#E8E9E7
#AEB0AF
#757776
#252727
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text

Overcast Sky Color Palette

#E8E9E7 · #AEB0AF · #757776 · #252727

AAA
WCAG Grade
12.3:1
Contrast Ratio
606
Saves
1,689
AI Copies
AI Prompt

Use #E8E9E7 as the background. Use #AEB0AF as the primary accent. Use #757776 as secondary. Use #252727 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Overcast Sky — cool, moody, mono, earthy, night.

Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values

Technical breakdown for the Overcast Sky 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: 81.2%
232, 233, 231 0%, 0%, 1%, 9% 90°, 4%, 91%
Primary Accent
Luminance: 43.1%
174, 176, 175 1%, 0%, 1%, 31% 150°, 1%, 69%
Secondary
Luminance: 18.3%
117, 119, 118 2%, 0%, 1%, 53% 150°, 1%, 46%
Body Text
Luminance: 2.0%
37, 39, 39 5%, 0%, 0%, 85% 180°, 3%, 15%

Overcast Sky 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 Overcast Sky palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.

#E8E9E7 neutral gray
#AEB0AF neutral gray
#757776 neutral gray
#252727 neutral gray

Overcast Sky 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
#252727 on #E8E9E7
Aa Sample Text
12.33:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#E8E9E7 on #252727
Aa Sample Text
12.33:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#252727 on #AEB0AF
Aa Sample Text
6.89:1 AA Body text, UI
#AEB0AF on #252727
Aa Sample Text
6.89:1 AA Body text, UI
#757776 on #E8E9E7
Aa Sample Text
3.70:1 Fail Large headings, UI components
#E8E9E7 on #757776
Aa Sample Text
3.70:1 Fail Large headings, UI components
#252727 on #757776
Aa Sample Text
3.33:1 Fail Large headings, UI components
#757776 on #252727
Aa Sample Text
3.33:1 Fail Large headings, UI components
#757776 on #AEB0AF
Aa Sample Text
2.07:1 Fail Decorative use only
#AEB0AF on #757776
Aa Sample Text
2.07:1 Fail Decorative use only
#AEB0AF on #E8E9E7
Aa Sample Text
1.79:1 Fail Decorative use only
#E8E9E7 on #AEB0AF
Aa Sample Text
1.79:1 Fail Decorative use only

Overcast Sky Color Psychology & Meaning

An overcast sky removes the shadow from every object at once, which is why photographers call it a giant softbox and everyone else calls it depressing, and this palette is cloud pale with lid mid. It feels flat and even, the color of a day with no visible sun.

Color Harmony: Custom Scheme

The Overcast Sky palette is built using a custom relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.

Hue Wheel

A custom palette is often preferred by professional designers because it balances visual interest with cohesion.

History & Design Context

Overcast light is polarised and diffused by cloud droplets, so colour temperature rises; this is why photographs taken under cloud look cool next to ones taken in sun.

Best Design Use Cases

Use the cloud pale for page backgrounds, flat gray for calls to action, lid mid for card accents, and rain dark for text.

Industries This Palette Suits

Interiors, furniture, ceramics, hardware and homeware product design.

Colors That Pair Well With Overcast Sky

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.

magenta

directly opposite #AEB0AF on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy

teal

30° beside #AEB0AF — 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 Overcast Sky Without Breaking Accessibility

  • Avoid #AEB0AF for small UI elements on #E8E9E7 — at 1.8:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
  • Set body text in #252727 — 12.3:1 against #E8E9E7 passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
  • Let #757776 carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #AEB0AF.

How to Implement the Overcast Sky Color Scheme

To use this Overcast Sky 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 #E8E9E7 for the main background and #AEB0AF for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.

Accessibility Note

The contrast ratio between #252727 and #E8E9E7 is 12.33:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.

Overcast Sky Palette — Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hex codes in the Overcast Sky color palette?

The Overcast Sky palette contains #E8E9E7, #AEB0AF, #757776, #252727. 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 Overcast Sky color palette accessible (WCAG)?

Yes for its strongest pairings: #252727 on #E8E9E7 reaches 12.3:1 (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 Overcast Sky palette?

Beyond its own four colors, #B1AFB0, #A8B8B8, #141514 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 Overcast Sky palette create?

Overcast Sky reads as cool, moody, mono. Neutral gray 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 Overcast Sky color palette commercially?

Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Overcast Sky 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 Overcast Sky 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 Overcast Sky's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.

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