Petra Rose Color Psychology & Meaning
Petra rose is the pink of carved sandstone at dawn — a warm, layered rose that shifts with the light. It signals antiquity, wonder, and the romance of rediscovery.
#C97C5D
#DE9E7C
#F2CDB0
#7A3B26
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Petra Rose Color Palette
#C97C5D · #DE9E7C · #F2CDB0 · #7A3B26
Fail
WCAG Grade
2.6:1
Contrast Ratio
170
Saves
520
AI Copies
Use #C97C5D as the background. Use #DE9E7C as the primary accent. Use #F2CDB0 as secondary. Use #7A3B26 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Petra Rose — warm, ancient, dramatic.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Petra Rose 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: 27.6% | 201, 124, 93 | 0%, 38%, 54%, 21% | 17°, 50%, 58% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 41.4% | 222, 158, 124 | 0%, 29%, 44%, 13% | 21°, 60%, 68% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 65.7% | 242, 205, 176 | 0%, 15%, 27%, 5% | 26°, 72%, 82% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 7.4% | 122, 59, 38 | 0%, 52%, 69%, 52% | 15°, 53%, 31% |
Petra Rose 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 Petra Rose palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#C97C5D gently saturated orange
#DE9E7C gently saturated orange
#F2CDB0 saturated orange
#7A3B26 gently saturated red
Petra Rose 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #7A3B26 on #F2CDB0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.70:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #F2CDB0 on #7A3B26 |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.70:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #7A3B26 on #DE9E7C |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.74:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #DE9E7C on #7A3B26 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.74:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #7A3B26 on #C97C5D |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.63:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C97C5D on #7A3B26 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.63:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #F2CDB0 on #C97C5D |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.17:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C97C5D on #F2CDB0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.17:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #F2CDB0 on #DE9E7C |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.52:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #DE9E7C on #F2CDB0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.52:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #DE9E7C on #C97C5D |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.42:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C97C5D on #DE9E7C |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.42:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Petra Rose 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
The Nabataean city of Petra, carved into rose-red cliffs around the 4th century BC, was lost to the West until Johann Ludwig Burckhardt rediscovered it in 1812. Its color has been called rose-red since.
Best Design Use Cases
Rose stone for hero surfaces and headers. Lighter rose for accents. Pale cream for text. Deep rust for headings. Suits travel, heritage branding, and warm architectural palettes.
Industries This Palette Suits
Travel and heritage tourism, archaeology, architecture, cultural institutions.
Colors That Pair Well With Petra Rose
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.
cyan-blue
directly opposite #DE9E7C on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
yellow
30° beside #DE9E7C — 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 Petra Rose Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #DE9E7C for small UI elements on #C97C5D — at 1.4:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Don't set body copy in #7A3B26 on #C97C5D — 2.6:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
- Don't use #F2CDB0 behind body text — this light tone works better for surfaces, badges and dividers than for reading areas.
How to Implement the Petra Rose Color Scheme
To use this Petra Rose 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 #C97C5D for the main background and #DE9E7C for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #7A3B26 and #C97C5D is 2.63:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Petra Rose Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Petra Rose color palette?
The Petra Rose palette contains #C97C5D, #DE9E7C, #F2CDB0, #7A3B26. 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 Petra Rose color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #7A3B26 on #F2CDB0 reaches 5.7:1 (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 Petra Rose palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #7CBCDE, #D6CA85, #171312 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 Petra Rose palette create?
Petra Rose reads as warm, ancient, dramatic. Gently saturated orange drives the personality, grounded by gently saturated orange — a combination that works best when the light base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Petra Rose color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Petra Rose 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 Petra Rose 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 Petra Rose's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.