CRT Television Color Psychology & Meaning
A CRT television is a heavy black box with a warm gray glow when it is on, the palette of family rooms for half a century. It reads as nostalgic, warm, and the specific light of analog broadcast.
#1A1A1A
#3A3A3A
#8A8A8A
#E8E0D0
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
CRT Television Color Palette
#1A1A1A · #3A3A3A · #8A8A8A · #E8E0D0
AAA
WCAG Grade
13.3:1
Contrast Ratio
1,300
Saves
3,400
AI Copies
Use #1A1A1A as the background. Use #3A3A3A as the primary accent. Use #8A8A8A as secondary. Use #E8E0D0 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: CRT Television — retro, warm, nostalgic.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the CRT Television 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: 1.0% | 26, 26, 26 | 0%, 0%, 0%, 90% | 0°, 0%, 10% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 4.2% | 58, 58, 58 | 0%, 0%, 0%, 77% | 0°, 0%, 23% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 25.4% | 138, 138, 138 | 0%, 0%, 0%, 46% | 0°, 0%, 54% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 75.0% | 232, 224, 208 | 0%, 3%, 10%, 9% | 40°, 34%, 86% |
CRT Television 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 CRT Television palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#1A1A1A neutral gray
#3A3A3A neutral gray
#8A8A8A neutral gray
#E8E0D0 gently saturated orange
CRT Television 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #E8E0D0 on #1A1A1A |
Aa Sample Text
| 13.26:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #1A1A1A on #E8E0D0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 13.26:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #E8E0D0 on #3A3A3A |
Aa Sample Text
| 8.67:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #3A3A3A on #E8E0D0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 8.67:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #8A8A8A on #1A1A1A |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.04:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #1A1A1A on #8A8A8A |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.04:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #8A8A8A on #3A3A3A |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.29:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #3A3A3A on #8A8A8A |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.29:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #E8E0D0 on #8A8A8A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.63:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #8A8A8A on #E8E0D0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.63:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3A3A3A on #1A1A1A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.53:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #1A1A1A on #3A3A3A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.53:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Custom Scheme
The CRT Television palette is built using a custom relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.
Hue Wheel
A custom palette is often preferred by professional designers because it balances visual interest with cohesion.
History & Design Context
Cathode ray tube televisions dominated living rooms from the 1950s through the 2000s, and their curved glass and warm phosphor glow defined the experience of television. The look returned as a retro aesthetic in design and gaming.
Best Design Use Cases
Use the near-black for backgrounds, the charcoal for surfaces, and the gray for accents. The warm cream works for text and the glow of the screen.
Industries This Palette Suits
Retro media, gaming, vintage tech, film and TV nostalgia, interior styling, art.
Colors That Pair Well With CRT Television
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.
teal
directly opposite #3A3A3A on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
orange
30° beside #3A3A3A — 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 CRT Television Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #3A3A3A for small UI elements on #1A1A1A — at 1.5:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Set body text in #E8E0D0 — 13.3:1 against #1A1A1A passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Let #8A8A8A carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #3A3A3A.
How to Implement the CRT Television Color Scheme
To use this CRT Television 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 #1A1A1A for the main background and #3A3A3A for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #E8E0D0 and #1A1A1A is 13.26:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
CRT Television Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the CRT Television color palette?
The CRT Television palette contains #1A1A1A, #3A3A3A, #8A8A8A, #E8E0D0. 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 CRT Television color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #E8E0D0 on #1A1A1A reaches 13.3:1 (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 CRT Television palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #595959, #413B35, #EEECEC 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 CRT Television palette create?
CRT Television reads as retro, warm, nostalgic. Neutral gray drives the personality, grounded by neutral gray — a combination that works best when the deep base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the CRT Television color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the CRT Television 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 CRT Television 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 CRT Television's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.