#3A3E3E
#26292A
#5E6262
#141716
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text

Storm Drain Color Palette

#3A3E3E · #26292A · #5E6262 · #141716

Fail
WCAG Grade
1.7:1
Contrast Ratio
1,044
Saves
1,623
AI Copies
AI Prompt

Use #3A3E3E as the background. Use #26292A as the primary accent. Use #5E6262 as secondary. Use #141716 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Storm Drain — moody, mono, night, cool.

Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values

Technical breakdown for the Storm Drain 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: 4.7%
58, 62, 62 6%, 0%, 0%, 76% 180°, 3%, 24%
Primary Accent
Luminance: 2.2%
38, 41, 42 10%, 2%, 0%, 84% 195°, 5%, 16%
Secondary
Luminance: 12.0%
94, 98, 98 4%, 0%, 0%, 62% 180°, 2%, 38%
Body Text
Luminance: 0.8%
20, 23, 22 13%, 0%, 4%, 91% 160°, 7%, 8%

Storm Drain 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 Storm Drain palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.

#3A3E3E neutral gray
#26292A neutral gray
#5E6262 neutral gray
#141716 neutral gray

Storm Drain 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
#141716 on #5E6262
Aa Sample Text
2.92:1 Fail Decorative use only
#5E6262 on #141716
Aa Sample Text
2.92:1 Fail Decorative use only
#5E6262 on #26292A
Aa Sample Text
2.37:1 Fail Decorative use only
#26292A on #5E6262
Aa Sample Text
2.37:1 Fail Decorative use only
#5E6262 on #3A3E3E
Aa Sample Text
1.75:1 Fail Decorative use only
#3A3E3E on #5E6262
Aa Sample Text
1.75:1 Fail Decorative use only
#141716 on #3A3E3E
Aa Sample Text
1.67:1 Fail Decorative use only
#3A3E3E on #141716
Aa Sample Text
1.67:1 Fail Decorative use only
#26292A on #3A3E3E
Aa Sample Text
1.35:1 Fail Decorative use only
#3A3E3E on #26292A
Aa Sample Text
1.35:1 Fail Decorative use only
#141716 on #26292A
Aa Sample Text
1.23:1 Fail Decorative use only
#26292A on #141716
Aa Sample Text
1.23:1 Fail Decorative use only

Storm Drain Color Psychology & Meaning

A storm drain is a concrete tunnel with a strip of pale light at one end and black water at the bottom, and this palette is drain grey with lit water. It feels claustrophobic and industrial, the color of a room built by water.

Color Harmony: Custom Scheme

The Storm Drain 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.

Hue Wheel

A custom palette is often preferred by professional designers because it balances visual interest with cohesion.

History & Design Context

Storm drains carry runoff directly to waterways, and older systems often combine sewage and rainwater in the same pipe, which is why many cities have invested heavily in separating them.

Best Design Use Cases

Use the drain grey for backgrounds, tunnel dark for primary actions, lit water for highlights, and grate black for text.

Industries This Palette Suits

Developer tools, security products, data platforms, dark-mode apps.

Colors That Pair Well With Storm Drain

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.

red

directly opposite #26292A on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy

blue

30° beside #26292A — 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 Storm Drain Without Breaking Accessibility

  • Avoid #26292A for small UI elements on #3A3E3E — at 1.4:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
  • Don't set body copy in #141716 on #3A3E3E — 1.7:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
  • Let #5E6262 carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #26292A.

How to Implement the Storm Drain Color Scheme

To use this Storm Drain 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 #3A3E3E for the main background and #26292A for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.

Accessibility Note

The contrast ratio between #141716 and #3A3E3E is 1.67:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.

Storm Drain Palette — Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hex codes in the Storm Drain color palette?

The Storm Drain palette contains #3A3E3E, #26292A, #5E6262, #141716. 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 Storm Drain color palette accessible (WCAG)?

Yes for its strongest pairings: #141716 on #5E6262 reaches 2.9:1 (Fail). 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 Storm Drain palette?

Beyond its own four colors, #5E5755, #25272D, #ECEEEE 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 Storm Drain palette create?

Storm Drain reads as moody, mono, night. Neutral gray drives the personality, grounded by neutral gray — a combination that works best when the deep base gets most of the canvas.

Can I use the Storm Drain color palette commercially?

Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Storm Drain 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 Storm Drain 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 Storm Drain's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.

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