What color is #CDA973?

#CDA973 is a light, soft orange. In RGB it is rgb(205, 169, 115), and in HSL hsl(36, 47%, 63%).

Is #CDA973 accessible as text?

On white, #CDA973 has a contrast ratio of 2.21:1 (fails WCAG AA for body text); on black it is 9.52:1 (passes). For text placed on #CDA973, use black for the best readability.

What is the closest Tailwind color to #CDA973?

The nearest Tailwind CSS token is olive-400 (#ABAB9C).

What colors go well with #CDA973?

#CDA973 pairs cleanly with neutrals — cream, taupe, charcoal and cool grays — and with its complementary #7498CD. In UI, a softer accent is often easier to use than the exact complement. Explore the harmonies, shades, tints and ready-made palettes for #CDA973 below.

Is #CDA973 good for buttons?

#CDA973 works well for buttons and highlights, but use black text on #CDA973 — white text only reaches 2.21:1, below the 4.5:1 needed for normal-size labels.

Is #CDA973 the same as CSS tan?

No — #CDA973 is not the CSS named color tan, but tan (#D2B48C) is the closest CSS named color.

#CDA973 Color — HEX, RGB, HSL, Palette & Shades

Palettes built on #CDA973

Not just a swatch — here's how #CDA973 works with other colors. Named schemes with #CDA973 in its natural role, and a note on why the supporting colors balance it.

Warm Autumn Interior Dominant · 5 colors

Dominant #CDA973 Secondary #B36616 Accent #717946 Surface #F3ECDD Anchor #3B2A1F

This palette keeps Sand 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

Base #CDA973 Surface #EFE9DC Highlight #F6F1E7 Secondary #B9AF9F Ink #2B2723

Sand 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.

Desert Clay Center · 5 colors

Center #CDA973 Surface #E1CFA8 Secondary #AF7B53 Accent #93996F Anchor #3E2C1F

Sand holds the warm center of this desert palette with sand and clay beside it, a muted-sage accent and a dark-brown anchor.

Coastal Morning Lead · 5 colors

Lead #CDA973 Accent #ABC4B6 Surface #E4D8BE Secondary #9AA09F Anchor #163746

Sand opens this coastal palette with sea-glass and warm sand alongside it, grounded by driftwood grey and a deep-navy anchor.

Minimal Editorial Surface · 5 colors

Surface #F7F4EF Accent #CDA973 Secondary #E7DAC8 Support #9A9186 Ink #17140F

Sand 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 Sand carrying the quiet middle.

Build a working theme in the generator →

Color Lab

How #CDA973 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 72/100

Warm

Reads warm and advancing — inviting, energetic, draws the eye forward.

Softness 65/100

High

Soft and easy on the eye — gentle backdrops, calm surfaces.

Depth 24/100

Low

Airy and open — recedes, leaves the composition light.

Naturalness 100/100

Very high

Organic, earthy character — at home in wellness, food and craft brands.

Vintage feel 65/100

High

Faded, nostalgic quality — editorial, heritage and retro work.

Luxury 31/100

Low

Understated — leans refined without going austere.

Brand distinctiveness 32/100

Low

Recognisable but shares space with nearby hues.

UI accent fit 36/100

Low

Workable accent with care around contrast.

Surface fit 52/100

Moderate

Usable as a tinted surface in measured doses.

Print safety 89/100

Very high

Reproduces faithfully in CMYK — safe for packaging and print.

Pairs with #CDA973

For UI

For branding

For interior

For fashion

People also use #CDA973 with

Dark Salmon Dark Khaki Carolina Blue Greige Taupe

UI roles & guardrails

Primary action Safe as a filled button with near-black label. AAA

Body text Do not use for body copy on light surfaces. Avoid

Large display Only on dark surfaces. Avoid

Background Pair with #141310 text at 8.4:1. Use

Subtle surface Use #F3EDE6 for cards and hover fills. Tint 80

Avoid beside #CDC774 — 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 #CDA973 at work across the surfaces designers actually ship.

Website / UI

Northwind Sign up

Build faster.

A working theme, generated in seconds.

Dashboard

Revenue

$48.2k ▲ 12%

Brand

AVELINE

Studio

Poster

Nov 14 · 8PM

NIGHT
MARKET

Packaging

BLOOM

Botanical Wash

250 ml

Interior

Every model

Export

:root {
  --color-base: #CDA973;
  --color-base-rgb: 205 169 115;
  --color-base-oklch: oklch(75.5% 0.082 77.1);
  --color-50: #FBF8F3;
  --color-100: #F5EDE0;
  --color-200: #E9DAC3;
  --color-300: #D6BE99;
  --color-400: #C0A172;
  --color-500: #A48351;
  --color-600: #7E6744;
  --color-700: #5A4B34;
  --color-800: #3C3325;
  --color-900: #252018;
  --color-on-base: #141310;
}

// tailwind.config.js
colors: {
  sand: {
    50: '#FBF8F3',
    100: '#F5EDE0',
    200: '#E9DAC3',
    300: '#D6BE99',
    400: '#C0A172',
    500: '#A48351',
    600: '#7E6744',
    700: '#5A4B34',
    800: '#3C3325',
    900: '#252018',
  },
}

$base: #CDA973;
$base-ink: #141310;
$base-50: #FBF8F3;
$base-100: #F5EDE0;
$base-200: #E9DAC3;
$base-300: #D6BE99;
$base-400: #C0A172;
$base-500: #A48351;
$base-600: #7E6744;
$base-700: #5A4B34;
$base-800: #3C3325;
$base-900: #252018;
$base-hover: #BC8C45;
$base-subtle: #EDE5D9;

{
    "color": {
        "base": {
            "value": "#CDA973",
            "type": "color"
        },
        "onBase": {
            "value": "#141310",
            "type": "color"
        },
        "scale": {
            "50": {
                "value": "#FBF8F3",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "100": {
                "value": "#F5EDE0",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "200": {
                "value": "#E9DAC3",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "300": {
                "value": "#D6BE99",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "400": {
                "value": "#C0A172",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "500": {
                "value": "#A48351",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "600": {
                "value": "#7E6744",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "700": {
                "value": "#5A4B34",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "800": {
                "value": "#3C3325",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "900": {
                "value": "#252018",
                "type": "color"
            }
        }
    }
}