Sri Lanka Tea Color Psychology & Meaning
Ceylon tea brown is the color of steeped leaves and highland estates — warm, grounded, and quietly invigorating. It reads as craft and terroir, the palette of a slow afternoon.
#6B4E31
#9C7B4A
#C9B07A
#3A2A18
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Sri Lanka Tea Color Palette
#6B4E31 · #9C7B4A · #C9B07A · #3A2A18
Fail
WCAG Grade
1.8:1
Contrast Ratio
120
Saves
370
AI Copies
Use #6B4E31 as the background. Use #9C7B4A as the primary accent. Use #C9B07A as secondary. Use #3A2A18 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Sri Lanka Tea — earthy, calm, rustic.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Sri Lanka Tea 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: 8.8% | 107, 78, 49 | 0%, 27%, 54%, 58% | 30°, 37%, 31% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 21.7% | 156, 123, 74 | 0%, 21%, 53%, 39% | 36°, 36%, 45% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 44.9% | 201, 176, 122 | 0%, 12%, 39%, 21% | 41°, 42%, 63% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 2.6% | 58, 42, 24 | 0%, 28%, 59%, 77% | 32°, 41%, 16% |
Sri Lanka Tea 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 Sri Lanka Tea palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#6B4E31 gently saturated orange
#9C7B4A gently saturated orange
#C9B07A gently saturated orange
#3A2A18 gently saturated orange
Sri Lanka Tea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #3A2A18 on #C9B07A |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.54:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #C9B07A on #3A2A18 |
Aa Sample Text
| 6.54:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #C9B07A on #6B4E31 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.61:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #6B4E31 on #C9B07A |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.61:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #3A2A18 on #9C7B4A |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.51:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #9C7B4A on #3A2A18 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.51:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #9C7B4A on #6B4E31 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.94:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #6B4E31 on #9C7B4A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.94:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C9B07A on #9C7B4A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.87:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #9C7B4A on #C9B07A |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.87:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3A2A18 on #6B4E31 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.81:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #6B4E31 on #3A2A18 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.81:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Sri Lanka Tea 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
Tea came to Sri Lanka in the 19th century when coffee failed, and the island became one of the world great tea producers. The highland estates give the brown a specific, terroir-driven identity.
Best Design Use Cases
Tea brown for surfaces and packaging. Lighter amber for accents. Pale tan for text and cups. Dark roast for headings. Suits tea brands, highland food, and rustic hospitality packaging.
Industries This Palette Suits
Tea, coffee, highland agriculture, travel, food packaging.
Colors That Pair Well With Sri Lanka Tea
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.
blue
directly opposite #9C7B4A on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
yellow
30° beside #9C7B4A — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
tinted neutral
a paper-white carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
Using Sri Lanka Tea Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #9C7B4A for small UI elements on #6B4E31 — at 1.9:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Don't set body copy in #3A2A18 on #6B4E31 — 1.8:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
- Don't use #C9B07A behind body text — this light tone works better for surfaces, badges and dividers than for reading areas.
How to Implement the Sri Lanka Tea Color Scheme
To use this Sri Lanka Tea 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 #6B4E31 for the main background and #9C7B4A for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #3A2A18 and #6B4E31 is 1.81:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Sri Lanka Tea Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Sri Lanka Tea color palette?
The Sri Lanka Tea palette contains #6B4E31, #9C7B4A, #C9B07A, #3A2A18. 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 Sri Lanka Tea color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #3A2A18 on #C9B07A reaches 6.5:1 (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 Sri Lanka Tea palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #496A9C, #8B9155, #EFEDEB 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 Sri Lanka Tea palette create?
Sri Lanka Tea reads as earthy, calm, rustic. Gently saturated orange drives the personality, grounded by gently saturated orange — a combination that works best when the mid-tone base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Sri Lanka Tea color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Sri Lanka Tea 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 Sri Lanka Tea 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 Sri Lanka Tea's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.