming, events, ecommerce, ai
Type
Unbounded + Sora

Principles

  • Give display type a liquid-chrome fill (metallic gradient with a light top edge) over a solid readable colour
  • Wrap content in glossy rounded panels and OS-style windows with title bars
  • Float sparkle stars, rings and blobs around the copy, never behind body text
  • Use a pixel or mono face for labels, counters, timestamps and marquees
  • Keep the iridescence in shapes and frames; text stays solid and passes contrast

Hard rules

  • No chrome, gradient or outline effects on body text, labels or links — those stay solid.
  • No square corners on panels or buttons; no hairline-only layouts.
  • No serif faces and no lowercase display headlines.
  • No flat corporate illustrations, isometric scenes or emoji in place of the shapes.
  • No dark text on mid-tone gradients: put text on the surface colour or a solid fill.
  • No more than two floating shapes per section on desktop.

Full page preview with sample copy, rendered from the same tokens and layout the agent receives.

For coding agents

Rules and live patterns

Every pattern Y2K Chrome owns, drawn by the same renderer as the picker with the style's default tokens and sample copy. Each has an anchor (#<pattern id>). A design's own DESIGN.md and tokens.json stay the source of truth; this page shows what the patterns look like.

Do

  • Fill display headlines with a chrome gradient (light silver → accent → silver, with a 1 px light top highlight via text-shadow) and set the solid heading colour first as the fallback.
  • Round every panel, image and button with `tokens.radius` (28 px); buttons and tags are full pills.
  • Draw panels on the surface colour with a 2 px border and the glow shadow (a soft accent-tinted halo, 24–40 px blur).
  • Use the mono/pixel face (the pairing's mono) uppercase for eyebrows, labels, counters, timestamps and marquees.
  • Place sparkle stars, rings and blobs from `layout.json` around headlines and panels as flat shapes with an iridescent gradient; hide them at phone width.
  • Use gradient-mesh backgrounds (accent → accent2 → surfaceAlt) behind product images and inside circular bubbles.
  • Animate with springy easing (`tokens.motion.easing`): buttons squish on press, stars twinkle slowly; everything stops under prefers-reduced-motion.
  • At 375 px keep one floating shape per screen at most and headlines at step 5 or larger.

Don't

  • No chrome, gradient or outline effects on body text, labels or links — those stay solid.
  • No square corners on panels or buttons; no hairline-only layouts.
  • No serif faces and no lowercase display headlines.
  • No flat corporate illustrations, isometric scenes or emoji in place of the shapes.
  • No dark text on mid-tone gradients: put text on the surface colour or a solid fill.
  • No more than two floating shapes per section on desktop.
  • No three equal cards in a row; tiles use the masonry layout.
  • No auto-playing carousels or sound.

Heroes (4)

Chrome orb

hero.y2k-chrome-orb · hero

Rule
A giant iridescent ring on 6–12 behind the text; a pixel-font eyebrow, a chrome uppercase headline at step 7 crossing into the ring on 1–9, the lead and two pill buttons on 1–6; a sparkle star sits at the ring's top-right on 11–12; ring and star hide on phones.
Slots
eyebrow, headline, subhead, cta, cta2
Grid
orb 6-12 · headline 1-9 · copy 1-6 · sparkle 11-12
Notes
The headline gets the chrome treatment (metallic gradient fill with a 1 px light top edge) but must stay readable: solid heading colour underneath as a fallback.

A huge ring (or orb) in accent2 with an iridescent gradient sheen fills 6–12 over four rows; a four-point sparkle star (accent) sits at its top-right on 11–12, rotated 12°. Row 1: the eyebrow in the pixel/mono face, uppercase, on 1–6. Row 2: the headline on 1–9 at step 7, weight 700, uppercase, tight, crossing into the ring, filled with a chrome gradient (silver → accent) with a solid heading-colour fallback. Row 3: lead paragraph on 1–5. Row 4: two pill buttons (full radius), primary with a glossy highlight and a secondary outlined one. At phone width the ring and star hide.

Brand & product studio

We make complicated companies simple to choose

Northfold is a 14-person studio helping manufacturers, labs and B2B teams explain what they do — and look like they mean it.

