#4E4230 Hex Color
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#4e4230 is a dark, muted brown with ashy gray undertones that reads serious and grounded. It suits moody backgrounds, coffee and chocolate packaging, and vintage or artisan branding. White text passes WCAG AA against it at roughly 9.8:1 contrast, so small body copy stays readable. At large sizes it can turn muddy, so treat it as a supporting tone rather than a dominant base. Find it among other shades of brown.
Questions about #4e4230
What is #4e4230 in RGB, HSL and CMYK?
In RGB, #4e4230 is rgb(78, 66, 48), in HSL hsl(36, 24%, 25%) and in CMYK 0%, 15%, 38%, 69%. Browse more shades of gray with names and hex codes.
What colors pair well with #4e4230?
It flatters cream, terracotta, and muted olive for earthy palettes, while deep burgundy or navy add richness. For contrast, pair it with off-white text rather than pure white to keep the mood soft.
Is #4e4230 a warm or cool brown?
#4e4230 reads warm, thanks to its yellow and red undertones, though its low saturation and darkness mute that warmth. The result feels steadier than cozy, closer to soil or aged leather than bright wood.
Can #4e4230 work as a background color?
Yes. It holds enough darkness for white text to pass WCAG AA at about 9.8:1 contrast, making it a solid choice for dark mode surfaces and moody layouts. Just avoid fine light-gray details on top, which lose legibility.
Is #4e4230 readable on white or black?
#4e4230 has a 9.78:1 contrast ratio on white and 2.14:1 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.