#C8C0B0 · #8A9A98 · #E8E0D0 · #4A4A44
Use #C8C0B0 as the background. Use #8A9A98 as the primary accent. Use #E8E0D0 as secondary. Use #4A4A44 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Oyster Shell — ocean, mono, vintage, earthy.
Technical breakdown for the Oyster Shell 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: 53.1% | 200, 192, 176 | 0%, 4%, 12%, 22% | 40°, 18%, 74% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 30.8% | 138, 154, 152 | 10%, 0%, 1%, 40% | 173°, 7%, 57% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 75.0% | 232, 224, 208 | 0%, 3%, 10%, 9% | 40°, 34%, 86% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 6.8% | 74, 74, 68 | 0%, 0%, 8%, 71% | 60°, 4%, 28% |
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 Oyster Shell palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #4A4A44 on #E8E0D0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.80:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #E8E0D0 on #4A4A44 |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.80:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #4A4A44 on #C8C0B0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.94:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #C8C0B0 on #4A4A44 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.94:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #4A4A44 on #8A9A98 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.04:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #8A9A98 on #4A4A44 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.04:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #E8E0D0 on #8A9A98 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.24:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #8A9A98 on #E8E0D0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.24:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #8A9A98 on #C8C0B0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.62:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C8C0B0 on #8A9A98 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.62:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #E8E0D0 on #C8C0B0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.38:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C8C0B0 on #E8E0D0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.38:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
The Oyster Shell 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.
A triadic palette is often preferred by professional designers because it balances visual interest with cohesion.
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 #8A9A98 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #8A9A98 — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
a ink-black carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
To use this Oyster Shell 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.
:root {
/* {name} Palette - ihatecolors.com */{'
'} --color-bg: {colors[0]};{'
'} --color-primary: {colors[1]};{'
'} --color-secondary: {colors[2]};{'
'} --color-text: {colors[3]};{'
'} {'}'}Use #C8C0B0 for the main background and #8A9A98 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
The contrast ratio between #4A4A44 and #C8C0B0 is 4.94:1 (AA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
The Oyster Shell palette contains #C8C0B0, #8A9A98, #E8E0D0, #4A4A44. 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.
Yes for its strongest pairings: #4A4A44 on #E8E0D0 reaches 6.8:1 (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.
Beyond its own four colors, #998A8B, #86949C, #151513 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.
Oyster Shell reads as ocean, mono, vintage. Neutral gray drives the personality, grounded by muted orange — a combination that works best when the light base gets most of the canvas.
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Oyster Shell palette is free for personal, client and commercial work — websites, branding, apps, print and social content, with no attribution required.
Use the export panel on this page: CSS variables, a Tailwind config block, SCSS variables, or a Figma copy list are generated from Oyster Shell's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.