Start a projectRead case studies
Desktop

Brand & product studio

We make complicated companies simple to choose

Northfold is a 14-person studio helping manufacturers, labs and B2B teams explain what they do — and look like they mean it.

Start a projectRead case studies
Phone, 390 px

OS window

hero.y2k-chrome-window · hero

Rule
The hero copy lives in a desktop-OS window on 3–10: an accent title bar with a pixel label and three dots, then a centred chrome headline, lead and buttons; a blob and a star float behind it.
Slots
eyebrow, headline, subhead, cta, cta2
Grid
blob 1-5 · window 3-10 · star 10-12
Notes
The window has a 2 px light border, full token radius on the outer corners, and a soft glow shadow. It overlaps the blob.

Behind: a large blob in accent2 on 1–5 and a sparkle star in accent on 10–12 (both hidden at phone width). In front, on 3–10: a window panel on the surface colour with the token radius, a 2 px border and a glow shadow. Its title bar is an accent strip holding a pixel-font label (onAccent) on the left and three small circles on the right. The window body is centred: headline at step 6, weight 700, uppercase, chrome fill; lead (max 46 ch); a row of pill buttons. At phone width the window spans the full width.

Brand & product studio

We make complicated companies simple to choose

Northfold is a 14-person studio helping manufacturers, labs and B2B teams explain what they do — and look like they mean it.

Start a projectRead case studies
Desktop

Brand & product studio

We make complicated companies simple to choose

Northfold is a 14-person studio helping manufacturers, labs and B2B teams explain what they do — and look like they mean it.

Start a projectRead case studies
Phone, 390 px

Ticker stack

hero.y2k-chrome-ticker-stack · hero

Rule
Two pixel-font marquee bands (accent, then accent2) sandwich a centred chrome headline at step 8 flanked by sparkle stars, with the lead and pill buttons on 4–9.
Slots
tagline, headline, subhead, cta, cta2, meta
Grid
starLeft 1-2 · headline 2-11 · starRight 12-12 · copy 4-9

Bleed edge to edge. Top: a marquee band in accent with pixel-font uppercase text in onAccent. Middle: a star on 1–2, the headline centred on 2–11 at step 8, weight 700, uppercase, chrome fill, and a smaller star on 12; then the lead centred on 4–9 and a centred row of pill buttons. Bottom: a second marquee in accent2 running the other way. Marquees pause under prefers-reduced-motion. At phone width the stars hide and the headline drops to step 5.

Strategy and design for companies that make thingsPositioningIdentityWebsitesStrategy and design for companies that make thingsPositioningIdentityWebsites

We make complicated companies simple to choose

Northfold is a 14-person studio helping manufacturers, labs and B2B teams explain what they do — and look like they mean it.

Start a projectRead case studies
Booking projects from June 2026Booking projects from June 2026Booking projects from June 2026Booking projects from June 2026Booking projects from June 2026Booking projects from June 2026Booking projects from June 2026Booking projects from June 2026
Desktop
Strategy and design for companies that make thingsPositioningIdentityWebsitesStrategy and design for companies that make thingsPositioningIdentityWebsites

We make complicated companies simple to choose

Northfold is a 14-person studio helping manufacturers, labs and B2B teams explain what they do — and look like they mean it.

Start a projectRead case studies
Booking projects from June 2026Booking projects from June 2026Booking projects from June 2026Booking projects from June 2026Booking projects from June 2026Booking projects from June 2026Booking projects from June 2026Booking projects from June 2026
Phone, 390 px

Product bubble

hero.y2k-chrome-product-bubble · hero

Rule
Copy on 1–6; the product in a glossy circular bubble on 7–12 with two pill-shaped spec tags floating over its lower edge.
Slots
eyebrow, headline, subhead, cta, heroImage, meta, caption
Grid
copy 1-6 · bubble 7-12 · tags 7-12
Notes
The bubble is a circle-framed product image on an iridescent mesh; tags are pills on the surface colour with pixel-font text.

