Viridian Color Psychology & Meaning
Viridian is a cool, glassy green with a faint blue cast, like sea glass or a deep bottle held to light. It feels fresh and refined, carrying an understated luxury that louder greens cannot match.
#40826D
#6FAE8F
#A9D8BE
#14291F
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Viridian Color Palette
#40826D · #6FAE8F · #A9D8BE · #14291F
Fail
WCAG Grade
3.4:1
Contrast Ratio
1,270
Saves
3,440
AI Copies
Use #40826D as the background. Use #6FAE8F as the primary accent. Use #A9D8BE as secondary. Use #14291F as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Viridian — fresh, calm, luxurious.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Viridian 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: 18.2% | 64, 130, 109 | 51%, 0%, 16%, 49% | 161°, 34%, 38% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 35.6% | 111, 174, 143 | 36%, 0%, 18%, 32% | 150°, 28%, 56% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 61.3% | 169, 216, 190 | 22%, 0%, 12%, 15% | 147°, 38%, 75% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 1.8% | 20, 41, 31 | 51%, 0%, 24%, 84% | 151°, 34%, 12% |
Viridian 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 Viridian palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#40826D gently saturated teal
#6FAE8F gently saturated green
#A9D8BE gently saturated green
#14291F gently saturated teal
Viridian 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #14291F on #A9D8BE |
Aa Sample Text
| 9.70:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #A9D8BE on #14291F |
Aa Sample Text
| 9.70:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #14291F on #6FAE8F |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.95:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #6FAE8F on #14291F |
Aa Sample Text
| 5.95:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #14291F on #40826D |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.39:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #40826D on #14291F |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.39:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #A9D8BE on #40826D |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.86:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #40826D on #A9D8BE |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.86:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #6FAE8F on #40826D |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.75:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #40826D on #6FAE8F |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.75:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #A9D8BE on #6FAE8F |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.63:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #6FAE8F on #A9D8BE |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.63:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Viridian 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
Viridian was patented in France in 1838 and became the favorite transparent green of the Pre-Raphaelites and the Impressionists. Its name comes from the Latin viridis, meaning green, and it was prized for its permanence.
Best Design Use Cases
Use viridian for premium, fresh-feeling brand surfaces. The soft sage tones handle backgrounds and supporting cards, while the deep forest anchors text and strong interactive elements.
Industries This Palette Suits
Spa and wellness, jewelry, eco brands, healthcare, premium food.
Colors That Pair Well With Viridian
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.
magenta
directly opposite #6FAE8F on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
teal
30° beside #6FAE8F — 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 Viridian Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #6FAE8F for small UI elements on #40826D — at 1.8:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Don't set body copy in #14291F on #40826D — 3.4:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
- Don't use #A9D8BE behind body text — this light tone works better for surfaces, badges and dividers than for reading areas.
How to Implement the Viridian Color Scheme
To use this Viridian 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 #40826D for the main background and #6FAE8F for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #14291F and #40826D is 3.39:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Viridian Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Viridian color palette?
The Viridian palette contains #40826D, #6FAE8F, #A9D8BE, #14291F. 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 Viridian color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #14291F on #A9D8BE reaches 9.7:1 (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 Viridian palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #AE6F8F, #7BA3A3, #ECEFEE 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 Viridian palette create?
Viridian reads as fresh, calm, luxurious. Gently saturated green drives the personality, grounded by gently saturated teal — a combination that works best when the mid-tone base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Viridian color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Viridian 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 Viridian 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 Viridian's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.