Nearest named color: Espresso
#4E2C2E
#4E2C2E
Nearest named
Espresso
Family
Red
Lightness
33.7%
Chroma
0.050
Hue angle
16.3°
Temperature
Warm
Contrast on white
12.18:1 · AAA
Contrast on black
1.52:1 · Fail
Web-safe
#663333
CSS oklch()
34% 0.05 16

#4E2C2E is a muted, warm red-orange. On the Color Lab it reads quietly premium, restrained and easy to live with. It reproduces cleanly in print.

Palettes built on #4E2C2E

Not just a swatch — here's how #4E2C2E works with other colors. Named schemes with #4E2C2E in its natural role, and a note on why the supporting colors balance it.

Vintage Leather Lead · 5 colors

Espresso plays the worn-leather lead, deepened by saddle brown and an oxblood anchor, softened by aged cream and cooled by a muted forest green.

Warm Autumn Interior Dominant · 5 colors

This palette keeps Espresso as the dominant warm neutral, balanced by muted terracotta and olive earth tones and grounded by a deep espresso anchor.

Japanese Sand Base · 5 colors

Espresso 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.

Luxury Packaging Feature · 5 colors

Espresso carries the depth in this luxury scheme, offset by a brass accent and near-black and held together by a deep neutral and an off-white surface.

Minimal Editorial Surface · 5 colors

Espresso 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 Espresso carrying the quiet middle.

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Color Lab

How #4E2C2E 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.

Warmth 62/100
Warm
Reads warm and advancing — inviting, energetic, draws the eye forward.
Softness 34/100
Low
Middle-weight — neither delicate nor heavy.
Depth 64/100
High
Deep and grounding — anchors a layout, strong dark-mode base.
Naturalness 41/100
Moderate
Loosely natural — an earthy edge without being rustic.
Vintage feel 52/100
Moderate
A faint retro warmth without tipping into sepia.
Luxury 67/100
High
Restrained and premium — deep, quiet, high-end packaging and fashion.
Brand distinctiveness 19/100
Very low
Quiet and neutral — a supporting tone, not a signature.
UI accent fit 38/100
Low
Workable accent with care around contrast.
Surface fit 48/100
Moderate
Usable as a tinted surface in measured doses.
Print safety 95/100
Very high
Reproduces faithfully in CMYK — safe for packaging and print.

Pairs with #4E2C2E

For UI
For branding
For interior
For fashion
People also use #4E2C2E with

UI roles & guardrails

Primary action Safe as a filled button with white label. AAA
Body text Passes on white at 16px and above. Pass
Large display Fine for headings 24px+ on white. Pass
Background Pair with white text at 12.2:1. Use
Subtle surface Use #E0D0D1 for cards and hover fills. Tint 80
Avoid beside #4E352C — the hue gap is too small to read as intentional. Clash

In real applications

Not a swatch to memorise — a color to build with. Here is #4E2C2E at work across the surfaces designers actually ship.

Website / UI
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Dashboard
Revenue
$48.2k ▲ 12%
Brand
AVELINE
Studio
Poster
Nov 14 · 8PM
NIGHT
MARKET
Packaging
BLOOM
Botanical Wash
250 ml
Interior

Scales

ShadesBase darkened in 10% steps
TintsBase lifted toward white
TonesSaturation removed, lightness held
Monochromatic scaleDesign-system ready, 50–900

Every model

Export

:root {
  --color-base: #4E2C2E;
  --color-base-rgb: 78 44 46;
  --color-base-oklch: oklch(33.7% 0.050 16.3);
  --color-50: #FAF5F5;
  --color-100: #F1E5E5;
  --color-200: #E2CBCC;
  --color-300: #CAA6A8;
  --color-400: #B08285;
  --color-500: #936265;
  --color-600: #724F52;
  --color-700: #533C3E;
  --color-800: #372A2B;
  --color-900: #221B1B;
  --color-on-base: #FFFFFF;
}