Columns 1–6: pixel-font eyebrow, headline at step 6 (weight 700, uppercase, chrome fill), lead, one primary pill button. Columns 7–12: the product inside a circular bubble — gradient-mesh background in the accents with a white specular highlight at top-left — and under it a row of two pill tags (surface colour, 2 px border, pixel-font labels) overlapping the bubble's lower edge. At phone width the copy comes first, then the bubble at full width with its two tags side by side under it.

Brand & product studio

We make complicated companies simple to choose

Northfold is a 14-person studio helping manufacturers, labs and B2B teams explain what they do — and look like they mean it.

Start a project

Booking projects from June 2026

Corvid Robotics — identity

Desktop

Brand & product studio

We make complicated companies simple to choose

Northfold is a 14-person studio helping manufacturers, labs and B2B teams explain what they do — and look like they mean it.

Start a project

Booking projects from June 2026

Corvid Robotics — identity

Phone, 390 px

Navigation (2)

Content blocks (12)

Bubble tiles

features.y2k-chrome-bubble-tiles · features

Rule
Features as rounded glossy tiles in a 3-column masonry (uneven heights); each tile opens with a small sparkle star, then a chrome title and text.
Slots
title, features[6..6]
Grid
title 3-10 · tiles 1-12

A centred chrome h2 (uppercase, weight 700) on 3–10, then six tiles in a 3-column masonry so heights differ. Each tile: surface colour, token radius, 2 px border, soft glow, an inner top highlight; a small star in accent, the title (h3, uppercase), a short paragraph. At phone width one column.

What we do

Positioning

Find the one sentence your best customers already believe.

Identity systems

Logos, type and colour that work on a factory floor and a pitch deck.

Websites

Fast, editable sites built on the CMS your team already knows.

Sales enablement

Decks, one-pagers and demos your reps actually use.

Product naming

Names that survive trademark search and a noisy trade show.

Brand governance

Guidelines as a living site, not a forgotten PDF.

Desktop

What we do

Positioning

Find the one sentence your best customers already believe.

Identity systems

Logos, type and colour that work on a factory floor and a pitch deck.

Websites

Fast, editable sites built on the CMS your team already knows.

Sales enablement

Decks, one-pagers and demos your reps actually use.

Product naming

Names that survive trademark search and a noisy trade show.

Brand governance

Guidelines as a living site, not a forgotten PDF.

Phone, 390 px

Playlist

list.y2k-chrome-playlist · list

Rule
Items as a media-player track list inside one rounded panel: pixel track number, square cover, title, pixel duration/meta and a small play pill per row.
Slots
title, meta, items[4..8]
Grid
panel 1-12 · number 1-1 · cover 2-2 · title 3-8 · meta 9-11 · play 12-12

One rounded panel (surface, 2 px border, glow) with a header row: the panel title in the pixel font and a small muted meta. Then four to eight rows separated by hairlines, each a 12-column row: track number in pixel font on 1, a square cover image with token radius on 2, the title (h4) on 3–8, meta in pixel font on 9–11, and a small ghost pill button on 12. At phone width the cover hides and rows stack number + title, then meta.

Services

Booking projects from June 2026

01

Discovery sprint

2 weeks

View

02

Positioning workshop

1 day

View

03

Identity design

8 weeks

View

04

Website

10 weeks

View

05

Launch support

4 weeks

View

06

Retainer

Ongoing

View
Desktop

Services

Booking projects from June 2026

01

Discovery sprint

2 weeks

View

02

Positioning workshop

1 day

View

03

Identity design

8 weeks

View

04

Website

10 weeks

View

05

Launch support

4 weeks

View

06

Retainer

Ongoing

View
Phone, 390 px

Pixel counters

stats.y2k-chrome-pixel-counters · stats

Rule
Figures as hit-counter panels on 2–11: each a rounded panel with the number in the pixel/mono face at step 5 and a tiny label, four across.
Slots
stats[2..4]
Grid
counters 2-11

Two to four panels in a row on 2–11: surface colour, token radius, 2 px border; inside, centred, the number in the pixel/mono face at step 5 (like an old hit counter, digits in accent), and a tiny uppercase label. At phone width two per row.

