Sage
A calm and unsaturated muted green
Sage is an unsaturated, pastel green that evokes growth and natural harmony. Because this shade has low chroma, it works best as a calming background or a secondary accent rather than a dominant color. Pair #87ae73 with charcoal or deep navy for high-contrast, modern UI designs. Its strong readability means it accommodates standard black body text without accessibility issues.
About Sage
Crushed garden leaves pressed between wax paper
What does sage mean?
People often link sage green with herbs, gardens, and kitchens, so it commonly reads as natural, homey, and fresh without feeling loud. The low saturation and pale, milky lightness give it a soft, dry surface, closer to worn cotton than to bright spring foliage.
Where you see sage
- dried sage leaves
- eucalyptus stems
- vintage kitchen cabinets
- garden tools with faded paint
- candles in glass jars
- linen aprons
What it works for
It works well as a large background in kitchens, bedrooms, and branding that wants warmth, since it stays muted even at full scale.
What colors go with sage?
Terracotta #e2725bThe warm orange clay hue contrasts with the cool green while keeping the earthy mood intact.Dusty Rose #b56f76Both colors share muted, grayed tones, so they sit together without either one shouting.Charcoal #36454fA near-black neutral grounds the pale green and sharpens its soft edges.Chocolate Brown #7b3f00Deep brown adds weight and depth next to a green this light and dry.
Questions about Sage
What is the hex code for Sage?
Sage is #87ae73. In RGB that is rgb(135, 174, 115), in HSL hsl(100, 27%, 57%) and in CMYK 22%, 0%, 34%, 32%.
Is Sage readable on white or black?
Sage has a 2.52:1 contrast ratio on white and 8.33:1 on black. WCAG asks for 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text, so on white it is too faint for text and on black it works for body text. Try other pairs in the contrast checker.