Grey Flannel Color Palette
#E4E3DE · #A3A29D · #63625E · #1C1B19
Use #E4E3DE as the background. Use #A3A29D as the primary accent. Use #63625E as secondary. Use #1C1B19 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Grey Flannel — vintage, mono, cool, moody, royal.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Grey Flannel 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: 76.7% | 228, 227, 222 | 0%, 0%, 3%, 11% | 50°, 10%, 88% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 36.1% | 163, 162, 157 | 0%, 1%, 4%, 36% | 50°, 3%, 63% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 12.2% | 99, 98, 94 | 0%, 1%, 5%, 61% | 48°, 3%, 38% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 1.1% | 28, 27, 25 | 0%, 4%, 11%, 89% | 40°, 6%, 10% |
Grey Flannel 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 Grey Flannel palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Grey Flannel 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1C1B19 on #E4E3DE |
Aa Sample Text
| 13.39:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #E4E3DE on #1C1B19 |
Aa Sample Text
| 13.39:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #1C1B19 on #A3A29D |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.73:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #A3A29D on #1C1B19 |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.73:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #63625E on #E4E3DE |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.75:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #E4E3DE on #63625E |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.75:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #1C1B19 on #63625E |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.82:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #63625E on #1C1B19 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.82:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #63625E on #A3A29D |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.39:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #A3A29D on #63625E |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.39:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #A3A29D on #E4E3DE |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.99:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #E4E3DE on #A3A29D |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.99:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Grey Flannel 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 Grey Flannel
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 #A3A29D on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #A3A29D — 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 Grey Flannel Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #A3A29D for small UI elements on #E4E3DE — at 2.0:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Set body text in #1C1B19 — 13.4:1 against #E4E3DE passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Let #63625E carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #A3A29D.
How to Implement the Grey Flannel Color Scheme
To use this Grey Flannel 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 #E4E3DE for the main background and #A3A29D for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #1C1B19 and #E4E3DE is 13.39:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Grey Flannel Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Grey Flannel color palette?
The Grey Flannel palette contains #E4E3DE, #A3A29D, #63625E, #1C1B19. 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 Grey Flannel color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #1C1B19 on #E4E3DE reaches 13.4:1 (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 Grey Flannel palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #9E9FA3, #A4AA97, #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 Grey Flannel palette create?
Grey Flannel reads as vintage, mono, cool. Neutral gray drives the personality, grounded by muted yellow — a combination that works best when the very light base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Grey Flannel color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Grey Flannel 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 Grey Flannel 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 Grey Flannel's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.