140+

launches shipped

12

years independent

9 of 10

clients return

31%

average lift in demo requests

Desktop

140+

launches shipped

12

years independent

9 of 10

clients return

31%

average lift in demo requests

Phone, 390 px

Chat bubbles

testimonial.y2k-chrome-chat-bubbles · testimonial

Rule
Testimonials as instant-messenger bubbles on 3–10: each bubble a rounded panel with the quote, then a row with a small accent dot, the screen name and a pixel timestamp.
Slots
sectionLabel, items[2..4]
Grid
thread 3-10

A pixel-font label on 3–10, then two to four bubbles stacked like a chat thread on 3–10 (alternate bubbles shift right by one column on desktop). Each bubble: surface colour, token radius with one sharp corner (the tail), 2 px border, the quote at lead size, then a row with a small accent circle (online dot), the author's screen name in bold and a pixel-font timestamp. At phone width bubbles span the full width.

Kind words

They understood our product faster than our own sales team did.

Hanna Lindqvist

CEO, Corvid Robotics

Demo requests doubled in the quarter after launch. That paid for the project.

James Okafor

CMO, Fieldstack

The first agency that asked to talk to our engineers before our marketers.

Clara Mendes

COO, Tidewater Labs

Desktop

Kind words

They understood our product faster than our own sales team did.

Hanna Lindqvist

CEO, Corvid Robotics

Demo requests doubled in the quarter after launch. That paid for the project.

James Okafor

CMO, Fieldstack

The first agency that asked to talk to our engineers before our marketers.

Clara Mendes

COO, Tidewater Labs

Phone, 390 px

Starburst

cta.y2k-chrome-starburst · cta

Rule
On surfaceAlt: a giant rotated sparkle star in accent on 1–4; the chrome headline at step 6 and an inline email form in a pill on 5–12.
Slots
headline, body, newsletter
Grid
star 1-4 · copy 5-12

Section on surfaceAlt, bleeding edge to edge. A giant four-point star in accent rotated −12° on 1–4. On 5–12: headline at step 6 (weight 700, uppercase, chrome fill), one line of text, and an inline email form whose field and button sit together in one pill-shaped capsule. At phone width the star shrinks to 96 px above the headline.

Have a hard thing to explain?

Each engagement starts with a two-week audit: interviews with customers, sales and the people who build the product. The brief writes itself after that.

you@example.com
Subscribe
Desktop

Have a hard thing to explain?

Each engagement starts with a two-week audit: interviews with customers, sales and the people who build the product. The brief writes itself after that.

Email
you@example.com
Subscribe
Phone, 390 px

Dialog boxes

faq.y2k-chrome-dialog-boxes · faq

Rule
Each question is a system dialog on 2–11: an accent2 title bar holding the question in the pixel font, the answer in the body below.
Slots
title, faqs[4..8]
Grid
title 2-11 · dialogs 2-11

Title (h2, chrome uppercase) on 2–11, then four to eight dialogs stacked with 24 px gaps on 2–11. Each dialog: rounded panel, 2 px border; a title bar in accent2 with the question in the pixel font (onAccent2); the answer in body text with 16–24 px padding. All open. At phone width full width.

Working together

How big are your projects?

Most run 8–16 weeks with a team of three to five people.

Do you work with startups?

Yes, from Series A onwards, when there's a product and paying customers.

Do you build the website too?

We design and build, then train your team to run it.

Where are you based?

Lisbon and London, working with clients across Europe and North America.

Can we hire you for a single deliverable?

Occasionally — a naming project or a sales deck. Ask us.

Desktop

Working together

How big are your projects?

Most run 8–16 weeks with a team of three to five people.

Do you work with startups?

Yes, from Series A onwards, when there's a product and paying customers.

Do you build the website too?

We design and build, then train your team to run it.

Where are you based?

Lisbon and London, working with clients across Europe and North America.

Can we hire you for a single deliverable?

Occasionally — a naming project or a sales deck. Ask us.

Phone, 390 px

Pill plans

pricing.y2k-chrome-pill-plans · pricing

Rule
Plans as two-up glossy panels: a pixel-font label, the plan name, the price in chrome at step 6, inclusions and a full-width pill button.
Slots
title, plans[2..4]
Grid
title 3-10 · plans 1-12

A centred chrome h2 on 3–10, then two to four plans two per row. Each plan: rounded panel (surface, 2 px border, glow), a pixel-font label pill, the plan name (h3), the price at step 6 weight 700 with chrome fill, inclusions as a short list, and a full-width primary pill button. The recommended plan's border is accent and its glow stronger. At phone width one per row.

