#312B23 Hex Color
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Coffee brands and vintage packaging often reach for #312b23, a dark brown so muted it edges toward gray. That low saturation gives it a grounded, serious feel rather than a cozy one. It works best as a dominant background for moody designs, where white text stays comfortably readable at a 14.0:1 contrast ratio. Pair it with ochre or faded terracotta to keep things from turning flat.
Questions about #312b23
What is #312b23 in RGB, HSL and CMYK?
In RGB, #312b23 is rgb(49, 43, 35), in HSL hsl(34, 17%, 16%) and in CMYK 0%, 12%, 29%, 81%.
What colors pair well with #312b23?
Warm mid-tones flatter #312b23 best: ochre, faded terracotta, antique gold, and dusty sage all keep its muted character intact. Bright saturated accents like teal or burnt orange also pop against it for a bolder vintage look.
Is #312b23 a good background color for text?
Yes. White text on #312b23 reaches roughly a 14.0:1 contrast ratio, well above the WCAG AA minimum of 4.5:1, so it easily passes for small body text. Light warm tints like cream also read clearly on it.
Is #312b23 readable on white or black?
#312b23 has a 13.99:1 contrast ratio on white and 1.50:1 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.