Steam
A clean, balanced light grey neutral
Steam is a pale, neutral grey that offers a clean alternative to pure white. Because it provides strong contrast with black text, it functions effectively as a subtle background for minimalist UI design or typography. Avoid using it alongside stark white, as it can look muddy or washed out. The hex code for this delicate shade is #dddddd.
About Steam
Fog on a bathroom mirror before it clears
What does steam mean?
This near-white grey often reads as neutral, empty, or unfinished, so people commonly use it to suggest a clean slate. Its near-white lightness and zero saturation give it almost no presence, like a color holding its breath.
Where you see steam
- overcast sky
- printer paper
- sidewalk concrete
- plaster walls
- dryer lint
- chalk dust
What it works for
It works well as a background, a divider, or a soft container that lets stronger colors do the talking.
What colors go with steam?
Charcoal #36454fThe deep dark grounds this faint grey and gives it the contrast it lacks on its own.Dusty Rose #b56f76The muted pink warms the neutral grey without breaking its soft, faded character.Forest Green #154406The dense green supplies weight and depth while the pale grey keeps the pair airy.Burnt Orange #cc5500The hot orange cuts through the grey flatness and adds immediate heat and energy.Slate Blue #6a5acdBoth colors sit low in saturation, so the pair stays cool, quiet, and cohesive.Mustard #ffdb58The yellow-brown pops against the washed-out grey and keeps the combo from feeling sterile.
Questions about Steam
What is the hex code for Steam?
Steam is #dddddd. In RGB that is rgb(221, 221, 221), in HSL hsl(0, 0%, 87%) and in CMYK 0%, 0%, 0%, 13%.
Does #dddddd work well with text?
Steam #dddddd works effectively as a subtle, low-impact background for dark text like charcoal or dark navy, providing high legibility. Avoid using it with white text, as the contrast ratio will fail accessibility standards for readability.
Is #dddddd a cool or warm grey?
Steam is a balanced, neutral grey without strong blue or yellow undertones, making it a safe choice for most design systems. This lack of bias allows it to sit comfortably next to both warm woods and cool metallic accents.
Is Steam readable on white or black?
Steam has a 1.35:1 contrast ratio on white and 15.46:1 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.