Concrete Grey Color Palette
#C8C8C4 · #8E8E8A · #54544F · #262624
Use #C8C8C4 as the background. Use #8E8E8A as the primary accent. Use #54544F as secondary. Use #262624 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Concrete Grey — mono, moody, cool, vintage.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Concrete Grey 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: 57.6% | 200, 200, 196 | 0%, 0%, 2%, 22% | 60°, 4%, 78% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 26.9% | 142, 142, 138 | 0%, 0%, 3%, 44% | 60°, 2%, 55% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 8.8% | 84, 84, 79 | 0%, 0%, 6%, 67% | 60°, 3%, 32% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 1.9% | 38, 38, 36 | 0%, 0%, 5%, 85% | 60°, 3%, 15% |
Concrete Grey 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 Concrete Grey palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Concrete Grey 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #262624 on #C8C8C4 |
Aa Sample Text
| 9.04:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #C8C8C4 on #262624 |
Aa Sample Text
| 9.04:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #262624 on #8E8E8A |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.61:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #8E8E8A on #262624 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.61:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #54544F on #C8C8C4 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.54:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #C8C8C4 on #54544F |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.54:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #54544F on #8E8E8A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.32:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #8E8E8A on #54544F |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.32:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #262624 on #54544F |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.99:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #54544F on #262624 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.99:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #8E8E8A on #C8C8C4 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.96:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C8C8C4 on #8E8E8A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.96:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Concrete Grey 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 Concrete Grey
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 #8E8E8A on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #8E8E8A — 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 Concrete Grey Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #8E8E8A for small UI elements on #C8C8C4 — at 2.0:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Set body text in #262624 — 9.0:1 against #C8C8C4 passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Let #54544F carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #8E8E8A.
How to Implement the Concrete Grey Color Scheme
To use this Concrete Grey 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 #C8C8C4 for the main background and #8E8E8A for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #262624 and #C8C8C4 is 9.04:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Concrete Grey Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Concrete Grey color palette?
The Concrete Grey palette contains #C8C8C4, #8E8E8A, #54544F, #262624. 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 Concrete Grey color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #262624 on #C8C8C4 reaches 9.0:1 (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 Concrete Grey palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #8A8A8F, #8C9881, #151514 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 Concrete Grey palette create?
Concrete Grey reads as mono, moody, cool. Neutral gray drives the personality, grounded by neutral gray — a combination that works best when the light base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Concrete Grey color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Concrete Grey 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 Concrete Grey 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 Concrete Grey's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.