#AD4242 Hex Color

Online color picker to view shades, tints, color codes, and complementary colors

Hex color #ad4242 graphic
Warm and moderately saturated, #ad4242 is a mellow red with earthy terracotta undertones. Its grounded energy suits food branding, autumn palettes, sports graphics, and rustic interiors. Use it as a supporting color beside dark navy or cream rather than a full-page background. White text has about 5.8:1 contrast, meeting WCAG AA for body text. The hex code is #ad4242.

Questions about #ad4242

What is #ad4242 in RGB, HSL and CMYK?
In RGB, #ad4242 is rgb(173, 66, 66), in HSL hsl(0, 45%, 47%) and in CMYK 0%, 62%, 62%, 32%. Browse more shades of brown with names and hex codes.
What colors pair well with #ad4242?
Cream and navy pair especially well with #ad4242, balancing its earthy warmth with light contrast and a cooler anchor. Charcoal also works for text or trim, while muted terracotta and related browns can create a cohesive rustic palette.
Is #ad4242 a warm or cool color?
#ad4242 reads as a warm red because its subdued red base leans toward earthy terracotta rather than blue or magenta. That warmth gives it a grounded, approachable mood, making it useful for autumn-inspired layouts, food packaging, and rustic interior palettes.
Is #ad4242 readable on white or black?
#ad4242 has a 5.77:1 contrast ratio on white and 3.63:1 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 works only for large text (24px, or 18.5px bold). Try other pairs in the contrast checker.