Smoked Glass Color Palette
#5E6268 · #3E4248 · #8E9298 · #24272C
Use #5E6268 as the background. Use #3E4248 as the primary accent. Use #8E9298 as secondary. Use #24272C as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Smoked Glass — moody, mono, cool, vintage.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Smoked Glass 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: 12.1% | 94, 98, 104 | 10%, 6%, 0%, 59% | 216°, 5%, 39% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 5.4% | 62, 66, 72 | 14%, 8%, 0%, 72% | 216°, 7%, 26% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 28.6% | 142, 146, 152 | 7%, 4%, 0%, 40% | 216°, 5%, 58% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 2.0% | 36, 39, 44 | 18%, 11%, 0%, 83% | 218°, 10%, 16% |
Smoked Glass 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 Smoked Glass palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Smoked Glass 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #24272C on #8E9298 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.79:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #8E9298 on #24272C |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.79:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #8E9298 on #3E4248 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.23:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #3E4248 on #8E9298 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.23:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #24272C on #5E6268 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.44:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5E6268 on #24272C |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.44:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #8E9298 on #5E6268 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.96:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5E6268 on #8E9298 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.96:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3E4248 on #5E6268 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.65:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5E6268 on #3E4248 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.65:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #24272C on #3E4248 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.48:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3E4248 on #24272C |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.48:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Smoked Glass 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 Smoked Glass
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 #3E4248 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #3E4248 — 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 Smoked Glass Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #3E4248 for small UI elements on #5E6268 — at 1.6:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Don't set body copy in #24272C on #5E6268 — 2.4:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
- Don't use #8E9298 behind body text — this light tone works better for surfaces, badges and dividers than for reading areas.
How to Implement the Smoked Glass Color Scheme
To use this Smoked Glass 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 #5E6268 for the main background and #3E4248 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #24272C and #5E6268 is 2.44:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Smoked Glass Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Smoked Glass color palette?
The Smoked Glass palette contains #5E6268, #3E4248, #8E9298, #24272C. 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 Smoked Glass color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #24272C on #8E9298 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 Smoked Glass palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #5F5A53, #3D3C49, #ECEDEE 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 Smoked Glass palette create?
Smoked Glass reads as moody, mono, cool. Neutral gray drives the personality, grounded by neutral gray — a combination that works best when the mid-tone base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Smoked Glass color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Smoked Glass 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 Smoked Glass 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 Smoked Glass's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.