Cordovan
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Cordovan is a muted, dusty brick red that feels grounded and serious. With its dark, unsaturated character, this shade works best as a moody background or a subtle accent rather than a primary color. It pairs effectively with cream or warm grays to soften its intensity. The hex code for this color is #893f45, which provides strong enough contrast for readable white text.
About Cordovan
Old brick softened by a decade of rain
What does cordovan mean?
Cordovan often brings aged leather to mind, since the name comes from leather once made in Córdoba, Spain. Its low lightness and muted saturation make it feel heavy and settled, more like worn fabric or dry clay than fresh paint.
Where you see cordovan
- brick
- terracotta pots
- leather wallets
- red wine
- roof tiles
- dried roses
What it works for
It works well in interior palettes, packaging, and branding that want warmth and depth without a loud, saturated red.
What colors go with cordovan?
Sage Green #9caf88Sage sits across the wheel from its red undertones, so the two balance warmth with coolness.Mustard #ffdb58Mustard's brightness lifts the muted depth without breaking the earthy mood.Navy Blue #000080Navy deepens the scheme and makes the red undertones read warmer against all that blue.Cream #fffdd0Cream lightens the heavy tone and keeps the warmth from turning flat.Olive #808000Olive shares the muted saturation, so the two look worn together rather than matched.
Questions about Cordovan
What is the hex code for Cordovan?
Cordovan is #893f45. In RGB that is rgb(137, 63, 69), in HSL hsl(355, 37%, 39%) and in CMYK 0%, 54%, 50%, 46%.
Is #893f45 suitable for text usage in web design?
While #893f45 offers a strong presence, you must be careful with text legibility. It provides high contrast against pure white backgrounds, but it should generally be avoided for small body text to ensure WCAG accessibility compliance.
Is Cordovan readable on white or black?
Cordovan has a 7.34:1 contrast ratio on white and 2.86:1 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.