Putty
Warm earthy neutral with golden undertones
Putty is a warm, desaturated yellow with earthy, beige undertones. Because it balances softness with a sunny disposition, it works effectively as a grounded background color. Black text remains highly legible against this shade, meeting strict accessibility standards for small body text. Pair #cdae70 with deep charcoal or slate blue to create sophisticated contrast in modern UI designs. The hex code for this color is #cdae70.
About Putty
Late sun through a jar of honey
What does putty mean?
Putty often brings to mind aged paper, wheat fields, and warm candlelight, with a soft yellow glow rather than a sharp one. Its muted saturation and mid-level lightness give it a mellow, unhurried warmth, like light softened by a fabric shade.
Where you see putty
- beeswax candles
- wheat stalks
- unbleached linen
- mustard seeds
- old book pages
- oatmeal
What it works for
Use it in interiors and packaging where a warm, easygoing background matters, and let deeper browns or greens carry the contrast.
What colors go with putty?
Deep Teal #00555aThe cool blue-green cuts through the yellow warmth and keeps the pairing from feeling flat.Charcoal #36454fA near-black ground gives this soft gold real weight and a modern edge.Sage #9caf88Both colors are muted and warm, so they sit together without competing.Eggplant #430541Deep purple sits opposite yellow on the wheel, making a rich, food-friendly pairing.Ivory #fffff0The near-white neighbor lets putty read as the darkest note in a soft, warm scheme.Terracotta #e2725bTwo earthy warm tones stack into a sun-baked, clay-pot combination.
Questions about Putty
What is the hex code for Putty?
Putty is #cdae70. In RGB that is rgb(205, 174, 112), in HSL hsl(40, 48%, 62%) and in CMYK 0%, 15%, 45%, 20%.
Is #cdae70 a warm or cool color?
#cdae70 is a warm, desaturated yellow that leans heavily into beige territory. Its golden undertones provide a sunny but muted quality, making it much more approachable and softer than a stark, pure yellow or a sterile, clinical gray background.
Is Putty readable on white or black?
Putty has a 2.12:1 contrast ratio on white and 9.88:1 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.