Tan color guide
A mid-tone warm neutral that behaves like paper or leather. Extremely forgiving in a palette.
- Best for
- Background surfaces in earthy systems.
Accessibility
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 tan
Combinations that hold up in a real layout rather than only on the colour wheel.
Tan color harmonies
Tan shades and tints
The same hue and saturation across ten lightness steps — the basis of a usable colour ramp in a design system.
Tan FAQ
What is the hex code for tan?
Tan is #D2B48C. In other formats that is rgb(210, 180, 140), hsl(34, 44%, 69%), and approximately cmyk(0%, 14%, 33%, 18%) for print.
What colors go with tan?
Espresso, Forest Green, Burgundy all pair well with tan. Background surfaces in earthy systems.
Is tan accessible for text?
Not on white: tan reaches only 1.97:1 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 tan be black or white?
Use black text. It gives the higher contrast ratio of the two against #D2B48C.