#F6D2A0
#E2703A
#A64B63
#22303F
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text

Big Sur Sunset Color Palette

#F6D2A0 · #E2703A · #A64B63 · #22303F

AAA
WCAG Grade
9.4:1
Contrast Ratio
748
Saves
2,395
AI Copies
AI Prompt

Use #F6D2A0 as the background. Use #E2703A as the primary accent. Use #A64B63 as secondary. Use #22303F as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Big Sur Sunset — sunset, warm, vintage.

Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values

Technical breakdown for the Big Sur Sunset 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: 68.2%
246, 210, 160 0%, 15%, 35%, 4% 35°, 83%, 80%
Primary Accent
Luminance: 28.1%
226, 112, 58 0%, 50%, 74%, 11% 19°, 74%, 56%
Secondary
Luminance: 14.0%
166, 75, 99 0%, 55%, 40%, 35% 344°, 38%, 47%
Body Text
Luminance: 2.8%
34, 48, 63 46%, 24%, 0%, 75% 211°, 30%, 19%

Big Sur Sunset 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 Big Sur Sunset palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.

#F6D2A0 saturated orange
#E2703A saturated orange
#A64B63 gently saturated rose-red
#22303F gently saturated cyan-blue

Big Sur Sunset 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
#22303F on #F6D2A0
Aa Sample Text
9.37:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#F6D2A0 on #22303F
Aa Sample Text
9.37:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#22303F on #E2703A
Aa Sample Text
4.23:1 Fail Large headings, UI components
#E2703A on #22303F
Aa Sample Text
4.23:1 Fail Large headings, UI components
#A64B63 on #F6D2A0
Aa Sample Text
3.85:1 Fail Large headings, UI components
#F6D2A0 on #A64B63
Aa Sample Text
3.85:1 Fail Large headings, UI components
#22303F on #A64B63
Aa Sample Text
2.44:1 Fail Decorative use only
#A64B63 on #22303F
Aa Sample Text
2.44:1 Fail Decorative use only
#E2703A on #F6D2A0
Aa Sample Text
2.21:1 Fail Decorative use only
#F6D2A0 on #E2703A
Aa Sample Text
2.21:1 Fail Decorative use only
#A64B63 on #E2703A
Aa Sample Text
1.74:1 Fail Decorative use only
#E2703A on #A64B63
Aa Sample Text
1.74:1 Fail Decorative use only

Big Sur Sunset Color Psychology & Meaning

The Big Sur coast of California is a cliff road where redwoods meet the Pacific and the sun sinks straight into the ocean, and this palette is pale gold sky with dusty rose. It feels expansive and free, the color of a highway that seems to end in the water.

Color Harmony: Triadic Scheme

The Big Sur Sunset 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.

Hue Wheel

A triadic palette is often preferred by professional designers because it balances visual interest with cohesion.

History & Design Context

Big Sur's Highway 1 opened in 1937 and runs for ninety miles between the Santa Lucia mountains and the Pacific, and the Bixby Creek Bridge is one of the most photographed structures on the American coast.

Best Design Use Cases

Use the pale gold sky for backgrounds, ember orange for primary actions, dusty rose for highlights, and pacific slate for text.

Industries This Palette Suits

Hospitality, travel, lifestyle branding, event design, social media content.

Colors That Pair Well With Big Sur Sunset

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 #E2703A on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy

yellow

30° beside #E2703A — 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 Big Sur Sunset Without Breaking Accessibility

  • Avoid #E2703A for small UI elements on #F6D2A0 — at 2.2:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
  • Set body text in #22303F — 9.4:1 against #F6D2A0 passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
  • Let #A64B63 carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #E2703A.

How to Implement the Big Sur Sunset Color Scheme

To use this Big Sur Sunset 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 #F6D2A0 for the main background and #E2703A for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.

Accessibility Note

The contrast ratio between #22303F and #F6D2A0 is 9.37:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.

Big Sur Sunset Palette — Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hex codes in the Big Sur Sunset color palette?

The Big Sur Sunset palette contains #F6D2A0, #E2703A, #A64B63, #22303F. 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 Big Sur Sunset color palette accessible (WCAG)?

Yes for its strongest pairings: #22303F on #F6D2A0 reaches 9.4:1 (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 Big Sur Sunset palette?

Beyond its own four colors, #3CADE2, #D7BC47, #191510 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 Big Sur Sunset palette create?

Big Sur Sunset reads as sunset, warm, vintage. Saturated orange drives the personality, grounded by saturated orange — a combination that works best when the very light base gets most of the canvas.

Can I use the Big Sur Sunset color palette commercially?

Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Big Sur Sunset 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 Big Sur Sunset 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 Big Sur Sunset's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.

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