#8E3A2E
#C85C44
#E8A888
#2A0E08
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text

Boulevardier Color Palette

#8E3A2E · #C85C44 · #E8A888 · #2A0E08

Fail
WCAG Grade
2.4:1
Contrast Ratio
940
Saves
2,560
AI Copies
AI Prompt

Use #8E3A2E as the background. Use #C85C44 as the primary accent. Use #E8A888 as secondary. Use #2A0E08 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Boulevardier — sophisticated, bold, classic.

Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values

Technical breakdown for the Boulevardier 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: 9.0%
142, 58, 46 0%, 59%, 68%, 44% 8°, 51%, 37%
Primary Accent
Luminance: 20.4%
200, 92, 68 0%, 54%, 66%, 22% 11°, 55%, 53%
Secondary
Luminance: 46.9%
232, 168, 136 0%, 28%, 41%, 9% 20°, 68%, 72%
Body Text
Luminance: 0.8%
42, 14, 8 0%, 67%, 81%, 84% 11°, 68%, 10%

Boulevardier 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 Boulevardier palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.

#8E3A2E gently saturated red
#C85C44 gently saturated red
#E8A888 saturated orange
#2A0E08 saturated red

Boulevardier 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
#2A0E08 on #E8A888
Aa Sample Text
8.92:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#E8A888 on #2A0E08
Aa Sample Text
8.92:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#2A0E08 on #C85C44
Aa Sample Text
4.35:1 Fail Large headings, UI components
#C85C44 on #2A0E08
Aa Sample Text
4.35:1 Fail Large headings, UI components
#E8A888 on #8E3A2E
Aa Sample Text
3.72:1 Fail Large headings, UI components
#8E3A2E on #E8A888
Aa Sample Text
3.72:1 Fail Large headings, UI components
#2A0E08 on #8E3A2E
Aa Sample Text
2.40:1 Fail Decorative use only
#8E3A2E on #2A0E08
Aa Sample Text
2.40:1 Fail Decorative use only
#E8A888 on #C85C44
Aa Sample Text
2.05:1 Fail Decorative use only
#C85C44 on #E8A888
Aa Sample Text
2.05:1 Fail Decorative use only
#C85C44 on #8E3A2E
Aa Sample Text
1.81:1 Fail Decorative use only
#8E3A2E on #C85C44
Aa Sample Text
1.81:1 Fail Decorative use only

Boulevardier Color Psychology & Meaning

The boulevardier is bourbon, Campari, and sweet vermouth, a Negroni with the gin swapped for whiskey, and its palette is the deep brick red of bitter aperitifs in an amber glass. It feels urbane and weighty, the color of a drink that rewards patience.

Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme

The Boulevardier 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

The boulevardier was created in the 1920s by Erskine Gwynne, the American editor of the Paris magazine Boulevardier. It was recorded in Harry McElhones 1927 book Barflies and Cocktails and has outlived the magazine by a century.

Best Design Use Cases

Use the deep brick for sophisticated surfaces, the ember tones for accents, and the pale peach for text contrast. The near-black grounds everything.

Industries This Palette Suits

Cocktail bars, whiskey brands, luxury hospitality, publishing, nightlife.

Colors That Pair Well With Boulevardier

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 #C85C44 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy

orange

30° beside #C85C44 — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension

tinted neutral

a paper-white carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers

Using Boulevardier Without Breaking Accessibility

  • Avoid #C85C44 for small UI elements on #8E3A2E — at 1.8:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
  • Don't set body copy in #2A0E08 on #8E3A2E — 2.4:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
  • Don't use #E8A888 behind body text — this light tone works better for surfaces, badges and dividers than for reading areas.

How to Implement the Boulevardier Color Scheme

To use this Boulevardier 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 #8E3A2E for the main background and #C85C44 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.

Accessibility Note

The contrast ratio between #2A0E08 and #8E3A2E is 2.40:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.

Boulevardier Palette — Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hex codes in the Boulevardier color palette?

The Boulevardier palette contains #8E3A2E, #C85C44, #E8A888, #2A0E08. 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 Boulevardier color palette accessible (WCAG)?

Yes for its strongest pairings: #2A0E08 on #E8A888 reaches 8.9:1 (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 Boulevardier palette?

Beyond its own four colors, #45B1C9, #BD9B51, #EFEBEB 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 Boulevardier palette create?

Boulevardier reads as sophisticated, bold, classic. Gently saturated red drives the personality, grounded by gently saturated red — a combination that works best when the mid-tone base gets most of the canvas.

Can I use the Boulevardier color palette commercially?

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

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