Meatball Red
An unapologetically bold and high-intensity red
High-intensity and unabashed, #e4002b is a saturated, warm red that commands instant attention. Because of its extreme saturation, it works best as a punchy 10% accent color rather than a dominant background. Pair it with soft charcoal grays to ground its aggressive energy. The hex code #e4002b offers enough contrast against white for legible text, making it a functional choice for alerts and calls to action.
About Meatball Red
Maraschino cherry under a diner spotlight
What does meatball red mean?
Red at this intensity is commonly tied to appetite, excitement, and urgency, so it often shows up on sale tags, sports kits, and food packaging. Its deep saturation and mid-lightness give it weight and heat, like a color that fills the room instead of sitting on the wall.
Where you see meatball red
- maraschino cherries
- lipstick
- stop signs
- boxing gloves
- ketchup labels
- fire alarm pull stations
What it works for
Use it as an accent on cream, charcoal, or mint, or let it lead packaging and posters that need a loud, confident voice.
What colors go with meatball red?
Mint #98ff98The cool green cools the heat and makes the red read even punchier.Cream #fffdd0A soft neutral that lets the red dominate without turning harsh.Mustard #ffdb58Two loud warm tones that push each other into fast-food territory.Midnight Navy #364251Dark blue grounds the red and keeps it from overwhelming a layout.Blush #de5d83A quiet pink relative that softens the red into something more playful.Charcoal #36454fNear-black gray sharpens the red into a stark, graphic statement.
Questions about Meatball Red
What is the hex code for Meatball Red?
Meatball Red is #e4002b. In RGB that is rgb(228, 0, 43), in HSL hsl(349, 100%, 45%) and in CMYK 0%, 100%, 81%, 11%.
How should I use #e4002b in a UI design?
#e4002b is an incredibly high-energy color that overwhelms the eye if used for large backgrounds. Limit it to 10% of your layout, such as for critical buttons, alert icons, or primary calls to action where you need immediate user focus.
Is Meatball Red readable on white or black?
Meatball Red has a 4.84:1 contrast ratio on white and 4.33:1 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.