Autumn Fog Color Psychology & Meaning
Autumn Fog is a November morning — warm gray mist, bare branches, and the quiet that settles when color has departed the landscape. Melancholy as an aesthetic choice.
#D9D0C7
#9E8E80
#6B5B52
#2C1F1A
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Autumn Fog Color Palette
#D9D0C7 · #9E8E80 · #6B5B52 · #2C1F1A
AAA
WCAG Grade
10.5:1
Contrast Ratio
1,892
Saves
4,823
AI Copies
Use #D9D0C7 as the background. Use #9E8E80 as the primary accent. Use #6B5B52 as secondary. Use #2C1F1A as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Autumn Fog — moody, earthy, calm.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Autumn Fog 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: 64.0% | 217, 208, 199 | 0%, 4%, 8%, 15% | 30°, 19%, 82% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 28.2% | 158, 142, 128 | 0%, 10%, 19%, 38% | 28°, 13%, 56% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 11.2% | 107, 91, 82 | 0%, 15%, 23%, 58% | 22°, 13%, 37% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 1.6% | 44, 31, 26 | 0%, 30%, 41%, 83% | 17°, 26%, 14% |
Autumn Fog 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 Autumn Fog palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#D9D0C7 muted orange
#9E8E80 muted orange
#6B5B52 muted orange
#2C1F1A gently saturated orange
Autumn Fog 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2C1F1A on #D9D0C7 |
Aa Sample Text
| 10.47:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #D9D0C7 on #2C1F1A |
Aa Sample Text
| 10.47:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #2C1F1A on #9E8E80 |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.03:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #9E8E80 on #2C1F1A |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.03:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #6B5B52 on #D9D0C7 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.25:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #D9D0C7 on #6B5B52 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.25:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #2C1F1A on #6B5B52 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.46:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #6B5B52 on #2C1F1A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.46:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #9E8E80 on #D9D0C7 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.08:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #D9D0C7 on #9E8E80 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.08:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #6B5B52 on #9E8E80 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.05:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #9E8E80 on #6B5B52 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.05:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Autumn Fog 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
Fog as a visual aesthetic has deep roots in Romantic landscape painting and Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints. It signals contemplation and the beauty of obscured forms.
Best Design Use Cases
Warm pale gray for primary surfaces. Mid warm gray for elements. Deeper taupe for structure. Rich warm charcoal for text.
Industries This Palette Suits
Interior design, editorial brands, premium spirits, minimalist lifestyle.
Colors That Pair Well With Autumn Fog
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.
cyan-blue
directly opposite #9E8E80 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
yellow
30° beside #9E8E80 — 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 Autumn Fog Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #9E8E80 for small UI elements on #D9D0C7 — at 2.1:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Set body text in #2C1F1A — 10.5:1 against #D9D0C7 passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Let #6B5B52 carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #9E8E80.
How to Implement the Autumn Fog Color Scheme
To use this Autumn Fog 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 #D9D0C7 for the main background and #9E8E80 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #2C1F1A and #D9D0C7 is 10.47:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Autumn Fog Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Autumn Fog color palette?
The Autumn Fog palette contains #D9D0C7, #9E8E80, #6B5B52, #2C1F1A. 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 Autumn Fog color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #2C1F1A on #D9D0C7 reaches 10.5:1 (AAA). 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 Autumn Fog palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #80909D, #9A9984, #151413 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 Autumn Fog palette create?
Autumn Fog reads as moody, earthy, calm. Muted orange drives the personality, grounded by muted orange — a combination that works best when the very light base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Autumn Fog color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Autumn Fog 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 Autumn Fog 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 Autumn Fog's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.