Peppercorn Society — Design System

Mala

Brand Guidelines & UI Style Guide


01

Identity & Core Concept

Named for the defining flavor principle of Sichuan cuisine — málà (麻辣), the electric union of mouth-numbing Sichuan pepper and deep, searingly hot chili — Mala is designed to make the same impression. Bold. Layered. Unforgettable.

Project Name

Mala  麻辣

Tagline

Peppercorn Society Automation

Aesthetic Philosophy

Dark by default. Sophisticated. Editorial yet functional. Like the misty mountain terraces of Sichuan province, the interface layers depth upon depth — deep colour, high-contrast accents, precision and warmth coexisting in the same breath.


02

Color Palette

Drawn from lacquered red ceremonial vessels, the gold of Sichuan opera masks, and the deep black of iron woks seasoned over a lifetime. Every colour has a function; nothing is decorative noise.

#C62828

Mala Red

Primary actions · branding accents · form focus · card top-borders

#FBC02D

Mala Gold

Headings in dark mode · Brand mark (dark) · Admin-specific UI elements

#121212

Mala Black

Main application background

#1E1E1E

Mala Dark Grey

Component backgrounds · cards · modals

#2E7D32

Mala Green

Success states · positive transitions

#2C2C2C

Surface Accent

Form inputs · inactive UI elements


03

Typography

Three voices in concert. Cinzel commands attention at the highest level — page titles, section headings, and the brand mark. Lora brings warmth and heritage to content headings (h3–h6) and prose. DM Mono labels and annotates with quiet precision. Together they carry the dual nature of Mala — functional heat and refined culture.

MALA

TypefaceCinzel (Display)
UsageBrand mark · h1 · h2 · Section titles
Weight600 Semi-bold
Tracking0.12em letter-spacing

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ & 0123456789

Warmth & Heritage

TypefaceLora (Serif)
Usageh3–h6 · Card titles · Prose headings
Weight600 Semi-bold
StyleItalic available for emphasis

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz & 0123456789

Interface clarity

TypefaceInter (Sans-Serif)
UsageBody text · Forms · General UI
Fallback-apple-system, sans-serif
Sizes14px – 18px body range

Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz & 0123456789


04

UI Components & Patterns

Every interactive element should feel intentional — like reaching for a perfectly lacquered chopstick. Hover any component below to observe its active state.

Card Component

Peppercorn Reserve

Background: #1E1E1E · 3px Mala Red top border · 12px radius · lifts on hover.

Navigation Bar

麻辣 Mala

backdrop-filter: blur(10px) · rgba(18,18,18,0.9)

Buttons

Primary: solid Mala Red · Secondary: outline, lower hierarchy

Form Input

Focus state: Mala Red border · rgba(198,40,40,0.15) glow ring


05

Technical Stack

Chosen for longevity and composability. The stack should feel as considered as the design — no unnecessary complexity, no missing capabilities.

UI Framework React
Language TypeScript
Base Framework Bootstrap 5.3
Component Library react-bootstrap
Custom Styles index.css
Theming System dark/light

Named for the flavor. Built for the work.

Peppercorn Society

Mala takes its name from the Sichuan culinary tradition of málà — the electric pairing of peppercorn and chili that defines one of the world's great regional cuisines. Bold heat, precise layering, nothing superfluous.