#EFEFEC
#DCDCD6
#C0C0BA
#98988F
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text

Ash White Color Palette

#EFEFEC · #DCDCD6 · #C0C0BA · #98988F

Fail
WCAG Grade
2.5:1
Contrast Ratio
889
Saves
1,575
AI Copies
AI Prompt

Use #EFEFEC as the background. Use #DCDCD6 as the primary accent. Use #C0C0BA as secondary. Use #98988F as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Ash White — mono, cool, pastel, moody.

Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values

Technical breakdown for the Ash White color scheme. Use these values for web design (HEX/RGB), print projects (CMYK), or specialized design software (HSL).

Swatch Design Role HEX RGB CMYK HSL
Background
Luminance: 86.1%
239, 239, 236 0%, 0%, 1%, 6% 60°, 9%, 93%
Primary Accent
Luminance: 71.3%
220, 220, 214 0%, 0%, 3%, 14% 60°, 8%, 85%
Secondary
Luminance: 52.5%
192, 192, 186 0%, 0%, 3%, 25% 60°, 5%, 74%
Body Text
Luminance: 31.1%
152, 152, 143 0%, 0%, 6%, 40% 60°, 4%, 58%

Ash White Tints & Shades

Hover states, borders and elevation need lighter and darker steps of your base colors. Here are computed tints and shades for every color in the Ash White palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.

#EFEFEC muted yellow
#DCDCD6 muted yellow
#C0C0BA neutral gray
#98988F neutral gray

Ash White Palette Contrast Matrix (WCAG 2.1)

Every color tested as text on every other color as background. Body copy needs 4.5:1 (AA), large text and UI components 3:1. AAA requires 7:1.

Text on Background Preview Ratio Grade Safe For
#98988F on #EFEFEC
Aa Sample Text
2.52:1 Fail Decorative use only
#EFEFEC on #98988F
Aa Sample Text
2.52:1 Fail Decorative use only
#98988F on #DCDCD6
Aa Sample Text
2.11:1 Fail Decorative use only
#DCDCD6 on #98988F
Aa Sample Text
2.11:1 Fail Decorative use only
#98988F on #C0C0BA
Aa Sample Text
1.59:1 Fail Decorative use only
#C0C0BA on #98988F
Aa Sample Text
1.59:1 Fail Decorative use only
#C0C0BA on #EFEFEC
Aa Sample Text
1.59:1 Fail Decorative use only
#EFEFEC on #C0C0BA
Aa Sample Text
1.59:1 Fail Decorative use only
#C0C0BA on #DCDCD6
Aa Sample Text
1.33:1 Fail Decorative use only
#DCDCD6 on #C0C0BA
Aa Sample Text
1.33:1 Fail Decorative use only
#DCDCD6 on #EFEFEC
Aa Sample Text
1.20:1 Fail Decorative use only
#EFEFEC on #DCDCD6
Aa Sample Text
1.20:1 Fail Decorative use only

Ash White Color Psychology & Meaning

Ash white is the near-white left when the warm components of a colour have been burnt away, so it reads cool without being blue, and this palette is ash white with ash grey. It feels clean and ashen, the color of a surface that has been reduced to minerals.

Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme

The Ash White palette is built using a analogous relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.

Hue Wheel

A analogous palette is often preferred by professional designers because it creates a calm, serene atmosphere by using neighboring colors.

History & Design Context

Calcium-rich ash from burnt wood is pale grey-white, and the same mineral residue is what gives lime plaster and mortar their colour after firing.

Best Design Use Cases

Use the ash white for backgrounds, pale ash for primary actions, ash grey for highlights, and ash shadow for text.

Industries This Palette Suits

Editorial design, architecture studios, type foundries, agencies.

Colors That Pair Well With Ash White

Need a fifth color? These three companions are computed from the palette's own hue positions on the color wheel, so they extend the scheme without breaking its harmony.

blue

directly opposite #DCDCD6 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy

yellow-green

30° beside #DCDCD6 — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension

tinted neutral

a ink-black carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers

Using Ash White Without Breaking Accessibility

  • Avoid #DCDCD6 for small UI elements on #EFEFEC — at 1.2:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
  • Don't set body copy in #98988F on #EFEFEC — 2.5:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
  • Don't use #C0C0BA behind body text — this light tone works better for surfaces, badges and dividers than for reading areas.

How to Implement the Ash White Color Scheme

To use this Ash White color palette in your web project, you can copy the following CSS variables or Tailwind CSS configuration. These roles ensure your UI maintains accessibility and visual hierarchy.

Option 1: CSS Variables

:root { 
  /* {name} Palette - ihatecolors.com */{'
'}  --color-bg: {colors[0]};{'
'}  --color-primary: {colors[1]};{'
'}  --color-secondary: {colors[2]};{'
'}  --color-text: {colors[3]};{'
'} {'}'}

Web Design Tip

Use #EFEFEC for the main background and #DCDCD6 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.

Accessibility Note

The contrast ratio between #98988F and #EFEFEC is 2.52:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.

Ash White Palette — Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hex codes in the Ash White color palette?

The Ash White palette contains #EFEFEC, #DCDCD6, #C0C0BA, #98988F. Click any swatch on this page to copy its value, or export all four at once as CSS variables, Tailwind config, SCSS or a Figma-ready list.

Is the Ash White color palette accessible (WCAG)?

Yes for its strongest pairings: #98988F on #EFEFEC reaches 2.5:1 (Fail). For body text always keep a 4.5:1 ratio and for large UI elements 3:1 — the full contrast matrix above shows the exact score for every color-on-color combination in this palette.

What colors go well with the Ash White palette?

Beyond its own four colors, #ACACB9, #D9DDD5, #151514 extend it naturally: the complementary hue for high-energy accents, an analogous neighbor for calm transitions, and a tinted neutral for surfaces. All three are computed from this palette's hues on the color wheel.

What mood does the Ash White palette create?

Ash White reads as mono, cool, pastel. Muted yellow drives the personality, grounded by muted yellow — a combination that works best when the very light base gets most of the canvas.

Can I use the Ash White color palette commercially?

Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Ash White palette is free for personal, client and commercial work — websites, branding, apps, print and social content, with no attribution required.

How do I add the Ash White palette to Tailwind or CSS?

Use the export panel on this page: CSS variables, a Tailwind config block, SCSS variables, or a Figma copy list are generated from Ash White's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.

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