diff --git a/colorhash/palettes.py b/colorhash/palettes.py
index e364ed5..b49f133 100644
--- a/colorhash/palettes.py
+++ b/colorhash/palettes.py
@@ -41,15 +41,108 @@ class StaticPalette(Palette):
         return self.colors[color]
 
 
+HSVRange = range | float | int | list[float | int]
+
+
+def quantize(r: range, steps: int = 16) -> list[float]:
+    """
+    Given a range and a number of steps, create a list of numbers starting and ending in the range
+    (inclusive) with that number of steps.
+
+    :param r: the range to quantize.
+    :param steps: the number of steps to use.
+    :returns: a list of the quantized range.
+    """
+    dist = abs(r.stop - r.start)
+    return [r.start + (i * dist / (steps - 1)) for i in range(steps)]
+
+
+def hsl_colors(hue: HSVRange, sat: HSVRange, light: HSVRange) -> list[str]:
+    """
+    Utility method to create 16 colors using HSL.
+
+    :param hue: the hue, or range of hues, to use for this palette.
+    :param sat: the saturation, or range of saturations, to use for this palette.
+    :param light: the light value, or range of light values, to use for this palette.
+    """
+
+    if isinstance(hue, (float, int)):
+        hue = [hue] * 16
+    elif isinstance(hue, range):
+        hue = quantize(hue)
+    assert len(hue) == 16, "hue values must be a list of 16 elements"
+
+    if isinstance(sat, (float, int)):
+        sat = [sat] * 16
+    elif isinstance(sat, range):
+        sat = quantize(sat)
+    assert len(sat) == 16, "saturation values must be a list of 16 elements"
+
+    if isinstance(light, (float, int)):
+        light = [light] * 16
+    elif isinstance(light, range):
+        light = quantize(light)
+    assert len(light) == 16, "light values must be a list of 16 elements"
+
+    return [f"hsl({h:.02f},{s:.02f}%,{l:.02f}%)" for h, s, l in zip(hue, sat, light)]
+
+
 DEFAULT_PALETTES = {
-    "red": StaticPalette([f"#{0x110000 * i:06x}" for i in range(0x10)]),
-    "green": StaticPalette([f"#{0x001100 * i:06x}" for i in range(0x10)]),
-    "blue": StaticPalette([f"#{0x000011 * i:06x}" for i in range(0x10)]),
-    "black": StaticPalette([f"#{0x111111 * i:06x}" for i in range(0x10)]),
-    "cyan": StaticPalette([f"#{0x001111 * i:06x}" for i in range(0x10)]),
-    "yellow": StaticPalette([f"#{0x111100 * i:06x}" for i in range(0x10)]),
-    "magenta": StaticPalette([f"#{0x110011 * i:06x}" for i in range(0x10)]),
-    "white": StaticPalette([f"#{0x111111 * (0xF - i):06x}" for i in range(0x10)]),
+    # Interesting thing with human perception.
+    # Between red and yellow, we can perceive "orange". We have a name for it and see it as a
+    # distinct color. However, between yellow and green, we see a sickly green; between green and
+    # cyan, a seafoam green; between cyan and blue, a lighter blue.
+    #
+    # Beside these, I think that between blue and magenta gives a color you could safely call
+    # "purple", and between magenta and red, you get a color you could safely call "pink". It seems
+    # that reds are more distinct to the human eye.
+    #
+    # For this reason, I have decided to pick these palettes as the "defaults", with a "dark" and
+    # "light" variant of each (lightness 0-50%, and 50-100% respectively), with an additional
+    # fully-saturated "rainbow" palette with all of the colors:
+    #
+    # red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple, magenta, pink, gray, rainbow
+
+    "red-light": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(0, 100, range(50, 100))),
+    "red-dark": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(0, 100, range(0, 50))),
+
+    "orange-light": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(30, 100, range(50, 100))),
+    "orange-dark": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(30, 100, range(0, 50))),
+
+    "yellow-light": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(60, 100, range(50, 100))),
+    "yellow-dark": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(60, 100, range(0, 50))),
+
+    #"lime-light": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(90, 100, range(50, 100))),
+    #"lime-dark": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(90, 100, range(0, 50))),
+
+    "green-light": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(120, 100, range(50, 100))),
+    "green-dark": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(120, 100, range(0, 50))),
+
+    #"seafoam-light": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(150, 100, range(50, 100))),
+    #"seafoam-dark": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(150, 100, range(0, 50))),
+
+    "cyan-light": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(180, 100, range(50, 100))),
+    "cyan-dark": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(180, 100, range(0, 50))),
+
+    #"teal-light": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(210, 100, range(50, 100))),
+    #"teal-dark": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(210, 100, range(0, 50))),
+
+    "blue-light": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(240, 100, range(50, 100))),
+    "blue-dark": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(240, 100, range(0, 50))),
+
+    "purple-light": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(270, 100, range(50, 100))),
+    "purple-dark": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(270, 100, range(0, 50))),
+
+    "magenta-light": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(300, 100, range(50, 100))),
+    "magenta-dark": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(300, 100, range(0, 50))),
+
+    "pink-light": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(330, 100, range(50, 100))),
+    "pink-dark": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(330, 100, range(0, 50))),
+
+    "gray-dark": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(0, 0, range(0, 50))),
+    "gray-light": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(0, 0, range(50, 100))),
+
+    "rainbow": StaticPalette(hsl_colors(range(0, 360), 100, 50)),
 }