Burnt Orange Color Palette
Burnt Orange is hex #CC5500, rgb(204, 85, 0). Burnt orange is a deep orange with brown in it, like orange that has been roasted. It is warmer and calmer than bright orange and strongly associated with autumn.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Burnt Orange color codes
Reading the burnt orange color codes
The hex code #CC5500 is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. CC is 204, 55 is 85 and 00 is 0, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(204, 85, 0) in CSS. The red channel is the strongest here, which is what gives burnt orange its orange character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 25 degrees places burnt orange in the orange part of the color wheel. Saturation of 100% makes it vivid, and lightness of 40% makes it a mid-tone color. HSL is the easiest format to adjust by hand: keep the hue, then raise or lower lightness to create tints and shades that stay in the same family.
For print, the approximate CMYK mix is 0% cyan, 58% magenta, 100% yellow and 20% black. Screen and print colors never match perfectly, because monitors emit light while ink absorbs it, so always proof a printed sample before committing to burnt orange for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Burnt Orange shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #CC5500, so you can use burnt orange for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"burnt-orange": {
50: "#F7E4D6",
100: "#F1CFB8",
200: "#EBBB99",
300: "#E4A77A",
400: "#DE925C",
500: "#D87E3D",
600: "#D2691F",
700: "#CC5500",
800: "#A44400",
900: "#7C3400",
950: "#552300",
},
},
},
}:root {
--burnt-orange-50: #F7E4D6;
--burnt-orange-100: #F1CFB8;
--burnt-orange-200: #EBBB99;
--burnt-orange-300: #E4A77A;
--burnt-orange-400: #DE925C;
--burnt-orange-500: #D87E3D;
--burnt-orange-600: #D2691F;
--burnt-orange-700: #CC5500;
--burnt-orange-800: #A44400;
--burnt-orange-900: #7C3400;
--burnt-orange-950: #552300;
}A shade-by-shade guide to burnt orange
The 50 to 950 scale above follows the same structure as Tailwind's built-in palettes, so each step has a natural job. The lightest steps, 50 (#F7E4D6) and 100 (#F1CFB8), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the burnt orange mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#EBBB99) and 300 (#E4A77A) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where burnt orange is most recognizable, so use it for brand moments, illustrations and primary buttons. White text reaches the 4.5:1 body-text contrast minimum from step 800 upward, so use step 800 or darker when a button label needs to be white. Near-black text stays readable on steps 50 to 600.
The darkest steps, 800 (#A44400) through 950 (#552300), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to burnt orange. Using step 900 or 950 for text instead of pure black is one of the simplest ways to make an interface feel designed rather than default.
Colors that go with burnt orange
How the burnt orange color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from burnt orange is #0077CC, which sits closest to denim blue among common named colors. Complementary pairs create the strongest contrast of hue, so use the second color sparingly, for a single call to action or highlight, rather than in equal amounts.
Analogous. #CC0011 and #CCBB00 sit 30 degrees either side of burnt orange. Analogous palettes feel calm and cohesive because the colors share undertones; they are ideal for illustrations, gradients and backgrounds where you want harmony more than contrast.
Triadic and split complementary. The triadic set (#00CC55 and #5500CC) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to jade. The split complementary set (#00CCBB and #0011CC) keeps much of the complementary contrast but is easier to balance, which makes it a good choice for data visualization and multi-category tags.
Monochromatic. The monochromatic set runs from #FFA666 to #3D1A00. A single-hue palette is the safest way to build a calm, premium interface: rely on lightness for hierarchy, then add one neutral and one accent if you need emphasis.
Burnt Orange compared with similar colors
rust (#B7410E) is about as light and more muted, and leans back the wheel toward orange. Choose rust if you need more weight and contrast; choose burnt orange if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
ochre (#CC7722) is lighter (47% vs 40% lightness) and more muted, and shares almost the same hue. Choose ochre if you want a softer, airier version; choose burnt orange if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
copper (#B87333) is lighter (46% vs 40% lightness) and more muted, and shares almost the same hue. Choose copper if you want a softer, airier version; choose burnt orange if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
Burnt Orange in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here burnt orange carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
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Using burnt orange in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. White labels on burnt orange reach 4.31:1, enough for large or bold text only. For regular button labels, use step 800 or switch to dark text.
