#C9AE74 Hex Color
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Sandstone is an unsaturated, warm gold that feels earthy and grounded. Because of its approachable nature, it works well as a supporting tone in designs needing a touch of organic softness. Pair #c9ae74 with deep charcoal or navy to create striking contrast. This hex code provides excellent readability for black text, making it a functional choice for clean, minimal UI backgrounds.
About Sandstone
Straw left out in the harvest sun
What does sandstone mean?
Sandstone often calls to mind dry grass, packed earth, wheat fields, and sun-worn rock. Its middle lightness and low saturation give it a mellow, steady warmth that never shouts.
Where you see sandstone
- dry grass
- beach sand
- wheat stalks
- straw hats
- oatmeal
- adobe walls
What it works for
Use it as a warm background that lets bolder colors carry the energy of a design.
What colors go with sandstone?
Deep Teal #00555aThe cool blue-green cuts through the gold's warmth with clean contrast.Plum #8e4585Deep purple sits rich and grounded next to this soft, glowing yellow.Charcoal #36454fNear-black gray sharpens the muted gold without fighting its calm.Sage #9caf88Two quiet, unsaturated tones share a soft, herbal warmth.Navy #000080Dark blue gives the pale gold a crisp, classic frame.Terracotta #e2725bWarm orange-red layers onto the yellow base for an earthy, baked-clay feel.
Questions about Sandstone
What is the hex code for Sandstone?
Sandstone is #c9ae74. In RGB that is rgb(201, 174, 116), in HSL hsl(41, 44%, 62%) and in CMYK 0%, 13%, 42%, 21%.
Is #c9ae74 a good choice for text on websites?
Using #c9ae74 as a background color provides a functional, neutral base that offers good readability for black or very dark grey text. However, because it is a lighter, unsaturated tone, avoid using #c9ae74 for small body text itself, as it lacks the necessary contrast against white backgrounds.
Is Sandstone readable on white or black?
Sandstone has a 2.14:1 contrast ratio on white and 9.79:1 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.