Different labeled checkboxes

I am about to commission a small job for a database application.

Since labeling each record is crucial to me, and since I am trying to keep a simple and clean design, I thought I would replace those old, boring, ugly checkboxes with a simple and elegant solution that could mantain the selection funcionality and show the corresponding label color at the same time.

I've sketched something like this.

But, as you can guess, I can't select multiple records in the first place: I employed of the :focus pseudo-class even though I know very well a completely different approach is needed.

Once again, this is just for demo purpose: someone else is going to do the coding.

Now, what I would like to know is: is all this possible in the first place? can you do this and deliver a stable and reliable solution or is it going to be unstable and precarious anyway?

Do I have to quit the idea and move back to those old, boring, ugly checkboxes? :)

thanks