Pewter Color Palette
#E4E2DC · #9A9892 · #5E5C57 · #1E1D1A
Use #E4E2DC as the background. Use #9A9892 as the primary accent. Use #5E5C57 as secondary. Use #1E1D1A as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Pewter — vintage, mono, earthy, royal.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Pewter 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: 76.1% | 228, 226, 220 | 0%, 1%, 4%, 11% | 45°, 13%, 88% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 31.4% | 154, 152, 146 | 0%, 1%, 5%, 40% | 45°, 4%, 59% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 10.7% | 94, 92, 87 | 0%, 2%, 7%, 63% | 43°, 4%, 35% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 1.2% | 30, 29, 26 | 0%, 3%, 13%, 88% | 45°, 7%, 11% |
Pewter 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 Pewter palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Pewter 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1E1D1A on #E4E2DC |
Aa Sample Text
| 13.01:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #E4E2DC on #1E1D1A |
Aa Sample Text
| 13.01:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #1E1D1A on #9A9892 |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.84:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #9A9892 on #1E1D1A |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.84:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #5E5C57 on #E4E2DC |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.16:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #E4E2DC on #5E5C57 |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.16:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #1E1D1A on #5E5C57 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.52:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5E5C57 on #1E1D1A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.52:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5E5C57 on #9A9892 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.32:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #9A9892 on #5E5C57 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.32:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #9A9892 on #E4E2DC |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.23:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #E4E2DC on #9A9892 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.23:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Pewter 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.
A analogous palette is often preferred by professional designers because it creates a calm, serene atmosphere by using neighboring colors.
History & Design Context
Best Design Use Cases
Industries This Palette Suits
Colors That Pair Well With Pewter
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 #9A9892 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #9A9892 — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
a ink-black carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
Using Pewter Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #9A9892 for small UI elements on #E4E2DC — at 2.2:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Set body text in #1E1D1A — 13.0:1 against #E4E2DC passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Let #5E5C57 carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #9A9892.
How to Implement the Pewter Color Scheme
To use this Pewter 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 #E4E2DC for the main background and #9A9892 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #1E1D1A and #E4E2DC is 13.01:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Pewter Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Pewter color palette?
The Pewter palette contains #E4E2DC, #9A9892, #5E5C57, #1E1D1A. 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 Pewter color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #1E1D1A on #E4E2DC reaches 13.0:1 (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 Pewter palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #92949B, #9CA18C, #151514 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 Pewter palette create?
Pewter reads as vintage, mono, earthy. Neutral gray drives the personality, grounded by muted orange — a combination that works best when the very light base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Pewter color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Pewter 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 Pewter 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 Pewter's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.