Burnt Sienna Color Palette
Burnt Sienna is hex #E97451, rgb(233, 116, 81). Burnt sienna is a classic artist's pigment: raw sienna earth that has been heated until it turns a reddish brown-orange. It is warm and painterly.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Burnt Sienna color codes
Reading the burnt sienna color codes
The hex code #E97451 is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. E9 is 233, 74 is 116 and 51 is 81, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(233, 116, 81) in CSS. The red channel is the strongest here, which is what gives burnt sienna its red character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 14 degrees places burnt sienna in the red part of the color wheel. Saturation of 78% makes it vivid, and lightness of 62% makes it a light 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, 50% magenta, 65% yellow and 9% 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 sienna for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Burnt Sienna shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #E97451, so you can use burnt sienna for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"burnt-sienna": {
50: "#FADFD7",
100: "#F6C4B5",
200: "#F1A994",
300: "#ED8F72",
400: "#E97451",
500: "#CE6647",
600: "#B3583C",
700: "#984A32",
800: "#7D3C28",
900: "#622E1E",
950: "#472013",
},
},
},
}:root {
--burnt-sienna-50: #FADFD7;
--burnt-sienna-100: #F6C4B5;
--burnt-sienna-200: #F1A994;
--burnt-sienna-300: #ED8F72;
--burnt-sienna-400: #E97451;
--burnt-sienna-500: #CE6647;
--burnt-sienna-600: #B3583C;
--burnt-sienna-700: #984A32;
--burnt-sienna-800: #7D3C28;
--burnt-sienna-900: #622E1E;
--burnt-sienna-950: #472013;
}A shade-by-shade guide to burnt sienna
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 (#FADFD7) and 100 (#F6C4B5), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the burnt sienna mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#F1A994) and 300 (#ED8F72) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where burnt sienna 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 600 upward, so use step 600 or darker when a button label needs to be white. Near-black text stays readable on steps 50 to 500.
The darkest steps, 800 (#7D3C28) through 950 (#472013), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to burnt sienna. 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 sienna
How the burnt sienna color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from burnt sienna is #51C6E9, which sits closest to turquoise 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. #E9517A and #E9C051 sit 30 degrees either side of burnt sienna. 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 (#51E974 and #7451E9) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to emerald green. The split complementary set (#51E9C0 and #517AE9) 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 #FAE1D9 to #983213. 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 Sienna compared with similar colors
terracotta (#E2725B) is about as light and more muted, and shares almost the same hue. Choose terracotta if you want a softer, airier version; choose burnt sienna if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
coral (#FF7F50) is lighter (66% vs 62% lightness) and more saturated, and shares almost the same hue. Choose coral if you want a softer, airier version; choose burnt sienna if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
salmon (#FA8072) is lighter (71% vs 62% lightness) and more saturated, and leans back the wheel toward red. Choose salmon if you want a softer, airier version; choose burnt sienna if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
Burnt Sienna in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here burnt sienna carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
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Using burnt sienna in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. White labels on burnt sienna only reach 2.97:1, so use dark text (7.08:1 with black) or a deeper shade for the button.
- Text. Avoid burnt sienna for body text on white; use step 600 or darker for links and headings that need to read as burnt sienna.
- Backgrounds. Use steps 50 and 100 for large areas and keep the base color for smaller surfaces. Big blocks of a vivid light 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 sienna. 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 Sienna scores 2.97:1 against white (Fail) and 7.08:1 against black (AAA). 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 sienna alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What burnt sienna means
Orange is warm, social and energetic. Earthy oranges (rust, terracotta, burnt orange) feel grounded and handmade; bright oranges feel playful and fast.
Burnt sienna is a traditional artist's pigment made by heating raw sienna, a natural earth from the area around Siena in Italy. It has been used in painting for centuries.
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 sienna works best
- Art and craft brands
- Interiors
- Southwestern design
- Book covers
How to style burnt sienna
Burnt sienna pairs with cream, sage, slate and charcoal. Check contrast before using white text at small sizes. It works beautifully for art, craft and editorial brands as a warm accent.
Build a UI with burnt sienna
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #E97451 as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Burnt Sienna · History and definition of burnt sienna.
- 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 sienna?
The hex code for burnt sienna used on this page is #E97451. In RGB that is rgb(233, 116, 81), and in HSL it is hsl(14, 78%, 62%).
What colors go well with burnt sienna?
Burnt Sienna pairs well with #F7D9CB, #FBF7F2, #4A3B32 (the Studio Pigment palette above). Its complementary color is #51C6E9, and analogous colors are #E9517A and #E9C051.
Is burnt sienna a warm or cool color?
Burnt Sienna is a warm color. Its hue sits at 14 degrees on the color wheel with 78% saturation.
Can I use burnt sienna for text?
Burnt Sienna has a contrast ratio of 2.97:1 against white and 7.08:1 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 sienna mean?
Orange is warm, social and energetic. Earthy oranges (rust, terracotta, burnt orange) feel grounded and handmade; bright oranges feel playful and fast. Burnt Sienna in particular is used for art and craft brands and interiors.
How do I use burnt sienna in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#E97451] 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-sienna-500 and text-burnt-sienna-900.
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