19 Cherry Nail Designs to Inspire Your Next Summer Manicure

When it comes to the perfect summer mani, there are myriad classic looks to choose from. From the on-trend glazed donut nails popularized by Hailey Bieber to playful Y2K styles, there’s no limit on how to style your nails for the warmer months. One sweet, timeless option for your next manicure comes in the form of fruit: cherry nails.

Cherries have, quite honestly, never gone out of style. They’re back in a big way with Y2K’s resurgence, but a classic cherry motif has been in since the 1970s, Nicole Darmanin, spokesperson for Londontown, tells NYLON. “There is something a bit cheeky and luscious about cherries that draws people to the design,” she says. “Plus, a red-themed manicure is always chic.”

There are so many ways to show off a cherry-themed mani, from a simple cherry accent on one finger to a patterned collage of fruit. Celebrity manicurist Deborah Lippmann tells NYLON that combining several trending looks, like a French manicure, is a great way to use cherries on your nails. “You can incorporate cherries into your French mani for a summer touch, or you can highlight a few nails with cherry nail art for that pop but subtle look,” she says.

Darmanin also tells NYLON she enjoys a contrasting cherry nail art look. “I love when there is a bit of contrasting color in the design. A simple double cherry with stem painted onto a clear base framed with mint green or baby blue is perfection,” she says. “I love a red French with cherry accents on an almond-shaped nail. And I've seen so many great, bright red cherries on baby pink designs.”

Ready to try cherry nails out for yourself this summer? Here are 19 manis with cherry nail art to get you started, from the simple and subtle to the bright and bold.

Cherry Nail Designs

Try incorporating cherries on one finger into a retro-inspired look by using patterns and bright colors, totally reminiscent of the ‘80s.

Add a pop of playfulness to a solid red mani by incorporating a few tiny cherries on one finger. This elegant take on the trend is subtle but sweet.

Try this intricate, glossy cherry pie mani if you want a different take on the cherry nail art trend. Your nails will look almost good enough to eat.

If you want to mix in a few different styles, try this variation on the cherry nail art look that’s one part French mani, two parts cherry, and three parts solid red.

One more obvious way to utilize cherries in your next mani is to use them on every nail. Try this transparent, multi-colored French mani and top it off with cherries.

A super unique take on cherry nail art, try this cow print cherry look to combine a fun pattern with a super cute fruit. Add a pop of color to make for an eye-catching mani.

Try adding a couple cherries on a finger or two on top of a dainty French mani for a pretty, understated look.

Or try adding an additional color to your French manicured nails and even more mini cherries to the mix.

Placing sparkly cherry rhinestones on your nails is a great way to try the cherry trend and add some shine to a neutral base look.

Can’t decide what kind of manicure you want? Why not try a different symbol on each finger, painted in matte polish, to incorporate a bit of everything?

Another take on the cherry French mani trend, this one brings more drama to the French tips by using a neon blue and green to create a wide tip, embellished with a few small cherries on top.

Add more flare to your red French mani by creating a textured pattern and using some sparkly cherry gems on a few fingers to sweeten the look.

Want to try the fruit trend but don’t want to stick to normal cherries? This heart-shaped cherry mani with drawn-on sparkles is a cute twist on trending summer nails.

This mani combines another popular look, flame nails, with tiny cherries to create a shimmery, eye-catching finished product.

This half-solid mani, half-cherry mani is another understated take on the trend, using ultra-fine strokes to achieve the tiny fruit look on a few nails.

This look combines a few different manicure styles for a delicate, pretty result. Try drawing tiny cherries on top of one or two nails, and throw a French tip or two into the mix to achieve a cohesive look.

Incorporate cherries onto one or two of your nails and use the rest for different patterns and solid colors like in this gorgeous look.

For a different take on the preppy cherry look, try these sweetheart cherries next to a pink gingham design for a totally summery mani.

For the ultimate minimalist cherry nail look, try this sheer neutral manicure and throw a few small stems on top.