Basalt Color Palette
#DDDEDC · #8A8C8C · #4D5051 · #141617
Use #DDDEDC as the background. Use #8A8C8C as the primary accent. Use #4D5051 as secondary. Use #141617 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Basalt — cool, mono, moody, ocean, earthy.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Basalt 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: 72.8% | 221, 222, 220 | 0%, 0%, 1%, 13% | 90°, 3%, 87% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 26.1% | 138, 140, 140 | 1%, 0%, 0%, 45% | 180°, 1%, 55% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 7.9% | 77, 80, 81 | 5%, 1%, 0%, 68% | 195°, 3%, 31% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 0.8% | 20, 22, 23 | 13%, 4%, 0%, 91% | 200°, 7%, 8% |
Basalt 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 Basalt palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Basalt 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #141617 on #DDDEDC |
Aa Sample Text
| 13.45:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #DDDEDC on #141617 |
Aa Sample Text
| 13.45:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #4D5051 on #DDDEDC |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.03:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #DDDEDC on #4D5051 |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.03:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #141617 on #8A8C8C |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.37:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #8A8C8C on #141617 |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.37:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #8A8C8C on #DDDEDC |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.50:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #DDDEDC on #8A8C8C |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.50:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #4D5051 on #8A8C8C |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.41:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #8A8C8C on #4D5051 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.41:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #141617 on #4D5051 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.23:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #4D5051 on #141617 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.23:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Triadic Scheme
The Basalt palette is built using a triadic relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.
A triadic palette is often preferred by professional designers because it balances visual interest with cohesion.
History & Design Context
Best Design Use Cases
Industries This Palette Suits
Colors That Pair Well With Basalt
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.
directly opposite #8A8C8C on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #8A8C8C — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
a ink-black carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
Using Basalt Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #8A8C8C for small UI elements on #DDDEDC — at 2.5:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Set body text in #141617 — 13.4:1 against #DDDEDC passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Let #4D5051 carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #8A8C8C.
How to Implement the Basalt Color Scheme
To use this Basalt 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 #DDDEDC for the main background and #8A8C8C for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #141617 and #DDDEDC is 13.45:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Basalt Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Basalt color palette?
The Basalt palette contains #DDDEDC, #8A8C8C, #4D5051, #141617. 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 Basalt color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #141617 on #DDDEDC reaches 13.4:1 (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 Basalt palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #8D8B8B, #818C98, #141514 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 Basalt palette create?
Basalt reads as cool, mono, moody. Neutral gray drives the personality, grounded by neutral gray — a combination that works best when the very light base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Basalt color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Basalt 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 Basalt 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 Basalt's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.