Gravel Color Palette
#E7E2D8 · #A8A196 · #67615A · #1F1D1A
Use #E7E2D8 as the background. Use #A8A196 as the primary accent. Use #67615A as secondary. Use #1F1D1A as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Gravel — earthy, warm, vintage, mono.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Gravel 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: 76.3% | 231, 226, 216 | 0%, 2%, 6%, 9% | 40°, 24%, 88% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 36.0% | 168, 161, 150 | 0%, 4%, 11%, 34% | 37°, 9%, 62% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 12.2% | 103, 97, 90 | 0%, 6%, 13%, 60% | 32°, 7%, 38% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 1.2% | 31, 29, 26 | 0%, 6%, 16%, 88% | 36°, 9%, 11% |
Gravel 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 Gravel palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Gravel 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1F1D1A on #E7E2D8 |
Aa Sample Text
| 13.03:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #E7E2D8 on #1F1D1A |
Aa Sample Text
| 13.03:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #1F1D1A on #A8A196 |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.57:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #A8A196 on #1F1D1A |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.57:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #67615A on #E7E2D8 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.74:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #E7E2D8 on #67615A |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.74:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #1F1D1A on #67615A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.75:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #67615A on #1F1D1A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.75:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #67615A on #A8A196 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.39:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #A8A196 on #67615A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.39:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #A8A196 on #E7E2D8 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.98:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #E7E2D8 on #A8A196 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.98:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Gravel 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 Gravel
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 #A8A196 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #A8A196 — 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 Gravel Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #A8A196 for small UI elements on #E7E2D8 — at 2.0:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Set body text in #1F1D1A — 13.0:1 against #E7E2D8 passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Let #67615A carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #A8A196.
How to Implement the Gravel Color Scheme
To use this Gravel 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 #E7E2D8 for the main background and #A8A196 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #1F1D1A and #E7E2D8 is 13.03:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Gravel Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Gravel color palette?
The Gravel palette contains #E7E2D8, #A8A196, #67615A, #1F1D1A. 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 Gravel color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #1F1D1A on #E7E2D8 reaches 13.0:1 (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 Gravel palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #959CA7, #A6A894, #161513 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 Gravel palette create?
Gravel reads as earthy, warm, vintage. Muted orange drives the personality, grounded by muted orange — a combination that works best when the very light base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Gravel color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Gravel 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 Gravel 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 Gravel's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.