#5E4840 Hex Color
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The hex code #5e4840 is a dark, muted brown with ashy gray undertones and a matte, grounded finish. Its low saturation creates a serious, slightly gloomy mood, while the warm base keeps it comfortable. Use it as a supporting tone with aged brass, cream, or faded olive in vintage, coffee, food, and artisan branding. White text achieves about 8.5:1 contrast.
Questions about #5e4840
What is #5e4840 in RGB, HSL and CMYK?
In RGB, #5e4840 is rgb(94, 72, 64), in HSL hsl(16, 19%, 31%) and in CMYK 0%, 23%, 32%, 63%. Browse more shades of gray with names and hex codes.
What colors pair well with #5e4840?
#5e4840 pairs well with cream, aged brass, faded olive, and muted terracotta, adding warmth or restrained contrast without overpowering its ashy brown base; lighter neutrals help balance it, while stronger accents work best in small details.
Does #5e4840 feel warm or cool?
#5e4840 reads as a warm-leaning brown, but its ashy gray undertones soften the warmth and give it a subdued, slightly cool-looking finish; that balance keeps the shade grounded rather than orange, making it comfortable beside warm neutrals and weathered materials.
Where does #5e4840 work well in a design?
#5e4840 works well as a supporting color in coffee packaging, artisan branding, vintage layouts, and warm neutral interfaces; its low saturation makes it especially effective for backgrounds, borders, cards, and secondary elements rather than attention-seeking buttons or alerts.
Is #5e4840 readable on white or black?
#5e4840 has a 8.47:1 contrast ratio on white and 2.47:1 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.