Nearest named color: Flax
#F9E585
#F9E585
Nearest named
Flax
Family
Yellow
Lightness
91.8%
Chroma
0.119
Hue angle
97.9°
Temperature
Warm
Contrast on white
1.27:1 · Fail
Contrast on black
14.66:1 · AAA
Web-safe
#FFCC99
CSS oklch()
92% 0.12 98

#F9E585 is a soft, warm green. On the Color Lab it reads organic and grounded. It is too pale to lead as a primary accent and reproduces cleanly in print.

Palettes built on #F9E585

Not just a swatch — here's how #F9E585 works with other colors. Named schemes with #F9E585 in its natural role, and a note on why the supporting colors balance it.

Warm Autumn Interior Dominant · 5 colors

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

Botanical Studio Lead · 5 colors

Flax leads this botanical set among foliage greens and a terracotta accent, softened by cream and grounded in bark brown.

Desert Clay Center · 5 colors

Flax 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

Flax 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

Flax 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 Flax carrying the quiet middle.

Build a working theme in the generator →

Color Lab

How #F9E585 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 74/100
Warm
Reads warm and advancing — inviting, energetic, draws the eye forward.
Softness 70/100
High
Soft and easy on the eye — gentle backdrops, calm surfaces.
Depth 8/100
Very low
Airy and open — recedes, leaves the composition light.
Naturalness 98/100
Very high
Organic, earthy character — at home in wellness, food and craft brands.
Vintage feel 35/100
Low
A faint retro warmth without tipping into sepia.
Luxury 13/100
Very low
Playful and accessible rather than exclusive.
Brand distinctiveness 46/100
Moderate
Recognisable but shares space with nearby hues.
UI accent fit 7/100
Very low
Weak as an action color — too pale, too dark or too muted to signal.
Surface fit 56/100
Moderate
Usable as a tinted surface in measured doses.
Print safety 81/100
Very high
Reproduces faithfully in CMYK — safe for packaging and print.

Pairs with #F9E585

For UI
For branding
For interior
For fashion
People also use #F9E585 with

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 14.7:1. Use
Subtle surface Use #FBF8EA for cards and hover fills. Tint 80
Avoid beside #E6F985 — 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 #F9E585 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

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: #F9E585;
  --color-base-rgb: 249 229 133;
  --color-base-oklch: oklch(91.8% 0.119 97.9);
  --color-50: #FEFCF0;
  --color-100: #FDF7D8;
  --color-200: #FBEFB1;
  --color-300: #F2DF7D;
  --color-400: #E4CB4E;
  --color-500: #CBB02A;
  --color-600: #9A8728;
  --color-700: #6C6023;
  --color-800: #463F1B;
  --color-900: #2B2712;
  --color-on-base: #141310;
}