Engagements

For starting out

Sprint

€18k

Two-week positioning sprint with a written brand platform.

Choose Sprint

Most popular

Rebrand

€85k

Positioning, identity and a launch toolkit over 12 weeks.

Most popular — choose

For larger teams

Partner

€14k/mo

A standing team for product launches and campaigns.

Choose Partner
Desktop

Engagements

For starting out

Sprint

€18k

Two-week positioning sprint with a written brand platform.

Choose Sprint

Most popular

Rebrand

€85k

Positioning, identity and a launch toolkit over 12 weeks.

Most popular — choose

For larger teams

Partner

€14k/mo

A standing team for product launches and campaigns.

Choose Partner
Phone, 390 px

Sticker row

logos.y2k-chrome-sticker-row · logos

Rule
Client names as a scrolling row of pill stickers (surface, 2 px border, pixel font) under a centred pixel label.
Slots
sectionLabel, clients[4..8]
Grid
row full

A centred pixel-font label, then four to eight client names as pill stickers in one row — surface colour, full radius, 2 px border, uppercase pixel font. The row scrolls horizontally on small screens. Names, not logo images.

Trusted by

Corvid Robotics

Fieldstack

Tidewater Labs

Arklow Valves

Mosswood Bio

Kestrel Freight

Desktop

Trusted by

Corvid Robotics

Fieldstack

Tidewater Labs

Arklow Valves

Mosswood Bio

Kestrel Freight

Phone, 390 px

About panel

content.y2k-chrome-about-panel · content

Rule
A 4:5 rounded image on a gradient mesh on 1–5; on 6–12 a pixel eyebrow, chrome h2, two paragraphs and a small star.
Slots
image, eyebrow, title, body, body2
Grid
image 1-5 · text 6-12

A 4:5 image with the token radius and an iridescent mesh behind the subject on 1–5. On 6–12, vertically centred: pixel-font eyebrow, h2 (weight 700, uppercase, chrome fill), two paragraphs (max 56 ch) and a small accent star as a sign-off. At phone width the image comes first.

Brand & product studio

How we think

Each engagement starts with a two-week audit: interviews with customers, sales and the people who build the product. The brief writes itself after that.

We hand over everything — source files, a living brand system and a website your team can edit without calling us.

Desktop

Brand & product studio

How we think

Each engagement starts with a two-week audit: interviews with customers, sales and the people who build the product. The brief writes itself after that.

We hand over everything — source files, a living brand system and a website your team can edit without calling us.

Phone, 390 px

Blog roll

blog.y2k-chrome-blog-roll · blog

Rule
Posts two per row as rounded panels: a 16:9 image on a mesh, then a pixel-font date, the title and an underlined 'read' link.
Slots
title, posts[2..8]
Grid
posts 1-12

A chrome h2, then posts two per row. Each: a rounded panel with a 16:9 image (token radius on the top corners), then inside 16–24 px padding the date in the pixel font, the title (h4) and an underlined "read more" link. At phone width one per row.

Field notes

Apr 3, 2026 · 8 min

Your homepage is a sales call nobody attends

Read

Mar 1, 2026 · 5 min

The case against the brand book

Read

Jan 22, 2026 · 6 min

Naming a product in 2026

Read

Dec 9, 2025 · 4 min

Industrial brands deserve good type

Read
Desktop

Field notes

Apr 3, 2026 · 8 min

Your homepage is a sales call nobody attends

Read

Mar 1, 2026 · 5 min

The case against the brand book

Read

Jan 22, 2026 · 6 min

Naming a product in 2026

Read

Dec 9, 2025 · 4 min

Industrial brands deserve good type

Read
Phone, 390 px

Guestbook

contact.y2k-chrome-guestbook · contact

Rule
A 'sign the guestbook' window on 3–10: accent title bar with a pixel label, then a centred chrome title, a line of text, the email in pixel font and the form.
Slots
sectionLabel, title, body, email, contact
Grid
window 3-10

One window panel on 3–10 (surface, token radius, 2 px border, glow). Title bar in accent with a pixel-font label in onAccent. Body: chrome h2 centred, one line of text, the email address in the pixel font, then the form (name, email, message) with pill-shaped inputs and a primary pill submit. At phone width full width.

