Rose Madder Color Psychology & Meaning
Rose madder is the delicate pink-red of a summer rose at its first blush. It feels romantic and tender, a color for brands that want to be lovely without ever tipping into saccharine.
#C8527C
#E08CB0
#F2C8DC
#4A1028
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Rose Madder Color Palette
#C8527C · #E08CB0 · #F2C8DC · #4A1028
Fail
WCAG Grade
3.5:1
Contrast Ratio
990
Saves
2,680
AI Copies
Use #C8527C as the background. Use #E08CB0 as the primary accent.Use #F2C8DC as secondary. Use #4A1028 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Rose Madder — romantic, soft, feminine.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Rose Madder 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: 19.8% | 200, 82, 124 | 0%, 59%, 38%, 22% | 339°, 52%, 55% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 37.7% | 224, 140, 176 | 0%, 37%, 21%, 12% | 334°, 58%, 71% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 65.4% | 242, 200, 220 | 0%, 17%, 9%, 5% | 331°, 62%, 87% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 2.0% | 74, 16, 40 | 0%, 78%, 46%, 71% | 335°, 64%, 18% |
Rose Madder 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 Rose Madder palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#C8527C gently saturated rose-red
#E08CB0 gently saturated rose-red
#F2C8DC gently saturated rose-red
#4A1028 gently saturated rose-red
Rose Madder 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #4A1028 on #F2C8DC |
Aa Sample Text
| 10.08:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #F2C8DC on #4A1028 |
Aa Sample Text
| 10.08:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #4A1028 on #E08CB0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.12:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #E08CB0 on #4A1028 |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.12:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #4A1028 on #C8527C |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.55:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #C8527C on #4A1028 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.55:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #F2C8DC on #C8527C |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.84:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C8527C on #F2C8DC |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.84:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #E08CB0 on #C8527C |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.73:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C8527C on #E08CB0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.73:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #F2C8DC on #E08CB0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.65:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #E08CB0 on #F2C8DC |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.65:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Rose Madder 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
Made from the madder root, rose madder was the most important red dye of the ancient world, found in Egyptian textiles and Roman frescoes. It gave Turner and other Romantics their glowing pinks.
Best Design Use Cases
Use rose madder for romantic brand moments and feminine-leaning product surfaces. The pale pinks handle backgrounds, while the deep berry carries text and accents with soft strength.
Industries This Palette Suits
Beauty, bridal, floristry, fashion, stationery.
Colors That Pair Well With Rose Madder
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.
teal
directly opposite #E08CB0 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
red
30° beside #E08CB0 — 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 Rose Madder Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #E08CB0 for small UI elements on #C8527C — at 1.7:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Don't set body copy in #4A1028 on #C8527C — 3.5:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
- Don't use #F2C8DC behind body text — this light tone works better for surfaces, badges and dividers than for reading areas.
How to Implement the Rose Madder Color Scheme
To use this Rose Madder 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 #C8527C for the main background and #E08CB0 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #4A1028 and #C8527C is 3.55:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Rose Madder Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Rose Madder color palette?
The Rose Madder palette contains #C8527C, #E08CB0, #F2C8DC, #4A1028. 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 Rose Madder color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #4A1028 on #F2C8DC reaches 10.1:1 (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 Rose Madder palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #86DFB8, #D99692, #171214 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 Rose Madder palette create?
Rose Madder reads as romantic, soft, feminine. Gently saturated rose-red drives the personality, grounded by gently saturated rose-red — a combination that works best when the light base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Rose Madder color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Rose Madder 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 Rose Madder 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 Rose Madder's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.