Notion Color Psychology & Meaning
Notion's restraint is its brand. Off-whites and near-blacks with a single accessible blue. The palette says: your content is the design.
#FFFFFF
#2EAADC
#1F1F1F
#9B9A97
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Notion Color Palette
#FFFFFF · #2EAADC · #1F1F1F · #9B9A97
Fail
WCAG Grade
2.8:1
Contrast Ratio
4,400
Saves
11,200
AI Copies
Use #FFFFFF as the background. Use #2EAADC as the primary accent. Use #1F1F1F as secondary. Use #9B9A97 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Notion — minimal, calm, cool.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Notion 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: 100.0% | 255, 255, 255 | 0%, 0%, 0%, 0% | 0°, 0%, 100% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 34.5% | 46, 170, 220 | 79%, 23%, 0%, 14% | 197°, 71%, 52% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 1.4% | 31, 31, 31 | 0%, 0%, 0%, 88% | 0°, 0%, 12% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 32.3% | 155, 154, 151 | 0%, 1%, 3%, 39% | 45°, 2%, 60% |
Notion 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 Notion palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#FFFFFF neutral gray
#2EAADC saturated cyan-blue
#1F1F1F neutral gray
#9B9A97 neutral gray
Notion 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1F1F1F on #FFFFFF |
Aa Sample Text
| 16.48:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #FFFFFF on #1F1F1F |
Aa Sample Text
| 16.48:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #1F1F1F on #2EAADC |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.20:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #2EAADC on #1F1F1F |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.20:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #9B9A97 on #1F1F1F |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.86:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #1F1F1F on #9B9A97 |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.86:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #9B9A97 on #FFFFFF |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.81:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #FFFFFF on #9B9A97 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.81:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #2EAADC on #FFFFFF |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.66:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #FFFFFF on #2EAADC |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.66:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #9B9A97 on #2EAADC |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.06:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #2EAADC on #9B9A97 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.06:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Split-Complementary Scheme
The Notion palette is built using a split-complementary relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.
Hue Wheel
A split-complementary palette is often preferred by professional designers because it balances visual interest with cohesion.
History & Design Context
Notion launched 2016. The minimalist palette was a direct reaction against cluttered productivity tools. Ivan Zhao's design philosophy: the tool should disappear.
Best Design Use Cases
Barely-there surface colors. Single blue for all interactive elements. Near-black for content. Gray for metadata and structure.
Industries This Palette Suits
Productivity, note-taking, documentation, wikis.
Colors That Pair Well With Notion
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.
orange
directly opposite #2EAADC on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
blue
30° beside #2EAADC — 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 Notion Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #2EAADC for small UI elements on #FFFFFF — at 2.7:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Don't set body copy in #9B9A97 on #FFFFFF — 2.8:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
- Let #1F1F1F carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a deep lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #2EAADC.
How to Implement the Notion Color Scheme
To use this Notion 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 #FFFFFF for the main background and #2EAADC for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #9B9A97 and #FFFFFF is 2.81:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Notion Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Notion color palette?
The Notion palette contains #FFFFFF, #2EAADC, #1F1F1F, #9B9A97. 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 Notion color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #1F1F1F on #FFFFFF reaches 16.5:1 (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 Notion palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #DC5F2E, #3A5ACF, #151414 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 Notion palette create?
Notion reads as minimal, calm, cool. Saturated cyan-blue drives the personality, grounded by neutral gray — a combination that works best when the very light base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Notion color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Notion 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 Notion 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 Notion's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.