#231A1D is a near-black neutral with only a whisper of temperate cast. On the Color Lab it reads clean and engineered, quietly premium. It holds up as a large surface and is too dark to lead as a primary accent.
Not just a swatch — here's how #231A1D works with other colors. Named schemes with #231A1D in its natural role, and a note on why the supporting colors balance it.
Graphite is the vivid signal in this product UI — on a near-black surface with cool white, a slate grey and a lighter tint of Graphite.
Graphite plays the worn-leather lead, deepened by saddle brown and an oxblood anchor, softened by aged cream and cooled by a muted forest green.
Graphite sets a calm, sun-bleached base here, wrapped in bone and paper off-whites and a soft greige, with a single ink accent for wabi-sabi restraint.
Graphite sits between cream and a deep berry here, softened by a blush accent and grounded by charcoal.
Graphite is the single accent in this high-contrast editorial system — set on near-white paper against near-black ink, with a warm grey and a desaturated tint of Graphite carrying the quiet middle.
How #231A1D actually behaves in design work — read from its OKLCH lightness, chroma and hue, not just its raw numbers. Ten signals to help you decide where this color earns its place.
Not a swatch to memorise — a color to build with. Here is #231A1D at work across the surfaces designers actually ship.
:root {
--color-base: #231A1D;
--color-base-rgb: 35 26 29;
--color-base-oklch: oklch(23.0% 0.015 356.4);
--color-50: #F9F6F7;
--color-100: #EEE7EA;
--color-200: #DCD0D4;
--color-300: #C1AEB4;
--color-400: #A58D95;
--color-500: #886D76;
--color-600: #6A585E;
--color-700: #4D4145;
--color-800: #342D2F;
--color-900: #211D1E;
--color-on-base: #FFFFFF;
}
// tailwind.config.js
colors: {
graphite: {
50: '#F9F6F7',
100: '#EEE7EA',
200: '#DCD0D4',
300: '#C1AEB4',
400: '#A58D95',
500: '#886D76',
600: '#6A585E',
700: '#4D4145',
800: '#342D2F',
900: '#211D1E',
},
}
$base: #231A1D; $base-ink: #FFFFFF; $base-50: #F9F6F7; $base-100: #EEE7EA; $base-200: #DCD0D4; $base-300: #C1AEB4; $base-400: #A58D95; $base-500: #886D76; $base-600: #6A585E; $base-700: #4D4145; $base-800: #342D2F; $base-900: #211D1E; $base-hover: #1C1517; $base-subtle: #C3B4B9;
{
"color": {
"base": {
"value": "#231A1D",
"type": "color"
},
"onBase": {
"value": "#FFFFFF",
"type": "color"
},
"scale": {
"50": {
"value": "#F9F6F7",
"type": "color"
},
"100": {
"value": "#EEE7EA",
"type": "color"
},
"200": {
"value": "#DCD0D4",
"type": "color"
},
"300": {
"value": "#C1AEB4",
"type": "color"
},
"400": {
"value": "#A58D95",
"type": "color"
},
"500": {
"value": "#886D76",
"type": "color"
},
"600": {
"value": "#6A585E",
"type": "color"
},
"700": {
"value": "#4D4145",
"type": "color"
},
"800": {
"value": "#342D2F",
"type": "color"
},
"900": {
"value": "#211D1E",
"type": "color"
}
}
}
}