Old Pier Color Palette
#5E7A8E · #C8B490 · #A8543C · #2E3A44
Use #5E7A8E as the background. Use #C8B490 as the primary accent. Use #A8543C as secondary. Use #2E3A44 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Old Pier — vintage, moody, ocean, cool.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Old Pier 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: 18.3% | 94, 122, 142 | 34%, 14%, 0%, 44% | 205°, 20%, 46% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 46.9% | 200, 180, 144 | 0%, 10%, 28%, 22% | 39°, 34%, 67% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 15.0% | 168, 84, 60 | 0%, 50%, 64%, 34% | 13°, 47%, 45% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 4.0% | 46, 58, 68 | 32%, 15%, 0%, 73% | 207°, 19%, 22% |
Old Pier 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 Old Pier palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Old Pier 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2E3A44 on #C8B490 |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.76:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #C8B490 on #2E3A44 |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.76:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #A8543C on #C8B490 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.60:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C8B490 on #A8543C |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.60:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #2E3A44 on #5E7A8E |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.58:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5E7A8E on #2E3A44 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.58:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C8B490 on #5E7A8E |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.23:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5E7A8E on #C8B490 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.23:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #2E3A44 on #A8543C |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.22:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #A8543C on #2E3A44 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.22:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #A8543C on #5E7A8E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.16:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5E7A8E on #A8543C |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.16:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Split-Complementary Scheme
The Old Pier 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.
A split-complementary palette is often preferred by professional designers because it balances visual interest with cohesion.
History & Design Context
Best Design Use Cases
Industries This Palette Suits
Colors That Pair Well With Old Pier
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 #C8B490 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #C8B490 — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
a paper-white carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
Using Old Pier Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #C8B490 for small UI elements on #5E7A8E — at 2.2:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Don't set body copy in #2E3A44 on #5E7A8E — 2.6:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
- Let #A8543C carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #C8B490.
How to Implement the Old Pier Color Scheme
To use this Old Pier 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 #5E7A8E for the main background and #C8B490 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #2E3A44 and #5E7A8E is 2.58:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Old Pier Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Old Pier color palette?
The Old Pier palette contains #5E7A8E, #C8B490, #A8543C, #2E3A44. 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 Old Pier color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #2E3A44 on #C8B490 reaches 5.8:1 (AA). 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 Old Pier palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #8EA2C7, #B9BF97, #ECEDEE 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 Old Pier palette create?
Old Pier reads as vintage, moody, ocean. Gently saturated orange drives the personality, grounded by muted cyan-blue — a combination that works best when the mid-tone base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Old Pier color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Old Pier 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 Old Pier 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 Old Pier's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.