#4C4440 Hex Color
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This dark, dusty brown reads as a neutral with a heavy, serious presence. Because #4c4440 is so desaturated, it avoids the warmth of traditional earth tones, leaning instead toward a flat, greyish matte. Use it as a stable grounding color for branding, but pair it with high-contrast white text to ensure readability. It functions well as a moody background, though it can look muddy if used in large, untextured blocks.
Questions about #4c4440
What is #4c4440 in RGB, HSL and CMYK?
In RGB, #4c4440 is rgb(76, 68, 64), in HSL hsl(20, 9%, 27%) and in CMYK 0%, 11%, 16%, 70%.
How should I use #4c4440 in a design layout?
Because #4c4440 is a very dense and desaturated shade, it is best used as a grounding background element or for secondary text rather than large, bold focal points. Always ensure your foreground text is high-contrast, such as off-white or light cream, to maintain readability against its heavy, matte surface.
Does #4c4440 feel warm or cool?
This shade sits in a neutral, greyish space that largely strips away the warmth typical of natural browns, making it feel more like a muted, industrial charcoal than a traditional earth tone. It avoids feeling overly cozy, instead providing a stable, serious, and somewhat clinical aesthetic for modern interfaces.
Is #4c4440 readable on white or black?
#4c4440 has a 9.51:1 contrast ratio on white and 2.20:1 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.