#5C2A2A · #8E4A4A · #C89090 · #1E0A0A
Use #5C2A2A as the background. Use #8E4A4A as the primary accent. Use #C89090 as secondary. Use #1E0A0A as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Merlot Velvet — smooth, plush, approachable.
Technical breakdown for the Merlot Velvet 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: 4.1% | 92, 42, 42 | 0%, 54%, 54%, 64% | 0°, 37%, 26% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 11.1% | 142, 74, 74 | 0%, 48%, 48%, 44% | 0°, 31%, 42% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 34.2% | 200, 144, 144 | 0%, 28%, 28%, 22% | 0°, 34%, 67% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 0.5% | 30, 10, 10 | 0%, 67%, 67%, 88% | 0°, 50%, 8% |
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 Merlot Velvet palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1E0A0A on #C89090 |
Aa Sample Text
| 7.12:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #C89090 on #1E0A0A |
Aa Sample Text
| 7.12:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #C89090 on #5C2A2A |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.31:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #5C2A2A on #C89090 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.31:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #1E0A0A on #8E4A4A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.93:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #8E4A4A on #1E0A0A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.93:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C89090 on #8E4A4A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.43:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #8E4A4A on #C89090 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.43:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #8E4A4A on #5C2A2A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.77:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5C2A2A on #8E4A4A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.77:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #1E0A0A on #5C2A2A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.65:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5C2A2A on #1E0A0A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.65:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
The Merlot Velvet 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.
A analogous palette is often preferred by professional designers because it creates a calm, serene atmosphere by using neighboring colors.
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 #8E4A4A on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #8E4A4A — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
a paper-white carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
To use this Merlot Velvet 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.
:root {
/* {name} Palette - ihatecolors.com */{'
'} --color-bg: {colors[0]};{'
'} --color-primary: {colors[1]};{'
'} --color-secondary: {colors[2]};{'
'} --color-text: {colors[3]};{'
'} {'}'}Use #5C2A2A for the main background and #8E4A4A for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
The contrast ratio between #1E0A0A and #5C2A2A is 1.65:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
The Merlot Velvet palette contains #5C2A2A, #8E4A4A, #C89090, #1E0A0A. 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.
Yes for its strongest pairings: #1E0A0A on #C89090 reaches 7.1:1 (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.
Beyond its own four colors, #4A8C8C, #826B55, #EFEBEB 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.
Merlot Velvet reads as smooth, plush, approachable. Gently saturated red drives the personality, grounded by gently saturated red — a combination that works best when the mid-tone base gets most of the canvas.
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Merlot Velvet palette is free for personal, client and commercial work — websites, branding, apps, print and social content, with no attribution required.
Use the export panel on this page: CSS variables, a Tailwind config block, SCSS variables, or a Figma copy list are generated from Merlot Velvet's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.