Gentian Color Palette
#E8EAF0 · #3443A4 · #1F2B7C · #090E3A
Use #E8EAF0 as the background. Use #3443A4 as the primary accent. Use #1F2B7C as secondary. Use #090E3A as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Gentian — cool, neon, royal, moody, night.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Gentian 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: 82.3% | 232, 234, 240 | 3%, 3%, 0%, 6% | 225°, 21%, 93% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 7.4% | 52, 67, 164 | 68%, 59%, 0%, 36% | 232°, 52%, 42% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 3.5% | 31, 43, 124 | 75%, 65%, 0%, 51% | 232°, 60%, 30% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 0.7% | 9, 14, 58 | 84%, 76%, 0%, 77% | 234°, 73%, 13% |
Gentian 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 Gentian palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Gentian 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #090E3A on #E8EAF0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 15.37:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #E8EAF0 on #090E3A |
Aa Sample Text
| 15.37:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #1F2B7C on #E8EAF0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 10.30:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #E8EAF0 on #1F2B7C |
Aa Sample Text
| 10.30:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #3443A4 on #E8EAF0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 7.03:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #E8EAF0 on #3443A4 |
Aa Sample Text
| 7.03:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #090E3A on #3443A4 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.19:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3443A4 on #090E3A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.19:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #090E3A on #1F2B7C |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.49:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #1F2B7C on #090E3A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.49:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #1F2B7C on #3443A4 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.47:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3443A4 on #1F2B7C |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.47:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Gentian 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 Gentian
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 #3443A4 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #3443A4 — 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 Gentian Without Breaking Accessibility
- Use #3443A4 for buttons and links — it scores 7.0:1 against the #E8EAF0 background (above the 3:1 UI-components threshold).
- Set body text in #090E3A — 15.4:1 against #E8EAF0 passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Let #1F2B7C carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #3443A4.
How to Implement the Gentian Color Scheme
To use this Gentian 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 #E8EAF0 for the main background and #3443A4 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #090E3A and #E8EAF0 is 15.37:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Gentian Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Gentian color palette?
The Gentian palette contains #E8EAF0, #3443A4, #1F2B7C, #090E3A. 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 Gentian color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #090E3A on #E8EAF0 reaches 15.4:1 (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 Gentian palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #A39433, #5F3E98, #131415 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 Gentian palette create?
Gentian reads as cool, neon, royal. Gently saturated blue drives the personality, grounded by muted blue — a combination that works best when the very light base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Gentian color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Gentian 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 Gentian 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 Gentian's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.