var colors = {
rainbow: ['red', 'orange', 'yellow', 'green', 'blue', 'purple'],
qual: ['#8dd3c7', '#ffffb3', '#bebada', '#fb8072', '#80b1d3', '#fdb462', '#b3de69', '#fccde5', '#d9d9d9', '#bc80bd', '#ccebc5', '#ffed6f'],
quant: ['#fff7ec', '#fee8c8', '#fdd49e', '#fdbb84', '#fc8d59', '#ef6548', '#d7301f', '#b30000', '#7f0000'],
div: ['#67001f','#b2182b','#d6604d','#f4a582','#fddbc7','#f7f7f7','#d1e5f0','#92c5de','#4393c3','#2166ac','#053061']
};
randc = function(array) {
return array[Math.random() * array.length | 0]
}
genc = function() {
var frag = [];
var arr = colors[$("select").val()];
for (var i = 0; i < 1024; i++) {
frag.push("<div style='background-color:" + randc(arr) + ";'></div>");
}
$("#demo").html(frag.join(''));
}
genc();
$("select").on("change", genc);
#demo {
margin-top: 10px;
font-size: 0;
}
#demo div {
display: inline-block;
width: 24px;
height: 24px;
}
<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<select>
<option value='qual'>Qualitative (categorical)</option>
<option value='quant'>Quantitative (sequential)</option>
<option value='div'>Divergent (republicans versus democrats)</option>
<option value='rainbow'>Rainbow (my little pony)</option>
</select>
<div id='demo'></div>