#262926 Hex Color
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Bitter Liquorice is an incredibly dark, desaturated shade that sits just off-black. This neutral tone provides excellent contrast for white typography, making it a reliable choice for dark mode UI backgrounds. While its intense, moody character can feel overwhelming in large blocks, it anchors minimal designs well. The hex code for Bitter Liquorice is #262926.
About Bitter Liquorice
Ash scraped from a cold hearth at dusk
What does bitter liquorice mean?
Bitter Liquorice often reads as shade, ash, and stillness. Almost no saturation and deep lightness make this color feel heavy, muted, and closed off, like a room an hour after sunset.
Where you see bitter liquorice
- charcoal
- cast iron pans
- slate roofs
- graphite pencil marks
- burnt toast
- asphalt on a dry day
What it works for
Use it as a near-black background where pure black feels too stark, or as a muted ground that lets brighter colors carry the page.
What colors go with bitter liquorice?
Bone #e0d7c6The pale off-white lifts this dark grey without adding any competing color.Oxblood #800020The deep red gains depth against a neutral dark that never fights back.Sage #9caf88Soft green warms the grey's faint green undertone into something herbal.Mustard #ffdb58The yellow's heat cuts straight through this color's flat, sooty mass.Blush #de5d83A pale pink softens the gloom and keeps the pairing from feeling industrial.Slate Blue #6a5acdTwo muted neighbors sit close in value and share a low, overcast mood.
Questions about Bitter Liquorice
What is the hex code for Bitter Liquorice?
Bitter Liquorice is #262926. In RGB that is rgb(38, 41, 38), in HSL hsl(120, 4%, 15%) and in CMYK 7%, 0%, 7%, 84%.
Is #262926 a true black?
No, #262926 is a deep, desaturated off-black that avoids the harshness of pure black. It provides a more natural, softer feel, making it an ideal choice for backgrounds where you want high contrast without the visual fatigue of a absolute black layout.
Is Bitter Liquorice readable on white or black?
Bitter Liquorice has a 14.71:1 contrast ratio on white and 1.42:1 on black. WCAG asks for 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text, so on white it works for body text and on black it is too faint for text. Try other pairs in the contrast checker.