Contact

Start a conversation

Each engagement starts with a two-week audit: interviews with customers, sales and the people who build the product. The brief writes itself after that.

hello@northfold.com

Name
Your name
Email
you@example.com
Message
Tell us a little about your project…
Send message
Desktop

Contact

Start a conversation

Each engagement starts with a two-week audit: interviews with customers, sales and the people who build the product. The brief writes itself after that.

hello@northfold.com

Name
Your name
Email
you@example.com
Message
Tell us a little about your project…
Send message
Phone, 390 px

Footers (2)

Webring

footer.y2k-chrome-webring · footer

Rule
Centred: star · wordmark · star, pill links in a row, a pixel-font 'best viewed' line and the legal line.
Slots
siteName, pages, meta, legal

Everything centred in one column: a row of star, chrome wordmark, star; the page links as pills; a pixel-font line in the muted colour (a webring or "best viewed in any browser" joke, kept short); the legal line in small type. At phone width the pills wrap.

Northfold
  • Services
  • Work
  • About
  • Contact

Booking projects from June 2026

© 2026 Northfold. All rights reserved.

Desktop
Northfold
  • Services
  • Work
  • About
  • Contact

Booking projects from June 2026

© 2026 Northfold. All rights reserved.

Phone, 390 px

Status bar

footer.y2k-chrome-status-bar · footer

Rule
A taskbar: one rounded strip on the surface colour with the legal line in pixel font left, slash links in the middle and a pixel clock/meta right.
Slots
legal, pages, meta

A single rounded strip (surface, 2 px border) like an OS taskbar: the legal line in the pixel font on the left, slash-separated links in the middle, and a pixel-font meta (local time, version) on the right. At phone width the links scroll and the meta hides.

© 2026 Northfold. All rights reserved.

  • Services
  • Work
  • About
  • Contact

Booking projects from June 2026

Desktop

© 2026 Northfold. All rights reserved.

  • Services
  • Work
  • About
  • Contact
Phone, 390 px

Hero library heroes that suit Y2K Chrome

Interactive 3D objecthero.interactive-3d-object · interactiveA draggable 3D object fills 6–12 for the full hero height; eyebrow top-left; subhead + CTA mid-left in 1–4; the display headline sits bottom-left in 1–5, running up to the object's edge; a 'drag to rotate' hint bottom-right.Product, centred shothero.product-centered-shot · productProduct launch layout on one axis: a short product-name headline, a wide 16:9 product shot that dominates the hero, a row of 3–4 specs divided by rules, then price and one CTA.Outline + fill typehero.type-outline-fill · oversized-typeTwo display lines at step 6: the first solid across 1–12, the second outlined (stroke only) and indented to start at column 3; subhead + CTA sit under them in 1–4, meta bottom-right.Photo crossed by a marquee bandhero.marquee-band · collageHeadline (1–8) and subhead + CTA (10–12) above a full-bleed 21:9 photo; an accent marquee band runs across the middle of the photo, edge to edge.Headline with stickershero.collage-sticker · collageA huge headline in 1–10 with stickers slapped on it: a tilted accent label overlapping its end (10–12), a star in 1–2 and a second tilted accent2 label in 9–11; subhead + CTA in 3–7.Video inset under the headlinehero.video-inset-frame · videoA full-width display headline at step 6; under it, on one row, a subhead + CTA in 1–4 and a wide 21:9 rounded video window in 5–12 that sits like part of the headline.Product with flanking specshero.product-floating-specs · productA square product shot in 4–9 is flanked by spec callouts: 2–3 feature labels in 1–3 and 2–3 numbers in 10–12, each with a top rule; the headline runs 1–8 underneath, price and CTA in 10–12.Giant wordmarkhero.giant-wordmark · oversized-typeThe site name runs edge to edge at the largest step, sitting on the bottom of the hero; a three-zone strip above it carries eyebrow (1–4), headline + subhead (5–9) and CTA (11–12).