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Quiet Serif Notes
A soft serif at note-taking size, in colors that never raise their voice.
BorderededitorialNote takingJournalingQuiet productivity tools
Construction · Bordered
No depth at all, but every surface is contained by a drawn line — the border does the work a shadow would do elsewhere.
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 Quiet Serif Notes style. Low-chroma greens and greys under a soft serif, sized for taking notes rather than for reading a book. Interface elements recede until touched. Build every surface the Bordered way: No depth at all, but every surface is contained by a drawn line — the border does the work a shadow would do elsewhere. Use exactly these values: background #f7f8f5, surfaces #ffffff, text #22261f, secondary text #616a5b, accent #3f6b4f with #ffffff on it; corner radius 4/8/12px; 1px solid borders; no shadows of any kind; Georgia for body at 15px, line height 1.6; 4px spacing grid, regular spacing. Never: saturated accents; hard black text; heavy borders; shouting labels. Dark mode uses background #101210, surfaces #171a16, text #eef1eb, accent #89c39c — 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
- low chroma palette
- soft serif
- receding chrome
- note taking size
What this style refuses
- saturated accents
- hard black text
- heavy borders
- shouting labels
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
#f7f8f5#101210Surface
#ffffff#171a16Border
#dfe3da#2b2f28Text
#22261f#eef1ebMuted text
#616a5b#9ba493Accent
#3f6b4f#89c39cOn accent
#ffffff#0a1a10Shape and type
Radius4 / 8 / 12 px
Border1px solid
Shadownone
DisplayGeorgia
BodyGeorgia
Monoui-monospace
Type scale11 · 12 · 15 · 17 · 21 · 28 px
Weights400 / 600 / 600
Line height1.6
Tracking0em
Spacing4px grid · regular
Surfaceflat
Accentfilled
Separatorhairline
Labelssentence case
Blurnone
Measured contrast — body 14.43:1 light, 16.5:1 dark; secondary text 5.29:1 and 7.28:1. Every pair clears WCAG AA in both themes, checked on each build.
Specimen · Specimen.tsx
import type { CSSProperties } from "react";
/**
* Vibary · Quiet Serif Notes
*
* A soft serif at note-taking size, in colors that never raise their voice.
*
* 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": "bordered",
"color": {
"light": {
"bg": "#f7f8f5",
"surface": "#ffffff",
"border": "#dfe3da",
"text": "#22261f",
"muted": "#616a5b",
"accent": "#3f6b4f",
"accentText": "#ffffff"
},
"dark": {
"bg": "#101210",
"surface": "#171a16",
"border": "#2b2f28",
"text": "#eef1eb",
"muted": "#9ba493",
"accent": "#89c39c",
"accentText": "#0a1a10"
}
},
"radius": {
"sm": 4,
"md": 8,
"lg": 12,
"pill": 999
},
"border": {
"width": 1,
"style": "solid"
},
"shadow": {
"level": "none",
"value": "none"
},
"type": {
"family": {
"display": "Georgia, \"Times New Roman\", \"Liberation Serif\", serif",
"body": "Georgia, \"Times New Roman\", \"Liberation Serif\", serif",
"mono": "ui-monospace, \"SF Mono\", Menlo, Consolas, \"Liberation Mono\", monospace"
},
"scale": [
11,
12,
15,
17,
21,
28
],
"weight": {
"body": 400,
"strong": 600,
"display": 600
},
"lineHeight": 1.6,
"tracking": 0
},
"space": {
"unit": 4,
"density": "regular"
},
"effects": {
"surface": "flat",
"accentStyle": "filled",
"separator": "hairline",
"labelCase": "none",
"blur": 0
}
};
type Palette = typeof TOKENS.color.light;
export type QuietSerifNotesSpecimenProps = {
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 Bordered
* a different design language rather than a different theme —
* No depth at all, but every surface is contained by a drawn line — the border does the work a shadow would do elsewhere.
