Chromecore

Chromecore is a common design aesthetic that was popular during the 2000s focused on metallic-looking objects and products, most commonly CDs, DVDs, computers, video games, toys, phones, and digital cameras all having a sleek, chromatic gray texture. It was characterized by a distinct aesthetic period, encapsulating fashion, hardware design, music, and furnishings shining with technological optimism.

It started as an branch of the Y2K Futurism and Metalheart aesthetics in the late 90s and early 2000s, but later became a common color scheme on product design and advertisement in the mid-2000s, that was unique yet clean for its time. Most of the aesthetics classified under "Chromecore" are mostly machinery and handheld gaming devices of the Y2K Era, also overlapping somewhat with Frutiger Aero. It started to gradually decline in popularity after 2006 in favor of materials like anodized aluminum, glass, and carbon fiber, and was pretty much gone by the time the 2010s started. This decline happened due to oversaturation, short durability in some products, and lack of colorful and diverse design possibilities.

Visuals[]

The visuals consists of shiny graphics and textures that have a metal chrome or stainless steel finish to it. Within product design, the visuals are achieved with the use of silver plastic, that mimics the chrome finish. The silver and gray tones seen in the aesthetic are bright, reflective, clean and lustrous. Molded curves and shapes are also key features of this aesthetic too.

Websites made using Geocities or Adobe Flash such as 2Advanced Studios v3, Space X, Loyal Digital studios, Design Insites, WK Website, RealityBid, and Taig Khris embraced this style, which used similar themes with a silver finish.