Moroccan Riad Color Psychology & Meaning
A Moroccan riad is zellige tile, carved plaster, and a courtyard of light, in gold, teal, and deep red. The palette reads as ornate, warm, and luxurious, the color of a private garden inside stone walls.
#F0E8D0
#C88A30
#2A8A8A
#8A1A2A
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Moroccan Riad Color Palette
#F0E8D0 · #C88A30 · #2A8A8A · #8A1A2A
AAA
WCAG Grade
7.6:1
Contrast Ratio
1,500
Saves
3,900
AI Copies
Use #F0E8D0 as the background. Use #C88A30 as the primary accent. Use #2A8A8A as secondary. Use #8A1A2A as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Moroccan Riad — warm, ornate, exotic.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Moroccan Riad 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: 80.8% | 240, 232, 208 | 0%, 3%, 13%, 6% | 45°, 52%, 88% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 30.7% | 200, 138, 48 | 0%, 31%, 76%, 22% | 36°, 61%, 49% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 20.5% | 42, 138, 138 | 70%, 0%, 0%, 46% | 180°, 53%, 35% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 6.3% | 138, 26, 42 | 0%, 81%, 70%, 46% | 351°, 68%, 32% |
Moroccan Riad 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 Moroccan Riad palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#F0E8D0 gently saturated orange
#C88A30 gently saturated orange
#2A8A8A gently saturated teal
#8A1A2A saturated rose-red
Moroccan Riad 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #8A1A2A on #F0E8D0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 7.59:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #F0E8D0 on #8A1A2A |
Aa Sample Text
| 7.59:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #2A8A8A on #F0E8D0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.36:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #F0E8D0 on #2A8A8A |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.36:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #8A1A2A on #C88A30 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.15:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #C88A30 on #8A1A2A |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.15:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #C88A30 on #F0E8D0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.41:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #F0E8D0 on #C88A30 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.41:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #8A1A2A on #2A8A8A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.26:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #2A8A8A on #8A1A2A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.26:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #2A8A8A on #C88A30 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.40:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C88A30 on #2A8A8A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.40:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Triadic Scheme
The Moroccan Riad palette is built using a triadic relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.
Hue Wheel
A triadic palette is often preferred by professional designers because it balances visual interest with cohesion.
History & Design Context
Riads are traditional Moroccan houses built around interior courtyards, their decoration perfected over centuries of Andalusian and Berber craft. The zellige tilework alone can take master craftsmen months per room.
Best Design Use Cases
Use the cream for backgrounds, the gold for premium accents, and the teal for secondary elements. The deep red works for the strongest accents and textiles.
Industries This Palette Suits
Hospitality, travel, interior design, textiles, ceramics, Moroccan and North African brands.
Colors That Pair Well With Moroccan Riad
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.
blue
directly opposite #C88A30 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
yellow
30° beside #C88A30 — 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 Moroccan Riad Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #C88A30 for small UI elements on #F0E8D0 — at 2.4:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Set body text in #8A1A2A — 7.6:1 against #F0E8D0 passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Let #2A8A8A carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #C88A30.
How to Implement the Moroccan Riad Color Scheme
To use this Moroccan Riad 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 #F0E8D0 for the main background and #C88A30 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #8A1A2A and #F0E8D0 is 7.59:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Moroccan Riad Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Moroccan Riad color palette?
The Moroccan Riad palette contains #F0E8D0, #C88A30, #2A8A8A, #8A1A2A. 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 Moroccan Riad color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #8A1A2A on #F0E8D0 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 Moroccan Riad palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #316EC9, #B0BD3D, #171612 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 Moroccan Riad palette create?
Moroccan Riad reads as warm, ornate, exotic. Gently saturated orange drives the personality, grounded by gently saturated orange — a combination that works best when the very light base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Moroccan Riad color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Moroccan Riad 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 Moroccan Riad 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 Moroccan Riad's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.