Salt Marsh Color Palette
#7A8A5E · #A0A878 · #5E7A7A · #2E3A2E
Use #7A8A5E as the background. Use #A0A878 as the primary accent. Use #5E7A7A as secondary. Use #2E3A2E as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Salt Marsh — ocean, earthy, moody, forest.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Salt Marsh 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: 23.1% | 122, 138, 94 | 12%, 0%, 32%, 46% | 82°, 19%, 45% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 36.8% | 160, 168, 120 | 5%, 0%, 29%, 34% | 70°, 22%, 56% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 17.7% | 94, 122, 122 | 23%, 0%, 0%, 52% | 180°, 13%, 42% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 3.8% | 46, 58, 46 | 21%, 0%, 21%, 77% | 120°, 12%, 20% |
Salt Marsh 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 Salt Marsh palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Salt Marsh 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2E3A2E on #A0A878 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.75:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #A0A878 on #2E3A2E |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.75:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #2E3A2E on #7A8A5E |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.19:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #7A8A5E on #2E3A2E |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.19:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #2E3A2E on #5E7A7A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.58:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5E7A7A on #2E3A2E |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.58:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5E7A7A on #A0A878 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.84:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #A0A878 on #5E7A7A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.84:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #A0A878 on #7A8A5E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.49:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #7A8A5E on #A0A878 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.49:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5E7A7A on #7A8A5E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.24:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #7A8A5E on #5E7A7A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.24:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Triadic Scheme
The Salt Marsh 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.
History & Design Context
Best Design Use Cases
Industries This Palette Suits
Colors That Pair Well With Salt Marsh
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 #A0A878 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #A0A878 — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
a paper-white carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
Using Salt Marsh Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #A0A878 for small UI elements on #7A8A5E — at 1.5:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Don't set body copy in #2E3A2E on #7A8A5E — 3.2:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
- Let #5E7A7A carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #A0A878.
How to Implement the Salt Marsh Color Scheme
To use this Salt Marsh 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 #7A8A5E for the main background and #A0A878 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #2E3A2E and #7A8A5E is 3.19:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Salt Marsh Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Salt Marsh color palette?
The Salt Marsh palette contains #7A8A5E, #A0A878, #5E7A7A, #2E3A2E. 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 Salt Marsh color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #2E3A2E on #A0A878 reaches 4.8:1 (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.
What colors go well with the Salt Marsh palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #7E76A7, #8A9C81, #EDEEEC 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 Salt Marsh palette create?
Salt Marsh reads as ocean, earthy, moody. Muted yellow drives the personality, grounded by muted yellow-green — a combination that works best when the mid-tone base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Salt Marsh color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Salt Marsh 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 Salt Marsh 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 Salt Marsh's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.