Salmon color guide

#FA8072
HEX
#FA8072
RGB
rgb(250, 128, 114)
HSL
hsl(6, 93%, 71%)
CMYK
cmyk(0%, 49%, 54%, 2%)

Sits between coral and pink, warm and soft without being pale. Has enough saturation to work as an accent rather than only as a background wash.

Best for
Friendly mid-tone accents.

Accessibility

Salmon text on whiteFail
Sample2.5:1
White text on salmonFail
Sample2.5:1
Salmon text on blackAAA
Sample8.4:1
Black text on salmonAAA
Sample8.4:1

Ratios follow WCAG 2.1. AA needs 4.5:1 for body text, AAA needs 7:1; large text passes AA at 3:1.

Colors that go with salmon

Combinations that hold up in a real layout rather than only on the colour wheel.

Salmon color harmonies

Complementary
The opposite hue — highest contrast, best used sparingly.
#FA8072 #70ECFA
Analogous
Neighbouring hues that sit together calmly.
#FA70A7 #FA8072 #FAC370
Triadic
Three evenly spaced hues — vivid but balanced.
#FA8072 #70FA7E #7E70FA
Split complementary
Softer than complementary, with the same tension.
#FA8072 #70FAC3 #70A7FA

Salmon shades and tints

The same hue and saturation across ten lightness steps — the basis of a usable colour ramp in a design system.

#FEE9E6#FCBCB5#FB9084#F96353#F73722#DD1D08#AC1706#7B1004#4A0A03#270501

Salmon FAQ

What is the hex code for salmon?

Salmon is #FA8072. In other formats that is rgb(250, 128, 114), hsl(6, 93%, 71%), and approximately cmyk(0%, 49%, 54%, 2%) for print.

What colors go with salmon?

Teal, Charcoal, Cream all pair well with salmon. Friendly mid-tone accents.

Is salmon accessible for text?

Not on white: salmon reaches only 2.5:1 there, below the 4.5:1 WCAG AA threshold. Use it as a background with black text on top, or reserve it for large display type.

Should text on salmon be black or white?

Use black text. It gives the higher contrast ratio of the two against #FA8072.

More pink colors