Kendo Color Palette
#E6E4DC · #35406E · #1F2750 · #090C20
Use #E6E4DC as the background. Use #35406E as the primary accent. Use #1F2750 as secondary. Use #090C20 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Kendo — vintage, mono, moody, earthy, royal.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Kendo 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: 77.5% | 230, 228, 220 | 0%, 1%, 4%, 10% | 48°, 17%, 88% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 5.5% | 53, 64, 110 | 52%, 42%, 0%, 57% | 228°, 35%, 32% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 2.3% | 31, 39, 80 | 61%, 51%, 0%, 69% | 230°, 44%, 22% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 0.4% | 9, 12, 32 | 72%, 62%, 0%, 87% | 232°, 56%, 8% |
Kendo 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 Kendo palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Kendo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #090C20 on #E6E4DC |
Aa Sample Text
| 15.20:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #E6E4DC on #090C20 |
Aa Sample Text
| 15.20:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #1F2750 on #E6E4DC |
Aa Sample Text
| 11.27:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #E6E4DC on #1F2750 |
Aa Sample Text
| 11.27:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #35406E on #E6E4DC |
Aa Sample Text
| 7.82:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #E6E4DC on #35406E |
Aa Sample Text
| 7.82:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #090C20 on #35406E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.94:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #35406E on #090C20 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.94:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #1F2750 on #35406E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.44:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #35406E on #1F2750 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.44:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #090C20 on #1F2750 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.35:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #1F2750 on #090C20 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.35:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Complementary Scheme
The Kendo palette is built using a complementary relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.
A complementary palette is often preferred by professional designers because it provides maximum contrast and energy by using opposite colors.
History & Design Context
Best Design Use Cases
Industries This Palette Suits
Colors That Pair Well With Kendo
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 #35406E on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #35406E — 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 Kendo Without Breaking Accessibility
- Use #35406E for buttons and links — it scores 7.8:1 against the #E6E4DC background (above the 3:1 UI-components threshold).
- Set body text in #090C20 — 15.2:1 against #E6E4DC passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Let #1F2750 carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a deep lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #35406E.
How to Implement the Kendo Color Scheme
To use this Kendo 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 #E6E4DC for the main background and #35406E for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #090C20 and #E6E4DC is 15.20:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Kendo Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Kendo color palette?
The Kendo palette contains #E6E4DC, #35406E, #1F2750, #090C20. 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 Kendo color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #090C20 on #E6E4DC reaches 15.2:1 (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 Kendo palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #786C3A, #493D66, #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 Kendo palette create?
Kendo reads as vintage, mono, moody. Gently saturated blue 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 Kendo color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Kendo 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 Kendo 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 Kendo's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.