Ledger Blue Color Psychology & Meaning
A ledger is ruled paper and steady ink, a palette of pale green-white and dark teal. It reads as precise, trustworthy, and the specific calm of numbers that add up.
#F0F5F0
#C8D8C8
#5A8A80
#1A3A3A
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Ledger Blue Color Palette
#F0F5F0 · #C8D8C8 · #5A8A80 · #1A3A3A
AAA
WCAG Grade
11.1:1
Contrast Ratio
1,250
Saves
3,200
AI Copies
Use #F0F5F0 as the background. Use #C8D8C8 as the primary accent. Use #5A8A80 as secondary. Use #1A3A3A as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Ledger Blue — precise, calm, traditional.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Ledger Blue 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: 90.1% | 240, 245, 240 | 2%, 0%, 2%, 4% | 120°, 20%, 95% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 65.6% | 200, 216, 200 | 7%, 0%, 7%, 15% | 120°, 17%, 82% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 21.9% | 90, 138, 128 | 35%, 0%, 7%, 46% | 168°, 21%, 45% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 3.6% | 26, 58, 58 | 55%, 0%, 0%, 77% | 180°, 38%, 16% |
Ledger Blue 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 Ledger Blue palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#F0F5F0 muted green
#C8D8C8 muted green
#5A8A80 muted teal
#1A3A3A gently saturated teal
Ledger Blue 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1A3A3A on #F0F5F0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 11.12:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #F0F5F0 on #1A3A3A |
Aa Sample Text
| 11.12:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #1A3A3A on #C8D8C8 |
Aa Sample Text
| 8.25:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #C8D8C8 on #1A3A3A |
Aa Sample Text
| 8.25:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #5A8A80 on #F0F5F0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.53:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #F0F5F0 on #5A8A80 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.53:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #1A3A3A on #5A8A80 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.15:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #5A8A80 on #1A3A3A |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.15:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #5A8A80 on #C8D8C8 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.62:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C8D8C8 on #5A8A80 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.62:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C8D8C8 on #F0F5F0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.35:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #F0F5F0 on #C8D8C8 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.35:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Custom Scheme
The Ledger Blue palette is built using a custom relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.
Hue Wheel
A custom palette is often preferred by professional designers because it balances visual interest with cohesion.
History & Design Context
Double-entry bookkeeping was codified in Renaissance Italy and kept in ruled ledgers for five centuries, giving accounting its visual culture of columns and careful ink. The ledger remains a symbol of financial rigor even in spreadsheets.
Best Design Use Cases
Use the pale green for backgrounds, the soft gray-green for cards, and the teal for primary accents. The deep teal works for text and data-heavy sections.
Industries This Palette Suits
Finance and accounting, education, law, government, data and analytics, publishing.
Colors That Pair Well With Ledger Blue
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.
magenta
directly opposite #C8D8C8 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
green
30° beside #C8D8C8 — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
tinted neutral
a ink-black carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
Using Ledger Blue Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #C8D8C8 for small UI elements on #F0F5F0 — at 1.3:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Set body text in #1A3A3A — 11.1:1 against #F0F5F0 passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Let #5A8A80 carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #C8D8C8.
How to Implement the Ledger Blue Color Scheme
To use this Ledger Blue 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 #F0F5F0 for the main background and #C8D8C8 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #1A3A3A and #F0F5F0 is 11.12:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Ledger Blue Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Ledger Blue color palette?
The Ledger Blue palette contains #F0F5F0, #C8D8C8, #5A8A80, #1A3A3A. 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 Ledger Blue color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #1A3A3A on #F0F5F0 reaches 11.1:1 (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 Ledger Blue palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #C0A5C0, #CDD6D1, #131513 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 Ledger Blue palette create?
Ledger Blue reads as precise, calm, traditional. Muted green drives the personality, grounded by muted green — a combination that works best when the very light base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Ledger Blue color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Ledger Blue 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 Ledger Blue 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 Ledger Blue's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.