Maya Blue Color Palette
#E8E6DC · #3A4C96 · #232F70 · #0B0F2E
Use #E8E6DC as the background. Use #3A4C96 as the primary accent. Use #232F70 as secondary. Use #0B0F2E as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Maya Blue — vintage, royal, cool, earthy, moody.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Maya 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: 78.9% | 232, 230, 220 | 0%, 1%, 5%, 9% | 50°, 21%, 89% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 8.3% | 58, 76, 150 | 61%, 49%, 0%, 41% | 228°, 44%, 41% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 3.6% | 35, 47, 112 | 69%, 58%, 0%, 56% | 231°, 52%, 29% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 0.6% | 11, 15, 46 | 76%, 67%, 0%, 82% | 233°, 61%, 11% |
Maya 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 Maya Blue palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Maya 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #0B0F2E on #E8E6DC |
Aa Sample Text
| 14.96:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #E8E6DC on #0B0F2E |
Aa Sample Text
| 14.96:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #232F70 on #E8E6DC |
Aa Sample Text
| 9.80:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #E8E6DC on #232F70 |
Aa Sample Text
| 9.80:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #3A4C96 on #E8E6DC |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.32:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #E8E6DC on #3A4C96 |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.32:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #0B0F2E on #3A4C96 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.37:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3A4C96 on #0B0F2E |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.37:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #232F70 on #3A4C96 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.55:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3A4C96 on #232F70 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.55:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #0B0F2E on #232F70 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.53:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #232F70 on #0B0F2E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.53:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Complementary Scheme
The Maya Blue 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 Maya 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.
directly opposite #3A4C96 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #3A4C96 — 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 Maya Blue Without Breaking Accessibility
- Use #3A4C96 for buttons and links — it scores 6.3:1 against the #E8E6DC background (above the 3:1 UI-components threshold).
- Set body text in #0B0F2E — 15.0:1 against #E8E6DC passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Let #232F70 carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #3A4C96.
How to Implement the Maya Blue Color Scheme
To use this Maya 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 #E8E6DC for the main background and #3A4C96 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #0B0F2E and #E8E6DC is 14.96:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Maya Blue Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Maya Blue color palette?
The Maya Blue palette contains #E8E6DC, #3A4C96, #232F70, #0B0F2E. 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 Maya Blue color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #0B0F2E on #E8E6DC reaches 15.0:1 (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 Maya Blue palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #97843B, #5A458C, #151513 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 Maya Blue palette create?
Maya Blue reads as vintage, royal, cool. 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 Maya Blue color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Maya 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 Maya 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 Maya Blue's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.