*/
const MATERIAL = {
"surface": {
"background": "var(--sp-surface)",
"boxShadow": "none",
"border": "1px solid var(--sp-border)"
},
"button": {
"background": "var(--sp-accent)",
"color": "var(--sp-accent-text)",
"boxShadow": "none",
"border": "1px solid var(--sp-accent)"
},
"switchOn": {
"background": "var(--sp-accent)",
"boxShadow": "none",
"border": "1px solid var(--sp-accent)"
},
"switchOff": {
"background": "transparent",
"boxShadow": "none",
"border": "1px solid var(--sp-border)"
},
"knob": {
"background": "var(--sp-accent-text)",
"boxShadow": "none"
},
"navActive": {
"background": "transparent",
"boxShadow": "inset 0 0 0 1px var(--sp-accent)"
},
"bar": {
"background": "var(--sp-accent)",
"boxShadow": "none",
"border": "1px solid var(--sp-border)"
}
};
const SURFACE_BORDER = `${TOKENS.border.width}px solid var(--sp-border)`;
const ROW_SEPARATOR = "1px solid var(--sp-border)";
const RING = 0.68;
export function QuietSerifNotesSpecimen({ theme = "system", scope = "sp-quiet-serif-notes" }: QuietSerifNotesSpecimenProps) {
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 ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
letterSpacing: `${TOKENS.type.tracking}em`,
textTransform: "none",
color: "var(--sp-muted)",
};
const meta: CSSProperties = {
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.body} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
color: "var(--sp-muted)",
};
const card: CSSProperties = {
...MATERIAL.surface,
borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.md,
padding: 15,
};
const heading: CSSProperties = {
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[2]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.display}`,
textTransform: "none",
letterSpacing: "0",
};
const primary: CSSProperties = { ...MATERIAL.button, borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.sm };
const pill = (active: boolean): CSSProperties => ({
padding: "2px 8px",
borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.pill,
background: active
? "var(--sp-accent)"
: "color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-text) 10%, transparent)",
color: active ? "var(--sp-accent-text)" : "var(--sp-muted)",
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.strong} ${TOKENS.type.scale[0]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
textTransform: "none",
letterSpacing: "0",
});
return (
<div
className={scope}
style={{
width: 760,
display: "flex",
background: "var(--sp-bg)",
color: "var(--sp-text)",
font: `${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: 18,
borderRight: `${TOKENS.border.width}px solid var(--sp-border)`,
background: "color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-surface) 70%, transparent)",
}}
>
<div style={{ display: "flex", alignItems: "center", gap: 8, marginBottom: 14 }}>
<span
style={{
width: 22,
height: 22,
borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.sm,
background: "var(--sp-accent)",
display: "grid",
placeItems: "center",
color: "var(--sp-accent-text)",
font: `${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 ${TOKENS.type.family.display}`,
textTransform: "none",
letterSpacing: "0",
}}
>
Northwind
</span>
</div>
{NAV.map((item, index) => (
<span
key={item.label}
style={{
display: "flex",
alignItems: "center",
gap: 9,
height: 34,
padding: "0 9px",
borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.sm,
...(index === 0 ? MATERIAL.navActive : null),
color: index === 0 ? "var(--sp-accent)" : "var(--sp-muted)",
font: `${index === 0 ? TOKENS.type.weight.strong : TOKENS.type.weight.body} ${TOKENS.type.scale[1]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
textTransform: "none",
letterSpacing: "0",
}}
>
<svg width="17" height="17" viewBox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" aria-hidden="true">
<path
d={item.path}
stroke="currentColor"
strokeWidth={index === 0 ? 1.7 : 1.3}
strokeLinecap="round"
strokeLinejoin="round"
/>
</svg>
{item.label}
</span>
))}
<span style={{ flex: 1 }} />
<span
style={{
display: "flex",
alignItems: "center",
gap: 8,
paddingTop: 14,
borderTop: `${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 ${TOKENS.type.family.body}` }}>
Mika Ito
</span>
<span style={{ ...meta, display: "block" }}>Finance</span>
</span>
</span>
</div>
{/* Main */}
<div
style={{
flex: 1,
minWidth: 0,
display: "flex",
flexDirection: "column",
gap: 14,
padding: 18,
}}
>
{/* Header */}
<div style={{ display: "flex", alignItems: "center", gap: 10 }}>
<span style={{ flex: 1, minWidth: 0 }}>
<span style={{ ...label, display: "block" }}>March 2026</span>
<span
style={{
display: "block",
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.display} ${TOKENS.type.scale[4]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.display}`,
textTransform: "none",
letterSpacing: `${TOKENS.type.tracking}em`,
}}
>
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 ${TOKENS.type.family.body}`,
textTransform: "none",
letterSpacing: "0",
}}
>
New report
</span>
</div>
{/* Stats */}
<div style={{ display: "flex", gap: 14 }}>
{STATS.map((stat) => (
<div key={stat.label} style={{ ...card, flex: 1, minWidth: 0 }}>
<span style={{ ...label, display: "block" }}>{stat.label}</span>
<span
style={{
display: "block",
marginTop: 3,
fontVariantNumeric: "tabular-nums",
font: `${TOKENS.type.weight.display} ${TOKENS.type.scale[4]}px ${TOKENS.type.family.display}`,
}}
>
{stat.value}
</span>
<span style={{ display: "inline-flex", marginTop: 6, ...pill(stat.up) }}>
{stat.delta}
</span>
</div>
))}
</div>
{/* Chart + ring */}
<div style={{ display: "flex", gap: 14 }}>
<div style={{ ...card, flex: 1.6, minWidth: 0 }}>
<div style={{ display: "flex", alignItems: "baseline", justifyContent: "space-between" }}>
<span style={heading}>Revenue by day</span>
<span style={meta}>7 days</span>
</div>
<div
style={{
display: "flex",
alignItems: "flex-end",
gap: 7,
height: 92,
marginTop: 10,
}}
>
{BARS.map((bar, index) => (
<span key={index} style={{ flex: 1, display: "flex", flexDirection: "column", alignItems: "center", gap: 5 }}>
<span
style={{
width: "100%",
height: bar.value * 74,
borderRadius: `${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 $16,170</span>
</span>
</div>
</div>
{/* Table + controls */}
<div style={{ display: "flex", gap: 14 }}>
<div style={{ ...card, flex: 1.6, minWidth: 0, padding: 0, overflow: "hidden" }}>
<div
style={{
display: "flex",
alignItems: "center",
justifyContent: "space-between",
padding: `${15}px ${15}px 8px`,
}}
>
<span style={heading}>Recent orders</span>
<span style={{ color: "var(--sp-accent)", font: `${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: 44,
padding: `0 ${15}px`,
borderTop: ROW_SEPARATOR,
}}
>
<span
style={{
width: 24,
height: 24,
flex: "none",
display: "grid",
placeItems: "center",
borderRadius: TOKENS.radius.sm,
background: "color-mix(in srgb, var(--sp-text) 9%, transparent)",
font: `${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 QuietSerifNotesSpecimen;