Sea Spray Color Palette
#8AA8B8 · #C8D8E0 · #5E7E92 · #2A3E4E
Use #8AA8B8 as the background. Use #C8D8E0 as the primary accent. Use #5E7E92 as secondary. Use #2A3E4E as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Sea Spray — ocean, cool, mono, moody.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Sea Spray 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: 36.9% | 138, 168, 184 | 25%, 9%, 0%, 28% | 201°, 24%, 63% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 66.8% | 200, 216, 224 | 11%, 4%, 0%, 12% | 200°, 28%, 83% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 19.4% | 94, 126, 146 | 36%, 14%, 0%, 43% | 203°, 22%, 47% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 4.5% | 42, 62, 78 | 46%, 21%, 0%, 69% | 207°, 30%, 24% |
Sea Spray 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 Sea Spray palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Sea Spray 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2A3E4E on #C8D8E0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 7.56:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #C8D8E0 on #2A3E4E |
Aa Sample Text
| 7.56:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #2A3E4E on #8AA8B8 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.41:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #8AA8B8 on #2A3E4E |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.41:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #5E7E92 on #C8D8E0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.94:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C8D8E0 on #5E7E92 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.94:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #2A3E4E on #5E7E92 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.57:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5E7E92 on #2A3E4E |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.57:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5E7E92 on #8AA8B8 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.72:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #8AA8B8 on #5E7E92 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.72:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C8D8E0 on #8AA8B8 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.71:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #8AA8B8 on #C8D8E0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.71:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Sea Spray 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 Sea Spray
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 #C8D8E0 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #C8D8E0 — 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 Sea Spray Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #C8D8E0 for small UI elements on #8AA8B8 — 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 #2A3E4E on #8AA8B8 — 4.4:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
- Let #5E7E92 carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #C8D8E0.
How to Implement the Sea Spray Color Scheme
To use this Sea Spray 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 #8AA8B8 for the main background and #C8D8E0 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #2A3E4E and #8AA8B8 is 4.41:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Sea Spray Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Sea Spray color palette?
The Sea Spray palette contains #8AA8B8, #C8D8E0, #5E7E92, #2A3E4E. 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 Sea Spray color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #2A3E4E on #C8D8E0 reaches 7.6:1 (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 Sea Spray palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #C8AB9D, #CCCEDB, #131516 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 Sea Spray palette create?
Sea Spray reads as ocean, cool, mono. Gently saturated cyan-blue drives the personality, grounded by muted cyan-blue — a combination that works best when the light base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Sea Spray color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Sea Spray 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 Sea Spray 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 Sea Spray's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.