#3E4246
#2A2E32
#5E6266
#181B1E
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text

Gunmetal Color Palette

#3E4246 · #2A2E32 · #5E6266 · #181B1E

Fail
WCAG Grade
1.7:1
Contrast Ratio
811
Saves
1,627
AI Copies
AI Prompt

Use #3E4246 as the background. Use #2A2E32 as the primary accent. Use #5E6266 as secondary. Use #181B1E as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Gunmetal — moody, mono, cool, night.

Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values

Technical breakdown for the Gunmetal 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: 5.4%
62, 66, 70 11%, 6%, 0%, 73% 210°, 6%, 26%
Primary Accent
Luminance: 2.7%
42, 46, 50 16%, 8%, 0%, 80% 210°, 9%, 18%
Secondary
Luminance: 12.1%
94, 98, 102 8%, 4%, 0%, 60% 210°, 4%, 38%
Body Text
Luminance: 1.1%
24, 27, 30 20%, 10%, 0%, 88% 210°, 11%, 11%

Gunmetal 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 Gunmetal palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.

#3E4246 neutral gray
#2A2E32 muted cyan-blue
#5E6266 neutral gray
#181B1E muted cyan-blue

Gunmetal 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
#181B1E on #5E6266
Aa Sample Text
2.81:1 Fail Decorative use only
#5E6266 on #181B1E
Aa Sample Text
2.81:1 Fail Decorative use only
#5E6266 on #2A2E32
Aa Sample Text
2.22:1 Fail Decorative use only
#2A2E32 on #5E6266
Aa Sample Text
2.22:1 Fail Decorative use only
#181B1E on #3E4246
Aa Sample Text
1.71:1 Fail Decorative use only
#3E4246 on #181B1E
Aa Sample Text
1.71:1 Fail Decorative use only
#5E6266 on #3E4246
Aa Sample Text
1.65:1 Fail Decorative use only
#3E4246 on #5E6266
Aa Sample Text
1.65:1 Fail Decorative use only
#2A2E32 on #3E4246
Aa Sample Text
1.35:1 Fail Decorative use only
#3E4246 on #2A2E32
Aa Sample Text
1.35:1 Fail Decorative use only
#181B1E on #2A2E32
Aa Sample Text
1.26:1 Fail Decorative use only
#2A2E32 on #181B1E
Aa Sample Text
1.26:1 Fail Decorative use only

Gunmetal Color Psychology & Meaning

Gunmetal is a blue-grey coated steel finish used on instruments, watches and hardware, chosen because it resists corrosion and looks functional, and this palette is gunmetal grey with lit steel. It feels industrial and precise, the color of metal treated to look serious.

Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme

The Gunmetal 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

Gunmetal is an alloy of copper, tin and zinc, and the term also describes the dark blue-grey surface treatment applied to steel; both associations converged on the same colour name.

Best Design Use Cases

Use the gunmetal grey for page backgrounds, barrel dark for calls to action, lit steel for card accents, and muzzle black for text.

Industries This Palette Suits

Publishing, journalism, podcasts, photography.

Colors That Pair Well With Gunmetal

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.

orange

directly opposite #2A2E32 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy

blue

30° beside #2A2E32 — 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 Gunmetal Without Breaking Accessibility

  • Avoid #2A2E32 for small UI elements on #3E4246 — at 1.3:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
  • Don't set body copy in #181B1E on #3E4246 — 1.7:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
  • Let #5E6266 carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #2A2E32.

How to Implement the Gunmetal Color Scheme

To use this Gunmetal 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 #3E4246 for the main background and #2A2E32 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.

Accessibility Note

The contrast ratio between #181B1E and #3E4246 is 1.71:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.

Gunmetal Palette — Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hex codes in the Gunmetal color palette?

The Gunmetal palette contains #3E4246, #2A2E32, #5E6266, #181B1E. 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 Gunmetal color palette accessible (WCAG)?

Yes for its strongest pairings: #181B1E on #5E6266 reaches 2.8:1 (Fail). 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 Gunmetal palette?

Beyond its own four colors, #615951, #292932, #ECEDEE 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 Gunmetal palette create?

Gunmetal reads as moody, mono, cool. Muted cyan-blue drives the personality, grounded by neutral gray — a combination that works best when the mid-tone base gets most of the canvas.

Can I use the Gunmetal color palette commercially?

Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Gunmetal 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 Gunmetal 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 Gunmetal's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.

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