Cerulean Blue Color Palette
#007BA7 · #5BA8C9 · #BFE3EE · #0A2E3F
Use #007BA7 as the background. Use #5BA8C9 as the primary accent. Use #BFE3EE as secondary. Use #0A2E3F as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Cerulean Blue — calm, fresh, modern.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Cerulean Blue 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: 17.0% | 0, 123, 167 | 100%, 26%, 0%, 35% | 196°, 100%, 33% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 34.4% | 91, 168, 201 | 55%, 16%, 0%, 21% | 198°, 50%, 57% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 72.2% | 191, 227, 238 | 20%, 5%, 0%, 7% | 194°, 58%, 84% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 2.4% | 10, 46, 63 | 84%, 27%, 0%, 75% | 199°, 73%, 14% |
Cerulean Blue 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 Cerulean Blue palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Cerulean Blue 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #0A2E3F on #BFE3EE |
Aa Sample Text
| 10.46:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #BFE3EE on #0A2E3F |
Aa Sample Text
| 10.46:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #0A2E3F on #5BA8C9 |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.35:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #5BA8C9 on #0A2E3F |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.35:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #BFE3EE on #007BA7 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.52:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #007BA7 on #BFE3EE |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.52:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #0A2E3F on #007BA7 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.98:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #007BA7 on #0A2E3F |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.98:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #BFE3EE on #5BA8C9 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.96:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5BA8C9 on #BFE3EE |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.96:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5BA8C9 on #007BA7 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.80:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #007BA7 on #5BA8C9 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.80:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Cerulean Blue 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.
A analogous palette is often preferred by professional designers because it creates a calm, serene atmosphere by using neighboring colors.
History & Design Context
Best Design Use Cases
Industries This Palette Suits
Colors That Pair Well With Cerulean Blue
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 #5BA8C9 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #5BA8C9 — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
a paper-white carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
Using Cerulean Blue Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #5BA8C9 for small UI elements on #007BA7 — 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 #0A2E3F on #007BA7 — 3.0:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
- Don't use #BFE3EE behind body text — this light tone works better for surfaces, badges and dividers than for reading areas.
How to Implement the Cerulean Blue Color Scheme
To use this Cerulean Blue 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 #007BA7 for the main background and #5BA8C9 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #0A2E3F and #007BA7 is 2.98:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Cerulean Blue Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Cerulean Blue color palette?
The Cerulean Blue palette contains #007BA7, #5BA8C9, #BFE3EE, #0A2E3F. 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 Cerulean Blue color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #0A2E3F on #BFE3EE 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 Cerulean Blue palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #C87B5B, #6577BD, #E9EFF2 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 Cerulean Blue palette create?
Cerulean Blue reads as calm, fresh, modern. Gently saturated cyan-blue drives the personality, grounded by saturated cyan-blue — a combination that works best when the mid-tone base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Cerulean Blue color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Cerulean Blue 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 Cerulean Blue 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 Cerulean Blue's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.