Slate Color Palette
#E4E5E4 · #9A9C9C · #5B5E5E · #191B1C
Use #E4E5E4 as the background. Use #9A9C9C as the primary accent. Use #5B5E5E as secondary. Use #191B1C as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Slate — cool, mono, moody, earthy, vintage.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Slate 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: 78.1% | 228, 229, 228 | 0%, 0%, 0%, 10% | 120°, 2%, 90% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 33.0% | 154, 156, 156 | 1%, 0%, 0%, 39% | 180°, 1%, 61% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 11.0% | 91, 94, 94 | 3%, 0%, 0%, 63% | 180°, 2%, 36% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 1.1% | 25, 27, 28 | 11%, 4%, 0%, 89% | 200°, 6%, 10% |
Slate 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 Slate palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Slate 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #191B1C on #E4E5E4 |
Aa Sample Text
| 13.69:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #E4E5E4 on #191B1C |
Aa Sample Text
| 13.69:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #191B1C on #9A9C9C |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.26:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #9A9C9C on #191B1C |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.26:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #5B5E5E on #E4E5E4 |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.18:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #E4E5E4 on #5B5E5E |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.18:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #191B1C on #5B5E5E |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.64:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5B5E5E on #191B1C |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.64:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5B5E5E on #9A9C9C |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.37:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #9A9C9C on #5B5E5E |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.37:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #9A9C9C on #E4E5E4 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.19:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #E4E5E4 on #9A9C9C |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.19:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Custom Scheme
The Slate palette is built using a custom relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.
A custom 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 Slate
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 #9A9C9C on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #9A9C9C — 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 Slate Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #9A9C9C for small UI elements on #E4E5E4 — at 2.2:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Set body text in #191B1C — 13.7:1 against #E4E5E4 passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
- Let #5B5E5E carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #9A9C9C.
How to Implement the Slate Color Scheme
To use this Slate 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 #E4E5E4 for the main background and #9A9C9C for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #191B1C and #E4E5E4 is 13.69:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Slate Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Slate color palette?
The Slate palette contains #E4E5E4, #9A9C9C, #5B5E5E, #191B1C. 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 Slate color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #191B1C on #E4E5E4 reaches 13.7:1 (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 Slate palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #9D9B9B, #929CA5, #141514 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 Slate palette create?
Slate reads as cool, mono, moody. Neutral gray drives the personality, grounded by neutral gray — a combination that works best when the very light base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Slate color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Slate 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 Slate 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 Slate's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.