Earl Grey Bergamot Color Psychology & Meaning
Earl grey is black tea scented with bergamot orange, and this palette is that warm golden cup with a citrus brightness. It feels elegant and familiar, the color of the worlds most iconic flavored tea.
#D8B878
#E8C890
#F0E0C0
#3A2A0E
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Earl Grey Bergamot Color Palette
#D8B878 · #E8C890 · #F0E0C0 · #3A2A0E
AAA
WCAG Grade
7.3:1
Contrast Ratio
1,020
Saves
2,750
AI Copies
Use #D8B878 as the background. Use #E8C890 as the primary accent. Use #F0E0C0 as secondary. Use #3A2A0E as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Earl Grey Bergamot — aromatic, elegant, classic.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Earl Grey Bergamot 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: 50.2% | 216, 184, 120 | 0%, 15%, 44%, 15% | 40°, 55%, 66% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 60.5% | 232, 200, 144 | 0%, 14%, 38%, 9% | 38°, 66%, 74% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 75.6% | 240, 224, 192 | 0%, 7%, 20%, 6% | 40°, 62%, 85% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 2.6% | 58, 42, 14 | 0%, 28%, 76%, 77% | 38°, 61%, 14% |
Earl Grey Bergamot 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 Earl Grey Bergamot palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#D8B878 gently saturated orange
#E8C890 saturated orange
#F0E0C0 gently saturated orange
#3A2A0E gently saturated orange
Earl Grey Bergamot 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #3A2A0E on #F0E0C0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 10.63:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #F0E0C0 on #3A2A0E |
Aa Sample Text
| 10.63:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #3A2A0E on #E8C890 |
Aa Sample Text
| 8.63:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #E8C890 on #3A2A0E |
Aa Sample Text
| 8.63:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #3A2A0E on #D8B878 |
Aa Sample Text
| 7.28:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #D8B878 on #3A2A0E |
Aa Sample Text
| 7.28:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #F0E0C0 on #D8B878 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.46:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #D8B878 on #F0E0C0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.46:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #F0E0C0 on #E8C890 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.23:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #E8C890 on #F0E0C0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.23:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #E8C890 on #D8B878 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.19:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #D8B878 on #E8C890 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.19:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Earl Grey Bergamot 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
Earl grey is named for Charles Grey, the British prime minister who is said to have received the bergamot blend as a gift in the 1830s. The recipe became a worldwide classic, and the bergamot note is now synonymous with refined tea drinking.
Best Design Use Cases
Use the golden amber for elegant surfaces, the bergamot tones for accents, and the cream for text contrast. The deep tan grounds everything.
Industries This Palette Suits
Tea brands, luxury tea, hotels, cafes, gift brands.
Colors That Pair Well With Earl Grey Bergamot
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.
blue
directly opposite #E8C890 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
yellow
30° beside #E8C890 — 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 Earl Grey Bergamot Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #E8C890 for small UI elements on #D8B878 — at 1.2:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Set body text in #3A2A0E — 7.3:1 against #D8B878 passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Don't use #F0E0C0 behind body text — this light tone works better for surfaces, badges and dividers than for reading areas.
How to Implement the Earl Grey Bergamot Color Scheme
To use this Earl Grey Bergamot 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 #D8B878 for the main background and #E8C890 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #3A2A0E and #D8B878 is 7.28:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Earl Grey Bergamot Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Earl Grey Bergamot color palette?
The Earl Grey Bergamot palette contains #D8B878, #E8C890, #F0E0C0, #3A2A0E. 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 Earl Grey Bergamot color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #3A2A0E on #F0E0C0 reaches 10.6:1 (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 Earl Grey Bergamot palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #80A5E5, #D8E298, #171512 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 Earl Grey Bergamot palette create?
Earl Grey Bergamot reads as aromatic, elegant, classic. Saturated orange drives the personality, grounded by gently saturated orange — a combination that works best when the light base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Earl Grey Bergamot color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Earl Grey Bergamot 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 Earl Grey Bergamot 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 Earl Grey Bergamot's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.