Oatmeal Color Palette
#F2EDE2 · #C0B9A9 · #807A6B · #26231D
Use #F2EDE2 as the background. Use #C0B9A9 as the primary accent. Use #807A6B as secondary. Use #26231D as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Oatmeal — warm, earthy, pastel, mono, vintage.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Oatmeal 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: 84.9% | 242, 237, 226 | 0%, 2%, 7%, 5% | 41°, 38%, 92% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 48.8% | 192, 185, 169 | 0%, 4%, 12%, 25% | 42°, 15%, 71% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 19.6% | 128, 122, 107 | 0%, 5%, 16%, 50% | 43°, 9%, 46% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 1.7% | 38, 35, 29 | 0%, 8%, 24%, 85% | 40°, 13%, 13% |
Oatmeal 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 Oatmeal palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Oatmeal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #26231D on #F2EDE2 |
Aa Sample Text
| 13.42:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #F2EDE2 on #26231D |
Aa Sample Text
| 13.42:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #26231D on #C0B9A9 |
Aa Sample Text
| 8.02:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #C0B9A9 on #26231D |
Aa Sample Text
| 8.02:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #26231D on #807A6B |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.67:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #807A6B on #26231D |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.67:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #807A6B on #F2EDE2 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.66:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #F2EDE2 on #807A6B |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.66:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #807A6B on #C0B9A9 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.19:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C0B9A9 on #807A6B |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.19:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C0B9A9 on #F2EDE2 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.67:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #F2EDE2 on #C0B9A9 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.67:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Oatmeal 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.
History & Design Context
Best Design Use Cases
Industries This Palette Suits
Colors That Pair Well With Oatmeal
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 #C0B9A9 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #C0B9A9 — 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 Oatmeal Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #C0B9A9 for small UI elements on #F2EDE2 — at 1.7:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Set body text in #26231D — 13.4:1 against #F2EDE2 passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Let #807A6B carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #C0B9A9.
How to Implement the Oatmeal Color Scheme
To use this Oatmeal 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 #F2EDE2 for the main background and #C0B9A9 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #26231D and #F2EDE2 is 13.42:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Oatmeal Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Oatmeal color palette?
The Oatmeal palette contains #F2EDE2, #C0B9A9, #807A6B, #26231D. 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 Oatmeal color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #26231D on #F2EDE2 reaches 13.4:1 (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 Oatmeal palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #A7AEBE, #B9BCAE, #161512 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 Oatmeal palette create?
Oatmeal reads as warm, earthy, pastel. Muted 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 Oatmeal color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Oatmeal 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 Oatmeal 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 Oatmeal's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.