#538CB2 Hex Color
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Muted and mid-weight, #538cb2 is a grayed steel blue with a cool, slate-like cast. Its low saturation gives it a steady, dependable feel, which suits finance dashboards and healthcare UI. It works best as a supporting tone at 30% of a palette, since it can look washed out next to pure white. Warm terracotta or deep navy bring out its depth. Black text clears AA on this hex code at about 5.8:1.
Questions about #538cb2
What is #538cb2 in RGB, HSL and CMYK?
In RGB, #538cb2 is rgb(83, 140, 178), in HSL hsl(204, 38%, 51%) and in CMYK 53%, 21%, 0%, 30%.
What colors pair well with #538cb2?
Warm terracotta and cream keep #538cb2 from feeling cold, while a deep navy base makes it read lighter and cleaner. Skip soft pastels, since they wash out its muted finish.
Is #538cb2 readable on white or black?
#538cb2 has a 3.64:1 contrast ratio on white and 5.76:1 on black. WCAG asks for 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text, so on white it works only for large text (24px, or 18.5px bold) and on black it works for body text. Try other pairs in the contrast checker.