- Text. Avoid burnt orange for body text on white; use step 800 or darker for links and headings that need to read as burnt orange.
- Backgrounds. Use steps 50 and 100 for large areas and keep the base color for smaller surfaces. Big blocks of a vivid mid-tone color draw attention, so give them a reason, like a hero section or pricing highlight.
- Dark mode. Steps 900 and 950 make a dark surface tinted with burnt orange. On dark backgrounds the base color often needs a lighter step (300 or 400) to keep enough contrast for icons and borders, as required by WCAG non-text contrast.
- States. Shift one step darker for hover and two steps darker for pressed. Keep focus rings in a contrasting color so keyboard users can always see them.
Contrast and accessibility
AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text. AAA needs 7:1.
Color contrast is measured as a ratio from 1:1 (no contrast) to 21:1 (black on white). Burnt Orange scores 4.31:1 against white (AA large) and 4.87:1 against black (AA). The WCAG 2.1 contrast guideline asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, which is why the shade guide above recommends specific steps for text and labels.
Contrast is only half of accessibility. Around 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women have some form of color vision deficiency, so never use burnt orange alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What burnt orange means
Orange is warm, social and energetic. Earthy oranges (rust, terracotta, burnt orange) feel grounded and handmade; bright oranges feel playful and fast.
Burnt orange is a deep, brown-tinged orange. It is strongly associated with autumn and with several American university and sports team identities, and it was another favorite of 1970s design.
Orange is a strong call-to-action color because it stands out against blue and neutral interfaces. Most mid oranges need dark text, not white, to pass contrast.
Where burnt orange works best
- Autumn and Thanksgiving campaigns
- Sports teams
- Craft brands
- Retro 70s design
How to style burnt orange
Burnt orange pairs with navy, cream, mustard and deep green. It supports white text for buttons and headers. Use it for warm, confident calls to action in otherwise neutral interfaces.
Build a UI with burnt orange
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #CC5500 as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Burnt Orange · History and definition of burnt orange.
- WCAG 2.1: Contrast (Minimum) · The W3C rule behind the 4.5:1 and 3:1 thresholds used on this page.
- WCAG 2.1: Use of Color · Why color should never be the only way information is shown.
- MDN: CSS color values · Reference for hex, rgb() and hsl() syntax.
- Tailwind CSS: Customizing colors · How to add a custom color scale to your theme.
Similar colors
Questions people ask
What is the hex code for burnt orange?
The hex code for burnt orange used on this page is #CC5500. In RGB that is rgb(204, 85, 0), and in HSL it is hsl(25, 100%, 40%).
What colors go well with burnt orange?
Burnt Orange pairs well with #F6D6BD, #FFF8F1, #2F3E46 (the Harvest palette above). Its complementary color is #0077CC, and analogous colors are #CC0011 and #CCBB00.
Is burnt orange a warm or cool color?
Burnt Orange is a warm color. Its hue sits at 25 degrees on the color wheel with 100% saturation.
Can I use burnt orange for text?
Burnt Orange has a contrast ratio of 4.31:1 against white and 4.87:1 against black. Body text needs at least 4.5:1, so it works as a background behind dark text, but not as text on white.
What does burnt orange mean?
Orange is warm, social and energetic. Earthy oranges (rust, terracotta, burnt orange) feel grounded and handmade; bright oranges feel playful and fast. Burnt Orange in particular is used for autumn and thanksgiving campaigns and sports teams.
How do I use burnt orange in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#CC5500] for a one-off, or add the 50-950 scale from this page to theme.extend.colors in tailwind.config.js and use classes like bg-burnt-orange-500 and text-burnt-orange-900.
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