diff --git a/Polyhedron/demo/Polyhedron/Color_map.h b/Polyhedron/demo/Polyhedron/Color_map.h
index 096f2e20720..8d5bf31eb06 100644
--- a/Polyhedron/demo/Polyhedron/Color_map.h
+++ b/Polyhedron/demo/Polyhedron/Color_map.h
@@ -3,6 +3,16 @@
 
 #include <QColor>
 
+inline QColor generate_color(double h, double s_min = 0.35)
+{
+  std::size_t s_max=255;
+  if(h >0.8 && h < 0,95) //span of ugly pink, desaturates make it less garish IMO
+    s_max = 160;
+  std::size_t s = std::rand() % (s_max-static_cast<std::size_t>(s_min*255)) +s_min*255;
+  return QColor::fromHsvF(h,s/255.0,1.0);
+}
+
+
 template <typename Output_color_iterator>
 Output_color_iterator
 compute_color_map(QColor base_color,
@@ -12,24 +22,19 @@ compute_color_map(QColor base_color,
   qreal hue = base_color.hueF();
   const qreal step = ((qreal)1) / nb_of_colors;
 
-  int s = base_color.saturation(),
-      v = base_color.value();
-  s = s<90 ? s+90 : s;
-  v = v<90 ? v+90 : v;
-  float sf=s/256.0f,
-      vf=v/256.0f;
-  
   qreal h = hue==-1 ? 0
                     :hue;
   for(unsigned i = 0; i < nb_of_colors; ++i) {
     if (h!=-1) h += step;
     if ( h > 1 ) { h -= 1; }
-//avoid S and V near 0 to avoid having all the same colors
-    *out++ = QColor::fromHsvF(h, 
-                              sf,
-                              vf);
+    *out++ = generate_color(h);
   }
   return out;
 }
 
+inline QColor generate_random_color() {
+  std::size_t h = static_cast<std::size_t>(std::rand() % 360);
+  return generate_color(h/359.0);
+}
+
 #endif
diff --git a/Polyhedron/demo/Polyhedron/Plugins/Surface_mesh/VSA_wrapper.cpp b/Polyhedron/demo/Polyhedron/Plugins/Surface_mesh/VSA_wrapper.cpp
index 286be549b39..1d13c7ab82f 100644
--- a/Polyhedron/demo/Polyhedron/Plugins/Surface_mesh/VSA_wrapper.cpp
+++ b/Polyhedron/demo/Polyhedron/Plugins/Surface_mesh/VSA_wrapper.cpp
@@ -60,8 +60,7 @@ std::size_t VSA_wrapper::add_one_proxy() {
       break;
   }
   if (nb_added == 1) {
-    const std::size_t h = (rand_0_310()+ 340)%359, s = rand_70_255();
-    m_proxy_colors.push_back(QColor::fromHsvF(h/359.0,s/255.0,1.0));
+    m_proxy_colors.push_back(generate_random_color());
   }
 
   return nb_added;
@@ -94,8 +93,7 @@ bool VSA_wrapper::split(const std::size_t px_idx, const std::size_t n, const std
   }
   if (splitted) {
     for (std::size_t i = m_proxy_colors.size(); i < number_of_proxies(); ++i) {
-      const std::size_t h = (rand_0_310()+ 340)%359,s=rand_70_255();
-      m_proxy_colors.push_back(QColor::fromHsvF(h/359.0,s/255.0,1.0));
+      m_proxy_colors.push_back(generate_random_color());
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/Polyhedron/demo/Polyhedron/Plugins/Surface_mesh/VSA_wrapper.h b/Polyhedron/demo/Polyhedron/Plugins/Surface_mesh/VSA_wrapper.h
index 3df3aedf806..f43b6c94d48 100644
--- a/Polyhedron/demo/Polyhedron/Plugins/Surface_mesh/VSA_wrapper.h
+++ b/Polyhedron/demo/Polyhedron/Plugins/Surface_mesh/VSA_wrapper.h
@@ -96,15 +96,6 @@ class VSA_WRAPPER_EXPORT VSA_wrapper {
   typedef CGAL::Variational_shape_approximation<SMesh, Vertex_point_map,
     Compact_metric, EPICK> Compact_approx;
 #endif
-
-  std::size_t rand_0_310() {
-    return static_cast<std::size_t>(std::rand() % 310);
-  }
-  
-  std::size_t rand_70_255() {
-    return static_cast<std::size_t>(std::rand() % 185 + 70);
-  }
-  
   
 
 public:
@@ -165,8 +156,7 @@ public:
     m_proxy_colors.reserve(number_of_proxies());
     
     for (std::size_t i = 0; i < number_of_proxies(); ++i) {
-      const std::size_t h = (rand_0_310()+ 340)%360,s=rand_70_255();
-      m_proxy_colors.push_back(QColor::fromHsvF(h/359.0,s/255.0,1.0));
+      m_proxy_colors.push_back(generate_random_color());
     }
 
     m_initialized = true;