Indigo Iron
A grounded and moody ashy blue
Indigo Iron is a muted, ashy blue that leans heavily into grey. Its desaturated, matte quality makes it a grounded choice for dark UI backgrounds or moody, professional branding. This shade pairs well with soft creams or warm metallic accents to keep the design from feeling too cold. The hex code for this serious, ink-like tone is #393f4c, which offers excellent contrast for white text.
About Indigo Iron
Charcoal with a blue streak running through it
What does indigo iron mean?
People often read dark blue-greys as serious, steady, and no-nonsense, which is why they show up in uniforms and businesswear. The low lightness and greyed-out saturation make it feel muted and heavy, like a room lit only by a north window.
Where you see indigo iron
- denim
- slate roof tiles
- cast iron pans
- storm clouds
- ink on uncoated paper
- wet asphalt
What it works for
Use it as a dark neutral for interfaces, text backgrounds, and anywhere black feels too harsh.
What colors go with indigo iron?
Rust #b7410eThe burnt orange warmth cuts through the cold grey and gives the whole palette a worn, industrial edge.Dusty Rose #b56f76The soft pink sits at a similar muted level, so neither color overpowers the other.Ochre #cc7722This earthy yellow is warm and bright enough to punch a hole in all that shadow.Sage #9caf88Both colors are greyed and matte, so they read as one calm, dusty family.Cream #fffdd0The pale warmth lifts the dark base and keeps layouts from turning murky.
Questions about Indigo Iron
What is the hex code for Indigo Iron?
Indigo Iron is #393f4c. In RGB that is rgb(57, 63, 76), in HSL hsl(221, 14%, 26%) and in CMYK 25%, 17%, 0%, 70%.
Does #393f4c (Indigo Iron) feel like a warm or cool color?
#393f4c is a distinctly cool-toned shade, though its heavy grey desaturation prevents it from appearing icy or electric. It reads as a sophisticated, industrial neutral rather than a primary blue, making it ideal for creating professional environments that avoid harshness.
Is Indigo Iron readable on white or black?
Indigo Iron has a 10.55:1 contrast ratio on white and 1.98:1 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.