Mai Tai Color Psychology & Meaning
The mai tai is rum, lime, and orgeat over crushed ice, and its palette is the deep gold of aged rum and the orange of a tiki torch flame. It feels escapist and warm, the color of a vacation that refuses to end.
#E8A83C
#C87A2E
#8E4A1E
#3A1A06
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Mai Tai Color Palette
#E8A83C · #C87A2E · #8E4A1E · #3A1A06
AAA
WCAG Grade
7.6:1
Contrast Ratio
990
Saves
2,680
AI Copies
Use #E8A83C as the background. Use #C87A2E as the primary accent. Use #8E4A1E as secondary. Use #3A1A06 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Mai Tai — tropical, bold, sunny.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Mai Tai 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: 45.5% | 232, 168, 60 | 0%, 28%, 74%, 9% | 38°, 79%, 57% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 26.4% | 200, 122, 46 | 0%, 39%, 77%, 22% | 30°, 63%, 48% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 10.7% | 142, 74, 30 | 0%, 48%, 79%, 44% | 24°, 65%, 34% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 1.7% | 58, 26, 6 | 0%, 55%, 90%, 77% | 23°, 81%, 13% |
Mai Tai 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 Mai Tai palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#E8A83C saturated orange
#C87A2E gently saturated orange
#8E4A1E saturated orange
#3A1A06 saturated orange
Mai Tai 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #3A1A06 on #E8A83C |
Aa Sample Text
| 7.59:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #E8A83C on #3A1A06 |
Aa Sample Text
| 7.59:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #3A1A06 on #C87A2E |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.72:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #C87A2E on #3A1A06 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.72:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #8E4A1E on #E8A83C |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.21:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #E8A83C on #8E4A1E |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.21:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #3A1A06 on #8E4A1E |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.37:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #8E4A1E on #3A1A06 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.37:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #8E4A1E on #C87A2E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.99:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C87A2E on #8E4A1E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.99:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C87A2E on #E8A83C |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.61:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #E8A83C on #C87A2E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.61:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Mai Tai 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
The mai tai was created in 1944 by Victor Bergeron at Trader Vics in Oakland, who named it for the Tahitian phrase meaning the best. It launched the tiki craze that swept mid-century America.
Best Design Use Cases
Use the golden amber for tropical surfaces, the mid orange for accents, and the deep molasses for text. The near-black brown grounds everything.
Industries This Palette Suits
Tiki bars, tropical tourism, rum brands, summer resorts, events.
Colors That Pair Well With Mai Tai
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.
cyan-blue
directly opposite #C87A2E on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
yellow
30° beside #C87A2E — 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 Mai Tai Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #C87A2E for small UI elements on #E8A83C — at 1.6:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Set body text in #3A1A06 — 7.6:1 against #E8A83C passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Let #8E4A1E carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #C87A2E.
How to Implement the Mai Tai Color Scheme
To use this Mai Tai 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 #E8A83C for the main background and #C87A2E for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #3A1A06 and #E8A83C is 7.59:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Mai Tai Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Mai Tai color palette?
The Mai Tai palette contains #E8A83C, #C87A2E, #8E4A1E, #3A1A06. 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 Mai Tai color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #3A1A06 on #E8A83C reaches 7.6:1 (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 Mai Tai palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #2D7AC8, #BBBB3A, #181510 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 Mai Tai palette create?
Mai Tai reads as tropical, bold, sunny. Gently saturated orange drives the personality, grounded by saturated orange — a combination that works best when the light base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Mai Tai color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Mai Tai 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 Mai Tai 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 Mai Tai's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.