What color is #DCA16A?

#DCA16A is a light, soft orange. In RGB it is rgb(220, 161, 106), and in HSL hsl(29, 62%, 64%).

Is #DCA16A accessible as text?

On white, #DCA16A has a contrast ratio of 2.25:1 (fails WCAG AA for body text); on black it is 9.35:1 (passes). For text placed on #DCA16A, use black for the best readability.

What is the closest Tailwind color to #DCA16A?

The nearest Tailwind CSS token is amber-500 (#FE9A00).

What colors go well with #DCA16A?

#DCA16A pairs cleanly with neutrals — cream, taupe, charcoal and cool grays — and with its complementary #6AA5DC. In UI, a softer accent is often easier to use than the exact complement. Explore the harmonies, shades, tints and ready-made palettes for #DCA16A below.

Is #DCA16A good for buttons?

#DCA16A works well for buttons and highlights, but use black text on #DCA16A — white text only reaches 2.25:1, below the 4.5:1 needed for normal-size labels.

Is #DCA16A the same as CSS sandybrown?

No — #DCA16A is not the CSS named color sandybrown, but sandybrown (#F4A460) is the closest CSS named color.

#DCA16A Color — HEX, RGB, HSL, Palette & Shades

Palettes built on #DCA16A

Not just a swatch — here's how #DCA16A works with other colors. Named schemes with #DCA16A in its natural role, and a note on why the supporting colors balance it.

Warm Autumn Interior Dominant · 5 colors

Dominant #DCA16A Secondary #B5651B Accent #737945 Surface #F4ECDD Anchor #3B2A20

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

Desert Clay Center · 5 colors

Center #DCA16A Surface #E1CEA8 Secondary #B07A54 Accent #94986F Anchor #3E2C20

Buff 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 #DCA16A Accent #ABC4B5 Surface #E5D8BE Secondary #9AA09F Anchor #2A314B

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

Japanese Sand Base · 5 colors

Base #DCA16A Surface #EFE9DC Highlight #F6F1E7 Secondary #BAAF9F Ink #2B2723

Buff 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.

Minimal Editorial Surface · 5 colors

Surface #F7F4EF Accent #DCA16A Secondary #EDD7C5 Support #9A9186 Ink #17140F

Buff 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 Buff carrying the quiet middle.

Build a working theme in the generator →

Color Lab

How #DCA16A 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 79/100

Warm

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

Softness 62/100

High

Middle-weight — neither delicate nor heavy.

Depth 25/100

Low

Airy and open — recedes, leaves the composition light.

Naturalness 99/100

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 32/100

Low

Understated — leans refined without going austere.

Brand distinctiveness 39/100

Low

Recognisable but shares space with nearby hues.

UI accent fit 40/100

Low

Workable accent with care around contrast.

Surface fit 46/100

Moderate

Usable as a tinted surface in measured doses.

Print safety 88/100

Very high

Reproduces faithfully in CMYK — safe for packaging and print.

Pairs with #DCA16A

For UI

For branding

For interior

For fashion

People also use #DCA16A with

Light Coral Flax Iceberg 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 8.3:1. Use

Subtle surface Use #F5ECE4 for cards and hover fills. Tint 80

Avoid beside #DCC76A — 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 #DCA16A at work across the surfaces designers actually ship.

Website / UI

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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: #DCA16A;
  --color-base-rgb: 220 161 106;
  --color-base-oklch: oklch(75.3% 0.100 63.3);
  --color-50: #FDF7F2;
  --color-100: #F8EADD;
  --color-200: #EFD5BD;
  --color-300: #E0B690;
  --color-400: #CC9766;
  --color-500: #B17944;
  --color-600: #87603A;
  --color-700: #60472E;
  --color-800: #3F3022;
  --color-900: #271E16;
  --color-on-base: #141310;
}

// tailwind.config.js
colors: {
  buff: {
    50: '#FDF7F2',
    100: '#F8EADD',
    200: '#EFD5BD',
    300: '#E0B690',
    400: '#CC9766',
    500: '#B17944',
    600: '#87603A',
    700: '#60472E',
    800: '#3F3022',
    900: '#271E16',
  },
}

$base: #DCA16A;
$base-ink: #141310;
$base-50: #FDF7F2;
$base-100: #F8EADD;
$base-200: #EFD5BD;
$base-300: #E0B690;
$base-400: #CC9766;
$base-500: #B17944;
$base-600: #87603A;
$base-700: #60472E;
$base-800: #3F3022;
$base-900: #271E16;
$base-hover: #D08035;
$base-subtle: #F0E3D6;

{
    "color": {
        "base": {
            "value": "#DCA16A",
            "type": "color"
        },
        "onBase": {
            "value": "#141310",
            "type": "color"
        },
        "scale": {
            "50": {
                "value": "#FDF7F2",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "100": {
                "value": "#F8EADD",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "200": {
                "value": "#EFD5BD",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "300": {
                "value": "#E0B690",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "400": {
                "value": "#CC9766",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "500": {
                "value": "#B17944",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "600": {
                "value": "#87603A",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "700": {
                "value": "#60472E",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "800": {
                "value": "#3F3022",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "900": {
                "value": "#271E16",
                "type": "color"
            }
        }
    }
}