#ECEBF4
#5A5CAE
#3B3C86
#14143E
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text

Periwinkle Color Palette

#ECEBF4 · #5A5CAE · #3B3C86 · #14143E

AAA
WCAG Grade
14.8:1
Contrast Ratio
1,117
Saves
2,925
AI Copies
AI Prompt

Use #ECEBF4 as the background. Use #5A5CAE as the primary accent. Use #3B3C86 as secondary. Use #14143E as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Periwinkle — pastel, cool, royal, vintage, moody.

Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values

Technical breakdown for the Periwinkle 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: 83.8%
236, 235, 244 3%, 4%, 0%, 4% 247°, 29%, 94%
Primary Accent
Luminance: 12.9%
90, 92, 174 48%, 47%, 0%, 32% 239°, 34%, 52%
Secondary
Luminance: 5.9%
59, 60, 134 56%, 55%, 0%, 47% 239°, 39%, 38%
Body Text
Luminance: 1.0%
20, 20, 62 68%, 68%, 0%, 76% 240°, 51%, 16%

Periwinkle 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 Periwinkle palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.

#ECEBF4 gently saturated blue
#5A5CAE gently saturated blue
#3B3C86 gently saturated blue
#14143E gently saturated blue

Periwinkle 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
#14143E on #ECEBF4
Aa Sample Text
14.80:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#ECEBF4 on #14143E
Aa Sample Text
14.80:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#3B3C86 on #ECEBF4
Aa Sample Text
8.16:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#ECEBF4 on #3B3C86
Aa Sample Text
8.16:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#5A5CAE on #ECEBF4
Aa Sample Text
4.96:1 AA Body text, UI
#ECEBF4 on #5A5CAE
Aa Sample Text
4.96:1 AA Body text, UI
#14143E on #5A5CAE
Aa Sample Text
2.98:1 Fail Decorative use only
#5A5CAE on #14143E
Aa Sample Text
2.98:1 Fail Decorative use only
#14143E on #3B3C86
Aa Sample Text
1.81:1 Fail Decorative use only
#3B3C86 on #14143E
Aa Sample Text
1.81:1 Fail Decorative use only
#3B3C86 on #5A5CAE
Aa Sample Text
1.64:1 Fail Decorative use only
#5A5CAE on #3B3C86
Aa Sample Text
1.64:1 Fail Decorative use only

Periwinkle Color Psychology & Meaning

Periwinkle is the palest end of indigo and the colour of the small sea snail it is named after, which is also where the word 'winkle' as a verb comes from, and this palette is wash pale with winkle deep. It feels gentle and slightly retro, the color of a flower bed that looks calm.

Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme

The Periwinkle 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.

Hue Wheel

A analogous palette is often preferred by professional designers because it creates a calm, serene atmosphere by using neighboring colors.

History & Design Context

Periwinkle is the common name for both Vinca and the edible sea snail Littorina, and the colour word has been used in English since the fifteenth century.

Best Design Use Cases

Use the wash pale for wide surfaces, periwinkle for buttons and links, winkle deep for secondary details, and shade dark for text.

Industries This Palette Suits

Interiors, hospitality, nightlife brands, cinematic and streaming titles.

Colors That Pair Well With Periwinkle

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.

yellow

directly opposite #5A5CAE on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy

violet

30° beside #5A5CAE — 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 Periwinkle Without Breaking Accessibility

  • Use #5A5CAE for buttons and links — it scores 5.0:1 against the #ECEBF4 background (above the 3:1 UI-components threshold).
  • Set body text in #14143E — 14.8:1 against #ECEBF4 passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
  • Let #3B3C86 carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #5A5CAE.

How to Implement the Periwinkle Color Scheme

To use this Periwinkle 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 #ECEBF4 for the main background and #5A5CAE for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.

Accessibility Note

The contrast ratio between #14143E and #ECEBF4 is 14.80:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.

Periwinkle Palette — Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hex codes in the Periwinkle color palette?

The Periwinkle palette contains #ECEBF4, #5A5CAE, #3B3C86, #14143E. 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 Periwinkle color palette accessible (WCAG)?

Yes for its strongest pairings: #14143E on #ECEBF4 reaches 14.8:1 (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 Periwinkle palette?

Beyond its own four colors, #AEAD5B, #8467A2, #131316 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 Periwinkle palette create?

Periwinkle reads as pastel, cool, royal. Gently saturated blue drives the personality, grounded by gently saturated blue — a combination that works best when the very light base gets most of the canvas.

Can I use the Periwinkle color palette commercially?

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

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