What color is #DCA51B?

#DCA51B is a medium, vivid amber. In RGB it is rgb(220, 165, 27), and in HSL hsl(43, 78%, 48%).

Is #DCA51B accessible as text?

On white, #DCA51B has a contrast ratio of 2.22:1 (fails WCAG AA for body text); on black it is 9.44:1 (passes). For text placed on #DCA51B, use black for the best readability.

What is the closest Tailwind color to #DCA51B?

The nearest Tailwind CSS token is yellow-500 (#F0B100).

What colors go well with #DCA51B?

#DCA51B pairs cleanly with neutrals — cream, taupe, charcoal and cool grays — and with its complementary #1B51DA. In UI, a softer accent is often easier to use than the exact complement. Explore the harmonies, shades, tints and ready-made palettes for #DCA51B below.

Is #DCA51B good for buttons?

#DCA51B works well for buttons and highlights, but use black text on #DCA51B — white text only reaches 2.22:1, below the 4.5:1 needed for normal-size labels.

Is #DCA51B the same as CSS goldenrod?

No — #DCA51B is not the CSS named color goldenrod, but goldenrod (#DAA520) is the closest CSS named color.

#DCA51B Color — HEX, RGB, HSL, Palette & Shades

Palettes built on #DCA51B

Not just a swatch — here's how #DCA51B works with other colors. Named schemes with #DCA51B in its natural role, and a note on why the supporting colors balance it.

Warm Autumn Interior Dominant · 5 colors

Dominant #DCA51B Secondary #B36714 Accent #707946 Surface #F3ECDD Anchor #3B2A1F

This palette keeps Goldenrod 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 #DCA51B Surface #E0CFA8 Secondary #AE7B52 Accent #929970 Anchor #3E2C1F

Goldenrod 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 #DCA51B Accent #ABC4B6 Surface #E4D8BE Secondary #9AA09F Anchor #163746

Goldenrod 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 #DCA51B Surface #EFE9DC Highlight #F6F1E7 Secondary #B9AF9F Ink #2B2723

Goldenrod 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 #DCA51B Secondary #EDDAB5 Support #9A9186 Ink #17140F

Goldenrod 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 Goldenrod carrying the quiet middle.

Build a working theme in the generator →

Color Lab

How #DCA51B 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 87/100

Warm

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

Softness 54/100

Moderate

Middle-weight — neither delicate nor heavy.

Depth 25/100

Low

Airy and open — recedes, leaves the composition light.

Naturalness 95/100

Very high

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

Vintage feel 45/100

Moderate

A faint retro warmth without tipping into sepia.

Luxury 31/100

Low

Understated — leans refined without going austere.

Brand distinctiveness 58/100

Moderate

Recognisable but shares space with nearby hues.

UI accent fit 42/100

Moderate

Workable accent with care around contrast.

Surface fit 32/100

Low

Usable as a tinted surface in measured doses.

Print safety 80/100

High

Reproduces faithfully in CMYK — safe for packaging and print.

Pairs with #DCA51B

For UI

For branding

For interior

For fashion

People also use #DCA51B with

Cinnabar Yellow Green Cerulean Greige Army Green

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 #F3EBD6 for cards and hover fills. Tint 80

Avoid beside #D0DA1B — 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 #DCA51B 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

Every model

Export

:root {
  --color-base: #DCA51B;
  --color-base-rgb: 220 165 27;
  --color-base-oklch: oklch(75.4% 0.149 83.4);
  --color-50: #FEFAF1;
  --color-100: #FBF2DA;
  --color-200: #F6E4B6;
  --color-300: #EACD85;
  --color-400: #DAB558;
  --color-500: #BF9836;
  --color-600: #917630;
  --color-700: #675528;
  --color-800: #43391E;
  --color-900: #292314;
  --color-on-base: #141310;
}

// tailwind.config.js
colors: {
  goldenrod: {
    50: '#FEFAF1',
    100: '#FBF2DA',
    200: '#F6E4B6',
    300: '#EACD85',
    400: '#DAB558',
    500: '#BF9836',
    600: '#917630',
    700: '#675528',
    800: '#43391E',
    900: '#292314',
  },
}

$base: #DCA51B;
$base-ink: #141310;
$base-50: #FEFAF1;
$base-100: #FBF2DA;
$base-200: #F6E4B6;
$base-300: #EACD85;
$base-400: #DAB558;
$base-500: #BF9836;
$base-600: #917630;
$base-700: #675528;
$base-800: #43391E;
$base-900: #292314;
$base-hover: #AE8316;
$base-subtle: #EFE1C0;

{
    "color": {
        "base": {
            "value": "#DCA51B",
            "type": "color"
        },
        "onBase": {
            "value": "#141310",
            "type": "color"
        },
        "scale": {
            "50": {
                "value": "#FEFAF1",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "100": {
                "value": "#FBF2DA",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "200": {
                "value": "#F6E4B6",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "300": {
                "value": "#EACD85",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "400": {
                "value": "#DAB558",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "500": {
                "value": "#BF9836",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "600": {
                "value": "#917630",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "700": {
                "value": "#675528",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "800": {
                "value": "#43391E",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "900": {
                "value": "#292314",
                "type": "color"
            }
        }
    }
}

Palettes built on #DCA51B

Color Lab

Pairs with #DCA51B

UI roles & guardrails

In real applications

Scales

Every model

Export